House Postil 1.part
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Part 1 - House Postil
Dr. Martin Luther's
Complete Writings,
published by
Dr. Joh. Georg Walch.
Thirteenth volume.
First section.
The house postilion according to Veit Dietrich.
New revised stereotype edition.
St. Louis, Mo.
CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE.
** Martin Luther's**
House Postil,
according to Veit Dietrich
Published anew on behalf of the Ministry of the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod
of Missouri, Ohio and Other States.
St. Louis, Mo.
CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE.
Preface.
Plochmann provides the best information about the origin of the Hauspostille in the preface to the first edition of the Erlangen edition. The historical notes are more clearly arranged than in the preface of Walch's edition. Therefore, we print Plochmann's words here:
This collection of sermons is called "Hauspostille" because it contains mostly sermons that Luther preached at home on Sundays and feast days. "These sermons," he writes in the preface to Dietrich's edition, "I have sometimes done in my house, before my servants, so that I, as a householder, would also do my part with my servants, to teach them to lead a Christian life. Veit Dietrich, of whom we will speak later, confirms this in his letter by saying: Luther did these sermons at home on Sundays, when he could not preach in church due to weakness, to his children and his servants.
Unfortunately, we have the sermons contained in the Hauspostille not from Luther's pen, but from his mouth, through the faithful but often not fortunate diligence of two of his listeners, Veit Dietrich and Georg Rörer. Hence it comes that gradually two editions differed so much from each other.
of the house postilion, which one later tried to unite into one under the name double house postilion. Veit Dietrich spent a long time in Wittenberg with Luther, enjoyed his special confidence, was his table companion, his traveling companion, and carefully copied his lectures and sermons. Later he came as a Lutheran preacher to the church of St. Sebald in Nuremberg, and died there in 1549. Georg Rörer was the first whom Luther ordained as a Lutheran preacher and deacon in Wittenberg in 1525. He was a faithful assistant and co-worker of Luther, took special care of correct editions of Luther's writings, and died in Halle in 1557. Among other things, both of them copied the sermons that Luther had preached in his house in the years 1530 to 1534, and from their manuscripts the two so variously different editions of Luther's house postilion were created.
Dietrich's was first published in Nuremberg in 1544 with a letter of dedication to the mayor and council of the city of Nuremberg, in which the editor says that he had received these sermons with a hurried hand and kept them with him, but now wanted to pass them on to other Christians as a noble treasure, and that the
VI Foreword . VII
The book is a good example of a work that can be used by unlearned pastors in the countryside as well as by fathers of the household. Luther wrote a preface to this edition, which is also printed in ours, in which he not only acknowledges the sermons transcribed by Dietrich as his own, but also praises the efforts and enterprise of the editor. In the same year, this edition of Dietrich's sermons was printed in Leipzig, a year later again in Nuremberg and Wittenberg under Luther's eyes, and later in Wittenberg, Frankfurt, Augsburg, Lüneburg and other places, and was translated into Latin as early as 1545 by Michael Roting, professor of Greek and Latin at the Aegidian Gymnasium in Nuremberg, a close friend of Veit Dietrich.
In the letter to the Nuremberg council Veit Dietrich had said among other things: he had added many sermons, which were omitted by him (Luther), especially from the festivals, which are not kept in the Saxon order, so that this work would be perfect for the whole year and therefore all the more useful and useful for everyone. After Luther's death, this statement may have given rise to doubts about the authenticity of Dietrich's house postilion, since it was believed from his own confession that he had added his own sermons to those of Luther; Therefore, in 1559 a new house postilla of Luther appeared, which a certain Andreas Poach, also a student of Luther, who had been Diaconus at Halle, Archidiaconus at Jena, pastor at Nordhausen and professor at Erfurt, and died as pastor at Utenbach in 1585, edited from the manuscript of the late Georg Rörer at Jena. To this the famous Nicolaus von Amsdorf wrote a preface, in which he declared that this new
It was also later reprinted in many places, namely in Jena in 1501 and in Torgau in 1601, and in Leipzig in 1655, 1655 and 1702. It was later reprinted in many places, namely in Jena in 1562 and 1579, in Torgau in 1601, and in Leipzig in 1655, 1679 and 1702, and was translated into Latin by Johann Wanckel, professor of history at Wittenberg, and into Dutch in 1567 (printed in Oberursel).
In the preliminary report to this edition of Luther's Hauspostille, organized in Jena by Andreas Poach, Poach reproaches Dietrich for including his own sermons in Luther's Hauspostille, for often combining two or three sermons that Luther did not preach in one year, and for inserting others, especially on feast days, when there were no sermons by Luther. In contrast, all of this has been avoided in his edition; he has omitted the foreign sermons that were not Luther's work, since Luther preached three years in a row and sometimes several times on a gospel in his house, he has included all of the sermons that he preached, and he has left them in the state in which they were preached by Luther; "whoever therefore likes to have Dr. Luther's sermons alone, is hereby served.
Against these reproaches, which were made to Dietrich's edition of Luther's house postilla, however, a certain Christoph Walther, typesetter in the Luftschen Buchdruckerei in Wittenberg, soon stood up with a writing, titled: Antwort auf die Flacian Lügen und falschen Bericht wider die Hauspostille Doctoris Martini Lutheri, Wittenberg 1559 in 4., in which he not only defended and justified Dietrich's edition, but also cast the most serious doubt on the authenticity of the new Jena house postilla.
VIII Preface . IX
To draw sought. "The house postilion Lutheri", he states in this writing, "the dear, learned man M. Vitus Dietrich has taken up from the mouth of the venerable father in Christ D. Martin Lutheri with a hurried hand, and when he became pastor at Nuremberg, he had it printed with the approval and permission of our dear father Lutheri. Luther also had them printed several times in Wittenberg, and ordered the magistrate Georgen Rörer to correct them. Therefore, I, as an old servant in the printing house, who also, along with M. Georg Rörer, often helped to read and correct such house postilions in Wittenberg, must respond to such sacrilegious interrogations of the Flacianists". And now he continues to claim: Veit Dietrich has not added anything of his own work, the passage in the Zueignungsschrift an den Nürnberger Rath, where he says that he has added many sermons, so omitted by Luther, is to be understood in such a way that he has inserted instead of such omitted house sermons some church sermons held by Luther, which he copied from him just like the house sermons. The Poach edition of the house postilion is therefore unauthentic, because Veit Dietrich copied the blessed Luther, since he preached at home, alone, but not also Georg Rörer, because he was at that time still Diaconus at Wittenberg, and had not at all the gift, especially with hurrying hand to copy and to compose. - Be that as it may, it cannot be denied that both such different editions of Luther's Hauspostille have their peculiar merits and shortcomings. While Dietrich's preface has the seal of authentication ahead of Rörer's, it nevertheless suffers from the reproach that several of the sermons contained in it have grown to an unusual length, and necessarily consist of two or more sermons.
The sermons in Rörer's collection, on the other hand, are shorter. In contrast, the sermons in Rörer's collection are shorter, and there are probably two or even three sermons included for each Sunday, which could very well have been given by Luther and collected by Georg Rörer. For according to their content as well as their language, they have absolutely nothing that would contradict this assumption. However, the reason for the different readings, both in individual words as well as in whole sentences and sections, which occur in those sermons that both editions give together, cannot be determined with any certainty.
Only in the two most recently published editions of Luther's complete works, the Leipzig and the Walch editions, has the double Hauspostille been included. In the former it makes up the 15th and 16th, in the latter the 13th part. Dr. Börner, the editor of the Leipzig edition, had each of the two house postils printed separately, Dietrich's in the soldered and Rörer's in the 16th part. Walch, on the other hand, combined both postilles and brought them into one work in such a way that all the sermons that are not in Dietrich's edition were inserted from Rörer's in the appropriate place, and the difference between the sermons found in the two editions was carefully noted. This procedure has something very annoying for those who want to read Luther's sermons for edification, in that they encounter eternal repetitions, often have to read the same thought two or three times on the same page, usually only with highly insignificant deviations, and cannot remain coherent at all. -
So much for Plochmann. We share the last expressed concern about the procedure
X Preface . XI
Walch's. Therefore, we give the two house postils, the one by Dietrich and the one by Rörer, separately, according to the process and according to the text of the Erlangen edition.
In Dietrich's Postille, the latter was based on the 1547 edition. This was titled: "Hauspostille D. Martin Luthers über die Sonntags- und der fürnehmsten Feste Evangelia, durch das ganze Jahr. With diligence newly corrected and augmented with 13 sermons on the Passion or History of the Passion of Christ. Nuremberg 1547." The deviating readings of the three previous editions are marked with the same letters as the Erlangen edition, namely with a the Nuremberg edition of 1544, with d the Wittenberg edition of 1544, and with c the Nuremberg edition of 1545. Since these are corrections and improvements by Dietrich, not the words of Luther, and since most of the deviations are of very minor importance, we have noted only a few variants.
Dietrich's Postilla appears herewith as a special volume, which is to form the first half of the 13th volume of Luther's works, and
The book is also available as a jubilee edition, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Reformer's birth.
May Luther's Hauspostille also find its due place in this new guise in the homes of Lutherans, and especially in the home services, as well as in the public reading services! We recall the words of Luther, which he wrote four years before his end, to which Walch also refers in his preface to the Hauspostille (Walch, Hall. Ausg. XXI, 214 *):
"When we are thus clothed with the sacred ornament, whether we be men or women, we come forth publicly, and do right priestly offices, and confess Christ, and preach and teach our children, servants, and journeymen. For this is what St. Augustine says to his citizens: What we are in the church, you are also in your homes, that is, we are bishops or preachers in the church, and you are required to be bishops or preachers in your homes. Therefore look to it, you must care for your household with God's word, as well as we for the whole church."
St. Louis, Pentecost 1883.
The Editors.
Table of Contents.
Columne
Preface by Dr. Martin Luther to this House Postilla XVI
M. Veit Dietrich's letterXVIII
A common preface to the house sermons 1
Winter part.
Advent
On the first Sunday of Advent. Matth. 21, 1-9 1
On the second Sunday of Advent. Luc. 21, 25-36 10
On the third Sunday of Advent. Matth. 11, 2-10 20
On the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Joh. 1, 19-28. 32
Christmas
On the Holy Day of Christ. (First sermon.) Luc. 2, 1-15 44
On the Holy Day of Christ. (Second sermon.) Luc. 2, 1-15 52
On the Holy Day of Christ. (Third sermon.) 64
On the second day of Christ. Luc. 2, 15-20 78
On the Sunday before the new year. Luc. 2, 33-40 86
On the new day of the year. (First sermon.) Luc. 2, 21. 102
On the new day of the year. (Second sermon.) Luc. 2, 21. 114
Epiphany
On Colonel's Day or "Feast of the Apparition. Matth. 2, 1-12.
- The first part, from the history 122
- The other part, from the saying Micah 128
On the chief day or feast of the Epiphany. (Second sermon.) Matth. 3, 13-17 136
On the first Sunday after Epiphany. Luc. 2, 41-52 144
The next Sunday after Epiphany. Joh. 2, 1-11 154
On the third Sunday after Epiphany. Matth. 8, 1-13 164
On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. Matth. 8, 23-27 174
On the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. Matth. 13, 24-30 184
On Sunday Septuagint. Matth. 20, 1-16... 192
On SundaySexagesimä . Luc. 8, 4-15 202
On the Day of the Purification of Mary. (First sermon.) Luc. 2, 22-32 212
On the Day of the Purification of Mary. (Second sermon.) Luc. 2, 22-32 220
On the Sunday of Estomihi. Luc. 18, 31-43 234
On the Sunday of Invocavit. Matth. 4, 1-11 244
On the Sunday of Reminiscere. Matth. 15, 21-28.... 254
On the Sunday of Oculi. Luc. 11, 14-28 262
On the Sunday of Lent. Joh. 6, 1-15 276
On the Sunday of Judica. John 8: 46-59 286
Palm Sunday. Matth. 21, 1-9 296
Columne
On the day of the Lord's Supper. (First sermon.) 1 Cor. 11, 23-26 298
On the day of the Lord's Supper. (Second sermon.) 1 Cor. 11, 27-34 310
Am GreenThursday . John 13: 1-17 316
Sermons on the Passion. Of the fruit of the passion of Christ 330
Preface to the Passion Sermon 330
Of the benefits of Christ's suffering. Rom.
5, 8-11 334
Passion or History of the Passion of Christ our Savior 346
The first sermon. Matth. 26, 36-46 346 > > The other sermon. Matt. 26:47-50.... 360 > > The third sermon. Matth. 26, 51-56 372 > > The fourth sermon. Matth. 26, 57-68 382 > > The fifth sermon. Matth. 26, 69-75 390 > > The sixth sermon. Matth. 27, 1-10 398 > > The seventh sermon. Matt. 27:11-31.... 412 > > The Eighth Sermon: Explanation of Several Pieces from History 420 > > The ninth sermon. Luc. 23, 26-31 430
The tenth sermon. Matth. 27, 33-56 442
The eleventh sermon. Luc. 23, 32-43 456
Char Friday. Luc. 23, 32-43 468
The twelfth sermon. Joh. 19, 25-37 480
The thirteenth sermon. Matth. 27, 57-66. 494
Summer part.
Easter
On the Holy Day of Easter. (First sermon.) Matth. 28, 1-10 506
On the Holy Day of Easter. (Second sermon.) Matth. 28, 1-10 518
On Easter Tuesday. Luc. 24, 36-48 528
On the first Sunday after Easter, Quasimodogeniti. Joh. 20, 19-31 538
On the second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias Domini. Joh. 10, 12-16 552
On the third Sunday after Easter, Jubilate. (First sermon.) Joh. 16, 16-23 564
On the third Sunday after Easter, Jubilate. (Second sermon^ Joh. 16, 16-23 574
On the fourth Sunday after Easter, Cantate. Joh. 16, 5-15 586
On the fifth Sunday after Easter, Rogate. Joh. 16, 23-30 598
On the day of Christ's ascension. Luc. 24, 50-53 610
Ain Sundays after the Ascension of Christ, Exaudi.
Joh. 15, 26. to 16, 4 620
XIV Index of contents XV
Columne
On the Holy Day of Pentecost. (First sermon.) Apost. 2, 1-14 632
On the holy day of Pentecost. (Second sermon.) Joh. 14, 23-31 642
On Pentecost mount. Joh. 3, 16-21 652
Trinity
On the Sunday of Trinity. (First sermon:) From
Feast of the Holy Trinity 664
On the Sunday of Trinity. (Second sermon.) Joh. 3, 1-15 , 680
On the first Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 16, 19-31 697
On the second Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 14, 16-24 708
On the third Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 15, 1-10 726
On the fourth Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 6, 36-42 736
On the fifth Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 5, 1-11 752
Appendix to the Sermon on the Fifth Sunday after Trinity 766
On the sixth Sunday after Trinity. Matth. 5, 20-26 768
On the seventh Sunday after Trinity. Marc. 8, 1-9 780
On the eighth Sunday after Trinity. Matth. 7, 15-23 790
On the ninth Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 16, 1-9 802
On the tenth Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 19, 41-48 814
On the eleventh Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 18, 9-14 828
On the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. Marc. 7, 31-37 838
On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 10, 23-37 846
On the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 17, 11-19 860
On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. Match. 6, 24-34 868
On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 7, 11-17 884
On the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 14, 1-11 892
On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. Matth. 22, 34-46 900
On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. Matth. 9, 1-8 912
On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. Matth. 22, 1-14 924
On the twenty-first Sunday after Trinity. Joh. 4, 47 -54 938
On the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity. Matth. 18, 21-35 950
On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. Matth. 22, 15-22 960
On the twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity.
Marc. 5, 21-43 972
Columne
On the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity.
Matth. 24, 15-28 984
On the twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity.
Joh. 6, 1-15 996
To the Christian reader 996
On the twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity.
Matth. 5, 1-12 998
Fixed part.
St. Andrew's Day. Joh. 1, 35-42 1020
St. Thomas Day. Joh. 20, 24-31 1032
On the Holy Day of Christ. Isa. 9, 1-9 1042
On the day of St. Stephen. Apost. 6. and ch. 7, 1. 2.
44-59 1056
About the innocent infants. Matth. 2, 13-23. 1072
On the feast day of the Visitation. Matth.
2, 1-12 1082
On the day of the conversion of St. Paul. Apost. 9, 1-22 1090
On the day of Matthew. Matth. 11, 25-30 1102
On the day of the Annunciation. Luc. 1, 26-38... 1112
On the day of Philippi and Jacobi. Joh. 14, 1-14.... 1126
On the day of St. John the Baptist. Luc. 1, 57-80 1140
On the feast of the beheading of John the Baptist.
Marc. 6, 17-29 1158
On the day of Peter and Paul. Matth. 16, 13-19.... 1166
On the day of the Visitation of Mary. Luc. 1, 39-56. 1180
On the day of Magdalene. Luc. 7, 36-50 1182
St. James's Day. Marc. 10, 35-45 1196
On the day of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, which feast after
Brandenburg and Nuremberg order is held on the day of the Assumption > of Mary. (First sermon.) Luc. 1, 39-56 1208
On the day of the Visitation of Mary. (Second sermon:) From the Magnificat 1220
On the day of Bartholomew the Apostle. Luc. 22, 24-30. 1234
On the day of the beheading of John. Marc. 6, 29 1244
On the day of St. Matthew. Matth. 9, 9-13 1244
On St. Michael's Day. (First sermon:) From the
Angels 1258
On St. Michael's Day. (Second sermon.) Matth.
18, 1-10 1266
On the day of Simonis and Jude. Joh. 15, 17-25... 1274
On the day of the consecration of the church. Luc. 19, 1-10 1286
A wedding predrgt. Hebr. 13, 4 1298
A brief admonition to the spouses as to how they should
shall keep in matrimony 1314
The first funeral sermon. How the Christians talk about the
deceased shall comfort themselves 1320
The other funeral sermon. What the Christians should think when they go with the corpse, and of some special cases, how we should comfort ourselves inside 1330
A common form of exhorting the people to common prayer at the end of the sermon 1342
Luther's preface
Dr. Martin Luther's preface to this house postils.
I have preached these sermons in my house in the presence of my servants, so that I, as a householder, might also do my part to teach my servants to lead a Christian life. If God would have them all enter not only into the ears but also into the heart, I hope it would not have gone without fruit, as Isaiah says in 55, v. 11: "My word shall not return to me alone, but shall accomplish that for which I have sent it. But though some fall by the wayside, some on the stony ground, some among thorns, yet they find a good field where they bear fruit and do not come home alone. So also the German man says: A good word finds a good place. Not every place is good, but at least a good place, and not a vain evil place.
The patriarchs had such a way of preaching in their houses, with their servants; as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob were known to have built altars from time to time to call upon God the Lord, that is, to gather there with their servants, to preach, to pray and to praise God. In time, the neighbors and surrounding people and towns were also drawn to it. For it is not to be believed that a patriarch built an altar for himself alone, but his wife, children, servants and maids came there with him and did as they had seen the father of the house do. Then he did not have to be silent, but, as a priest and preacher, gave them
and they teach from the promises God has given them. And so the neighbors also joined in; thus the house sermon became a parish sermon 2c. As we also see in the Acts of the Apostles and Matthew 10, Christ commands that the apostles' sermons also take place first in the houses, and so the neighbors were added, finally with whole cities and countries.
However, I did not know that these sermons of mine were collected and kept by M. Vito Dietrich, who was my table assistant at the time, much less that I thought that they would come to be printed among other people and strangers. It has been to my mind as if they were even forgotten. But to whom they please, I will gladly grant them, like the crumbs, chunks and lumps that are left. Because, praise God! the Biblia itself is in the day, with many learned people rich and useful books, in which a Christian man can well feast. For (as they say, the cow goes in the grass up to the belly) so we are now also abundantly provided in our time, truly with rich full pasture of divine word; God grant that we may gratefully use it, grow fat and strong from it, before the drought comes and punishment of our ingratitude, so that we do not have to eat stones and thorns again, as happened to us before under the papacy, but bear much fruit, and become disciples of the Lord, John 16. To Him be praise and glory forever, amen.
M. Veit Dietrich's letter.
To the prudent, honorable and wise gentlemen, mayors and council of the city of Nuremberg,
My commanding and favorable lords.
Grace, Mercy and Peace from God our Father and our Lord
Jesu Christo.
Many will consider this house postilla as unnecessary work, because at this time not only many other postillas are available, but also the venerable Doctor Martin Luther himself has overlooked his postilla again and let it go out in print. For since the Scriptures have only a few meanings, many consider that, where many books have been made, either they are wrong and lack the right opinion; or else that one should leave it at that which others have previously taught and written rightly. Therefore it seems better and more useful in many ways to have few books that are pure and righteous, than many, since one must either worry that one will not find anything special inside, or, if one finds something special and new, that it will be wrong and unjust; as one learns that the devil does not celebrate, and has just as much his book writers, who mislead and deceive the world, as our Lord God. Because Doctor Martin Luther's Postilla, which he himself sent out, is undoubtedly the best, since the doctrine is presented in a pure and certain manner, many will consider this house postilla unnecessary and will be satisfied with that one.
But in truth, whoever does this shows sufficiently that he does not know what a glorious gift it is to interpret the Scriptures correctly, and how highly we should esteem them and cherish them. For this is what we all experience when we read a gospel.
lium twenty years in a row, that those who have such a gift of the Holy Spirit always speak differently and differently of the same thing. Not because the Scriptures should have more than one opinion, but because they are so rich and an inexhaustible sea: the more one draws out, the more flows in again; and it will be impossible for the best preacher, if he does not intend to preach more than a few of the least Sunday gospels all his life, to exhaust them and preach in such a way that he leaves nothing behind.
St. Paul, when he wrote to the Ephesians Cap. 4, 18. ff. of the Ascension of Christ and the glorious gifts we have received through it, he is silent about all the others, and praises only this gift, that God through Christ has made some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some shepherds and teachers, all of whom help with their ministry that the body of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, that is, the Christian church, may be built up, and that everyone may come to the same faith and knowledge of the Son of God. Therefore, although other gifts are more, which are also glorious and great, for which we should thank God from the bottom of our hearts, it is nothing compared to this gift if God gives an excellent man who can handle the Scriptures and interpret and present them correctly.
It is a glorious and very beautiful gift of GOD to have a fine regent who can deal with
XX Veit Dietrich's letter. XXI
The ruler, as required by his office, takes the common good seriously, and values the benefit and welfare of his subjects more highly than his own life and limb. And we learn that where rulers are so earnest and diligent, God gives them happiness and salvation, and under such rule the land and the people grow green and flourish; just as everything withers and decays where rulers neglect their office and look more to their own benefit than to their subjects. For God is displeased with such indolence and self-interest; for this reason he will not give happiness or salvation to them.
There are also many other beautiful and useful gifts, such as that God has opened and preserved many arts in the world, which are also gifts of the Holy Spirit, and has brought them down to us. But what is all this compared to the gifts we are now talking about? Is it not true that everything serves only here, in this short temporal life? When it falls away, all these things lie together; they remain behind, and it is as if they had never been, as if we had never had them. But this gift of the Holy Spirit, which is called the interpretation of the Scriptures, is an eternal treasure, by which we learn to know God, obtain the Holy Spirit, who changes our hearts and purifies them through faith and the forgiveness of sins, and sanctifies them with right obedience and makes them blessed for eternity. Just as St. Paul calls the ministry of preaching a ministry of the Spirit, so that we receive the Holy Spirit through it and become alive, who otherwise would have to remain in death because of our sins.
Who would not cherish such a gift and keep it beautifully? Look behind you, from the time of the apostles until now, how many you will find who have had such grace? In the Latin Church, St. Augustine was almost the only one who took care of the doctrine, formulated it with fineness and certainty, and presented the most noble articles of the Church clearly and intelligently. The Greek Church has had many more learned and excellent people than the Latin. But there is no one who would equal St. Augustine in this case. Where now the pious Christians of the same pious bishops and teachers have writings as a special blessing,
If the huts had not been kept and the sermons had not been diligently copied, we would be deprived of a great treasure today. According to Augustine, it has decreased from year to year, and the right doctrine has fallen the longer the more, until the Antichrist, the pope, became powerful in the church, and not only did not care about the doctrine, but also, because it was contrary to his tyrannical, godless authority, falsified and changed it; As anyone can see who holds the pope's scribes against the old teachers, that for more than four hundred years, outside of St. Bernard, there is almost no one who has written that one could improve in matters of faith by a hair's breadth. Nevertheless, St. Bernhardt is not pure either; monasticism and other papal rubbish is attached to him, so that he is not always straightforward, as a preacher should be.
Such a lack, which we have experienced in the papacy and with such great damage, should also move us to not disregard such a gift, and to beautifully raise up their work, which God has enlightened with His Spirit, and has given them such a glorious gift, the interpretation of the Scriptures. As we must especially praise the venerable Doctor Martin Luther, through whom God first attacked and exposed the Antichrist, brought to light the Scriptures and the knowledge of God, and removed the abominable abuses introduced into the Church by the Pope, and brought about both pure doctrine and right worship in the Church. And the excellent testimony stands with him that in such work God has preserved him so wonderfully, against the devil and the world, for such a long time, praise God! and still that it was humanly impossible to hope that he should escape with his life. But through God's miraculous protection and gracious assistance, it happened this way, so that through him, as a special vessel, God's word would shine longer and brighter and farther from day to day, and many would come to the knowledge of God and be saved; as, praise be to God, is happening everywhere, and the number of those who hear God's word is increasing.
XXIIM Veit Dietrich's letter. XXIII
not become smaller, but larger and larger day by day.
Therefore, although the interpretation of the Sunday Epistles and Gospels is already in hand and among the people, as the aforementioned D. Martin Luther himself ordered in print, I have not left these sermons, which he preached at home in his house on Sundays, when he could not preach in church due to weakness, to his children and servants, and which I alone have recorded with a hurried hand and have kept with me until now, but want to pass them on to other Christians as a noble treasure. Most of all because these sermons are finely concise and simple, and are especially useful for the young simple-minded people. For in the case of the latter, it is not necessary to pretend to great artistry, but rather to present the doctrine briefly and simply, and to use words to make it seem as if they can grasp and remember something of it.
But I was especially moved by this, because I see how necessity demands that a common form of Sunday sermons be given to the unlearned pastors in the countryside. For the churches are in a bad way, no one wants to give that one could have learned, suitable people. That is why, as they used to say: copper money, copper souls. Poor parishes, poor unlearned parish priests. For he who is able to do something thinks that he wants to enjoy his art more than to beg with his wife and child among the wicked peasants. Nevertheless, one must have people, and not let the church lie desolate, and be content, because one cannot go on having such pastors, even if they cannot preach themselves, that they read it from the books. Both the authorities and the listeners have no worries, because they know that nothing bad will be said to them, if they only remember it well and want to live their lives diligently according to it; for if the teaching is pure and clear to us, it will be orderly, simple and understandable, and will not go without fruit, as it did among the poor peasants.
However, the fathers of the house can also use such work with special benefit; as it is
for it often happens that one cannot come to church on Sunday because of illness or other need. Let no one be so careless; if he cannot hear God's word in church, let him hear it at home, or read it himself, so that the Sabbath may be properly sanctified and God may be served, which he has commanded us all to do, that we may hear his word, and thus practice faith, and strengthen and nourish the soul with eternal food.
I have, however, careful, honorable and wise dear gentlemen, such house postilion E. F. E. W. give, and in your name go out want: First of all, I have preached these sermons publicly in my parish church this year, so that everyone who reads them can see (because there are so many divisions and sects now and then) what our doctrine and gospel is, so that E. F. E. W. is considered a Christian leader. F. E. W., as a Christian authority, have held so long ago and so nobly, and still; that, praise God! the doctrine is pure and clean of baptism, of the sacrament of the altar, of the right knowledge of Christ and God, and other articles. Such is the right and best treasure of which we can boast and take comfort. For where this doctrine is, there will be forgiveness of sins and the right of the church, however thin it may be.
Secondly, also because I hope that E. F. E. W. will be served with such work in this case, for the sake of the poor pastors, who are now and then under E. F. E. W. in the countryside, and are not all equally suitable for preaching. For since F. F. E. W. have always taken special care that the doctrine remains pure, and that annoying sects do not become established, this cannot be prevented better in any way, than if those who are not fit to preach without this have a certain form, in which they remain, and thus avoid strange, unfounded doctrine, or do not have cause to preach about it.
Therefore, I ask E. F. E. W. to put up with such work and to accept it with a favorable will. For I have never sought anything else with it, but that such sermons,
XXIVM Veit Dietrich's letter. XXV
which I consider useful and comforting in many ways, would not be lost, because no one would have them but me; nor could they be useful to anyone, because they were written with a hurried hand, but to me alone.
Now, however, I hope that many people who read them will enjoy them and not only live their lives according to them, but also grasp a proper form of doctrine from them, and avoid and flee annoying, seductive preachers; but I especially hope that many churches will be served in our time. Although there is a lack of skill on the part of the church ministers, they will nevertheless read something useful to the poor, unintelligent people, from which everyone who only wants to listen may improve himself.
It grieves me from the bottom of my heart when I hear how our bishops in Germany do not pay attention to their office and do not ask anything about their subjects, how they are taught Christian doctrine. Not only do they have the name of bishops, who should look after their sheep and feed them properly themselves, but they also have a splendidly large income, which is not endowed for the purpose of drawing idle, lazy, unlearned people who are of no use to anyone, who can do no more than eat, drink, play, and commit all kinds of shame and fornication; otherwise great kings and emperors would have left such an endowment behind, and such property with their tribes. The pious hearts have therefore been concerned that they have thought: If the churches and true religion are to be preserved, then one must have suitable people for this purpose, who will lead the common man with right doctrine and unruly conduct, so that everyone may come to the knowledge of God and be saved. But how is it done? Where is a bishop who preaches himself?
As the bishops hold themselves, so do their capitulars. There is no one who would care that the poor people have proper instruction in Christian doctrine. Those parishes that are not at all cowardly and good stand desolate; the peasants believe and live as they wish, they are not interested in anything but that they give what they owe. Such is a lamentation that should go to the heart of a stone and make it lament.
But the blind people are not content with this; the holy gospel has no greater enemies than these very people who promote it, and who are ordained to handle it, and they would be sorry that in a whole diocese there were a few church ministers who preached God's word rightly and loudly. Yes, they still forbid that their people hear proper preachers in other places and take the sacrament according to Christ's command; just as if they wanted to go to the devil gladly and willingly, only that others would have to go with them. That is why the poor people who sit under such rulers need these and other books, because they cannot hear the right doctrine in public, but they read it at home. I have also gladly wanted to serve them with such work, as our dear brothers who have been baptized with us and would like to be saved with us, and it grieves them that they remain among such harmful wolves and must be deprived of the ministry of preaching. May God give His grace that they may be well served, amen.
For although there is a deficiency in that these sermons, because I alone have copied them with a hurried hand, are better spoken by the venerable D. Martin Luther than written by me, I have nevertheless presented the opinion to the best of my ability, also added many sermons that were omitted by him, especially from the festivals that are not kept in the Saxon order, so that this work would be perfect throughout the year, and therefore all the more useful and useful to everyone. And so that many people would be served by it, I was glad to see that it was also brought to you in Latin by a learned man, my friend instead. All together so that this treasure, which I do not consider small, would become known to many people, who would read such sermons, strengthen their faith from them, and improve their lives, and praise and thank God for them.
Primarily, however, as reported above, I wanted to serve E. F. E. W. and her subjects with such work. God, our dear Father in Heaven, has highly honored E. F. E. W., not only in that E. F. E. W. has been able to serve her.
XXVIM Veit Dietrich's letter. XXVII
E. W. have a well-ordered police and good government, and for this reason are praised far and wide; but much more in that E. F. E. W. have abolished the old annoying abuses, and have confessed the currency, more than in an imperial assembly, with special earnestness and heart, also not without great danger, almost alone among all imperial cities, have remained so far, and have seen to it with special diligence that annoying doctrines of baptism, of the sacrament, and other articles of faith, as in other places in the empire, do not arise. Such is undoubtedly the highest grace that God bestows on secular authorities here on earth. And again, secular authorities cannot serve God any better than to take care of God's Word with earnestness, to ward off all troubles in doctrine and in life, and to provide their subjects with proper preachers.
And this will be found fine, although one must suffer and dare a little over it; for the world and the devil are bitter enemies to the Word, that nevertheless God will not only protect in all danger, but will also pay for such diligence with rich blessings, temporal and eternal goods; as he says to the priest Eli, 1 Sam. 2, 30.: "Whoever honors me, him I will also honor; but whoever despises me, he shall be despised again."
May our dear Lord God and Father in Heaven, for the sake of Jesus Christ, His dear Son, further govern and lead F. F. E. W. by His Holy Spirit in such a way that you hold His word dear and valuable, and further shelter His poor church, so that God's name may be sanctified among you, His kingdom may be increased, and His holy will may be directed, and F. F. E. W. may prosper in the worldly government from heaven, as is especially necessary in these dangerous times. F. E. W. may prosper in the temporal government all the more happiness and salvation from heaven, as is especially necessary in these perilous times, amen.
E. F. E. W.
subservient
Vitus Dietrich,
Preacher in the Sebald parish church.
Preface
Dr. Martin Luther's Home Postil.
A mean preface to home sermons.
In order that we may render service to our dear Lord God today and, according to His command, sanctify the holiday, that is, spend it with God's Word, which alone is holy and sanctifies all things; let us now hear the holy Gospel and ask God's mercy that we may hear it so that His glory may be praised, our faith started, and our lives improved. Pray one Our Father.
Advent
1.Sunday; Matth. 21, 1-9
On the first Sunday of Advent.
Matth. 21, 1-9.
Now when they were come near Jerusalem to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, and said unto them: Go into the village which is before you, and soon ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose her, and bring her unto me. And if any man say any thing unto you, say, The LORD hath need of her; and he will soon let her go unto you. Now all these things came to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee meekly, riding upon an ass, and upon a colt of the burthen of an ass. The disciples went and did as Jesus had commanded them, and brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments thereon, and set him thereon. But many of the people spread the garments on the road; the others cut branches from the trees and scattered them on the road. And the people that went before and followed cried out, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD, Hosanna in the highest.
The Jews had many beautiful and glorious promises of the Messiah or Christ, how he would come on earth, establish an eternal kingdom, and deliver his people from all evil and help them forever; as is seen in all the sermons of the prophets, that they speak exceedingly gloriously of the future kingdom of Christ. And such sermons were very well known among the Jews.
Held in the house 1533.
(2) But there were false preachers and carnal teachers, who led the people to think that Christ should come with worldly splendor, riding in, and as worldly kings usually do, since everything is most splendid and delicious; and then should make of the Jews in all the world vain great and mighty princes and rulers. As they still think today, when their Messiah will come, they will be lords of all the world and the Gentiles will be their servants.
2 IL. 1, 10-12. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 10-16. 3
They are still gawking at such a Messiah or Christ, not desiring the Messiah, that is, the Lord Christ anywhere, to save them from sins and eternal death.
3 So that the Jews might be warned and not be deceived by such carnal teachers, God proclaimed long before through the prophet Zechariah: Christ would not come as a worldly king, with great splendor and splendid armor; but as a poor beggar he would ride into Jerusalem, his capital, on an ass, as the history of today's Gospel indicates. Lest the Jews should excuse themselves, saying, If we had known that he should be such a poor king, we would have accepted him. For the prophet had indicated this to them clearly enough so long before. So the story also happened publicly in broad daylight, that Christ rode on a borrowed donkey, which had neither saddle nor other equipment, and because of this the disciples had to put their clothes on the donkey, so that the poor king could help himself. For this reason, the Jews can hardly excuse themselves. For here is a bright and clear prophecy: When Christ rides into Jerusalem, he will not come on high horses, with armor, spear, swords and guns, as worldly kings usually do, which all belong to seriousness and indicate violence; but he will come, as the evangelist calls it, "meekly," or as the prophet says, "poor and miserable. As if the prophet wanted to warn everyone and say: Take good heed to the ass, and know that he who comes on it is the true Messiah. Therefore beware, and do not look on the golden crown, or on the garments of gold, or on the golden pieces, or on the great stuff of rice. For Christ will come miserable, with a sorrowful and meek heart, and will be seen on an ass. This is all his splendor and glory, which he will display before the world as he rides into Jerusalem.
4 Now the prophecy caused the Lord to make this entry, and he was very anxious about it. For this reason, he so diligently commands the disciples to do the thing.
not by night, nor secretly, but publicly, in broad daylight, entering Jerusalem, not alone, but with many people going before and after, shouting to him as the right king and son of David, wishing him happiness and salvation for his kingdom; So that all Jerusalem must be aware of this entry, see and hear the donkey and this poor king, of whom Zechariah had prophesied and warned the Jews that they should not be offended at the poor figure and the beggarly entry, but should drop the delusion that they thought Christ would come with worldly splendor. He will be a king, says Zechariah, but a poor, miserable king, who has absolutely no appearance of a king, if one wants to count and regard him according to the outward splendor, which the worldly kings and princes lead before the world.
5 But Zacharias says that this poor and beggarly king will have another power than all the kings and emperors who ever came on earth have, because they were as great and powerful lords as they were able to be. For his name is Justus et Salvator. Not a rich, splendid, glorious king before the world; but a righteous man and a savior, who shall bring righteousness and salvation, and shall attack sin and death, and be an enemy of sin and death, and shall save from sin and eternal death all them that believe on him, and receive him as their king, and shall not suffer the poor borrowed ass to offend them. Those who do this will be forgiven of sin and will not be harmed by death, but will have eternal life. And though they die and be buried in the flesh, yet shall it not be called death, but only sleep. This is what the prophet wants to teach us about this king by giving him these two names and calling him righteous and a savior who will break the teeth of death, tear the belly of the devil, and thus free us who believe in him from sins and death, and lead us to the angels, where there is eternal life and bliss.
(6) He leaves the other kings their splendor, their castles, their houses, their money and their goods, and makes them delicious.
4 L. 1.12-14. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 16-19. 5
They can certainly eat, drink, clothe, build, than other people; but they cannot do this art, which this poor mendicant Christ can do. For there is neither emperor, nor king, nor pope with all his power, who could help from the least sin, and with his money and goods heal the least disease; let alone help against eternal death and hell. But this beggar Christ does not help against one sin alone, but against all my sin; and not against my sin alone, but against the whole world's sin. He comes to take away, not the sickness alone, but death; and not my death alone, but the death of the whole world.
7th These things, saith the prophet, tell the daughter of Zion, that she be not offended at his miserable future: but shut thine eyes, and open thine ears, and see not how poorly he goeth, but hear what is preached and said of this poor king. The misery and poverty are seen, that he rides on a donkey without saddle and spurs like a beggar; but that he will take away sin from us, strangle death, give eternal holiness, eternal blessedness and eternal life, that is not seen. Therefore we must hear it and believe it. Therefore Zacharias says: "Tell it to the daughter of Zion", so that she knows it, and does not take offense at it, nor is offended that he rides in so miserably and dies so shamefully. For all these things are well done for thee, O Zion, that he will save thee as a Saviour against the devil and death, and sanctify thee, and cleanse thee from sins.
(8) Whoever will not grasp these things with his ears, but will see them with his eyes and grasp them with his hands, will fall short; for this king is far different from other kings. What they do, they do with splendor, and everything has a great, brave appearance. This is not the case with Christ, who put his work of saving from sins and death first in baptism. There the eyes see nothing but bad water like other water. He put it in the word and in the sermon. There the eyes see nothing but a man's breath. But we must beware and not follow our eyes.
but close your eyes and open your ears, and hear the word. The same teaches how our Lord Jesus Christ shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life. He will give us such gifts in holy baptism, in the Lord's Supper, in the sermon or absolution, where we shall surely find it. Well, it is true that it seems small and insignificant that through the water bath, word and sacrament such things are to be accomplished; but do not let your eyes be deceived. There it was also small and insignificant, that he who rode in on a borrowed donkey and was crucified afterwards should take away sin, death and hell. No one could see him, but the prophet says so. Therefore it must also be believed and grasped with the ears, with the eyes it will not be seen.
9 Therefore saith the evangelist, Tell the daughter of Zion. And the prophet says, "Zion, rejoice, be glad," dance and leap, "for your king is coming." What king? A holy, righteous king, and a savior or helper, who wants to be your sanctifier and your savior. For he will put his holiness and righteousness upon thee, that thou mayest be delivered from sin; and he will lay down his life for thee, that by his' death thou mayest be delivered from everlasting death. Therefore do not be offended at his wretched and poor form, but thank him for it and be comforted. For all things are done for your sake and for your good; so he will save you from your sins and death, and make you righteous and saved.
(10) Now this is our King, the dear Lord Jesus Christ, and this is his kingdom and office. He does not deal in thalers, crowns, great kingdoms, and worldly splendor; no, but when we must die, and can no longer keep life here, this is his office and work, that by his suffering and death we may know where we are to abide; that we may say, I am sanctified by my King JESUS Christ, who for this cause came in such misery, and for this cause suffered himself to be crucified, that he might sanctify me, and in me drown my sin and death. Whoever believes this, as he hears it and as it is preached in the Gospel, has it. For therefore is the
6 L. 1, 14-16. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 19-21. 7
Holy baptism instituted by Christ, that by it he might put on thee his righteousness, that his holiness might be thine and his innocence thine also. For we are wretched, poor sinners, but in baptism Christ comforts us and says: "Give me your sin, and have my righteousness and holiness; let your death be taken away, and put on my life. This actually means Christ's regiment. For all his office and work is this, that he should daily put off our sin and death, and put on his holiness and life.
This sermon should be heard and accepted with great joy, and one should improve and become pious from it. Unfortunately, this is how things turn around, and the world only gets worse the longer this teaching lasts; this is the work and business of the devil. As you can see, people are now more stingy, merciless, lewd, impudent and angry than before under the papacy. What does it matter? Nothing else, but that people do not accept this sermon with joy, but rather everyone throws it to the wind, cares more about money and goods than about the blessed treasure, which our Lord Christ brings to us. Therefore our Lord God punishes them again and says: "Will you not thank me because I have taken away sin and death through the death and dying of my only begotten Son? Well then, I will make sin and death enough for you, because you want it that way; and where only one devil possessed you and rode you before, seven worse devils shall ride you now. As can be seen in citizens and peasants with the shameful, stingy, disorderly life, fornication and other naughtiness.
(12) For this reason I urge you to listen to such preaching with joy and love, and to accept it with all thankfulness, and to ask our Lord God from the bottom of your hearts to give you strong faith so that you may keep such teaching; then the fruit will surely follow, that you will become more humble, obedient, kind, disciplined and pious from day to day. For this doctrine is of this kind and nature, that it makes chaste, obedient, pious people. But those who will not accept it with love will become seven times worse than they were,
before they have come to this teaching, as is seen everywhere. Therefore beware, for the hour will surely come when God will punish such ingratitude. Then it will be found what the world has earned with it.
Therefore learn well this history of today's gospel. For because the Jews would not follow the prophet, we are told that our King will come meek and poor, so that we may not be offended at such poverty, nor gape at worldly splendor and riches with the Jews; but learn that in our Lord Christ we have such a King, who is righteous and a Savior, and will save us from sins and eternal death. You should accept such preaching with willingness and joy, and thank God for it from the bottom of your heart; otherwise you will have to accept the sorrowful devil with weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth.
14 The example of the apostles and others who enter Jerusalem with the Lord Christ reminds us of this. For since the Lord Christ is a king, he must also have a kingdom or people, and the same people must show proper service to this king. What such service is, the Historia shows very finely. For here we find people who recognize the Lord Christ as a king and are not afraid to walk beside the miserable donkey and poor king. Among them, the apostles are the first to recognize the Lord Christ as the true Messiah, who will make righteous and be a savior against sin and death. For this reason they bring the donkey to the Lord Christ, that is, they bring to Christ the Jews who had lived under the law until then and had carried such a burden as a donkey. Then, with the donkey, they also bring to Christ the young flock, the Gentiles, who were still untamed and had not been under any law. For Christ is a Savior of all men. Therefore all righteous preachers and teachers should lead and guide the people to Christ. This is the one worship that is due to this king, that he should be recognized, accepted, praised and glorified as a righteous man and a savior, and that everyone should be directed to him.
8 L. 1, 16.17. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 22.23. 9
The other service is to sing Osanna to the Lord Christ on the donkey, that is, after recognizing him and accepting him as a savior, to wish him happiness and salvation in his kingdom, and to do everything that serves to increase and promote his kingdom. God grant it; say the Pharisees and high priests to it what they will. For "Osanna" means as much in German as: HErr, hilf, HErr, geben Glück dem Sohn David. Just as we pray in the Our Father: Zukommen uns dein Reich. For the devil and his members will not leave it untried how they can hinder this kingdom, and either destroy or counterfeit the word. It is therefore necessary to pray and wish that God will break the will of the devil and drive it back.
- The third is that we should not only pray, but also take off our clothes and put them on the way of the Lord Christ, so that he may have a little glorious and honest entrance; This happens when we promote the preaching ministry according to our ability, that we help with money and goods, so that we raise up fine, learned, pious people who lead the church with the word and good conduct; that we keep those who are in the ministry in such a way that they wait for their ministry, devote themselves to study, and do not either leave half of the food or have to deal with other trades. In sum, where money and goods can be used to ensure that the church offices are well appointed and the people are well provided with proper leaders, then the clothes are spread under the Lord Christ, so that he may ride in all the more honestly.
17 Therefore serve this king, and ask nothing of the chief priests and Pharisees, to whom this entry and poor show is very repugnant and contrary; indeed, they would gladly resist it. But Christ wants to have it unresisted. For because he is a king, he must have his court people and court service. And good to them that serve him; for he is such a king, who will serve us again, not with money and goods, which is a very small service, but with righteousness against sin, and salvation against death and eternal damnation. For this reason we should be ready and willing for his service, and not be offended at the popes, bishops and other examples, who, like the apostles, do not lead the donkey to the Lord Christ and put him on it, but want to ride on the donkey themselves and rule the people with doctrine and other things as they wish. But they let Christ go on foot, and cannot suffer him to ride in and be seen through his gospel.
(18) These false teachers also have their disciples, who pretend to them, scattering palms and olive branches by the way; but to the poor Christ they cast stones. For they persecute him, his gospel, and all who preach it. Such will come to know in that day with the Jews that they have despised the righteous King and Savior, and for that reason must bear God's wrath forever; whereas those who have accepted him, confessed him, and turned their poverty to his honor will receive through him eternal righteousness and eternal life. May our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ grant this to us all, Amen.
10 L. 1, 18.19. On the second Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 42-46. 11
2.Sunday; Luc. 21, 25-36
*On the second Sunday of Advent. )
Luc. 21, 25-36.
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth men shall be afraid, and shall tremble; and the sea and the waves shall roar. And men shall faint for fear, and for waiting of the things that are to come upon the earth: for the powers of heaven also shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption draweth nigh. And he said unto them a like thing, Behold the fig tree, and all the trees. When they now shoot forth, ye see it in them, and know that summer is now at hand. So also ye, when ye see all these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away. But take heed lest your hearts be troubled with eating and drinking, and with cares of food, and let that day come upon you quickly; for as a snare it shall come upon all them that dwell on the earth. Be ye therefore always valiant, and pray that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
1 Our Lord God has always kept this way since the beginning of the world, when he wanted to make something new, he let special great signs go beforehand. When he wanted to punish Egypt and lead his people out of it and make a special nation out of it, all kinds of glorious signs went out, evil and good. For the frogs, locusts, hail, boils and the like did great harm to the Egyptians, until at last all the first birth was strangled in one night and the rest of the people were drowned in the Red Sea. But with the Jews these were good signs, that he led them dry through the Red Sea, drowned their enemies in it, gave them bread from heaven, and the like. This was an indication that God wanted to start something new with this people and establish a new regime and a new being. The same happened when He wanted to punish the unbelieving, hardened Jews and establish the new kingdom of grace through the Gospel in all the world. For when the Lord Jesus was hanging on the cross, the tombs were opened, the dead came out and went into the city of Jerusalen. There was a great and unusual darkness, the curtain in the temple was torn. All this was a beginning of a new being and a downfall of the al-
*) Held in the house 1533.
It was found in the work that Judaism had fallen and Christ had established a new kingdom.
The Jews knew this well and learned it from their own experience. Therefore the apostles come to the Lord Christ and ask him what signs will come before the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world, before the eternal kingdom of Christ begins?
3 Now concerning the destruction of Jerusalem the Lord answers them here: When they shall see an army encamped about Jerusalem, they shall know that the end is not far off; therefore give them this counsel, that they should get out of the land, and flee to the mountains; for there shall be no mercy, Judaism must be laid waste.
4 He also teaches them about the last day, saying, "When you see signs in the sun, in the moon, in the stars, in the sea and the waters, in men and in the sky, when these things come to pass," he says (for one should not wait so long as to think that all is over or that one has seen such things before), "then be courageous, and do not joke about such signs, for they are certain indications that the last day is now at the door.
12 L. 1, 19-21. On the second Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 46-^8. 13
(5) Now here is the question whether all such signs will happen before the last day. But one must not ask about such things. For the Lord saith, When these things begin to come to pass, they shall be seen. Therefore I believe that some and perhaps most of the signs will come to pass afterwards, just when the last day is about to dawn. Therefore let us be content with the fact that the Lord teaches us where to see and wait for such signs; namely, in the heavens, the sun, the moon, and the stars, and in men and the sea. Now when one sees some of these, one should look forward to this future, and not wait until they have all happened. For otherwise we would be overhasty.
(6) Two signs happen to the sun and the moon: first, they lose their light. Such a thing, although it is not strange and natural (for one can actually know it from art before it happens), is nevertheless a sign, as Christ himself clearly interprets it in Matthew. But besides this also such signs can happen at the sun, which one cannot know before, but happen suddenly, and fall in against all mathematics, like the darkness at the time, when Christ hung at the cross. For art holds that the eclipse of the sun must occur at the beginning of the moon, when it becomes new. But if it happens in the full moon, as at that time, or on another day in the moon, it is not natural. That is why such an eclipse was such a great miracle. Even if we have not seen such a thing, it can still happen very soon.
And we have seen these years about many other strange things, which are all unusual and strange. As that a rainbow should go around the sun, that the sun should divide itself equally and that many suns should be seen *) 2c. So it is not unbelievable that there is also something like that behind, which we have not seen before. Therefore we have all ready warning at the sun
*), item, that recently three comets have been seen within two years, and that at other places earthquakes have often happened. Röhrer. - The Erlangen edition 4, 32 remarks in the margin that this had happened in the years 1531, 1532 and 1533. D. Red.
Enough that we should not be sure, but wait for the blessed future of our Lord Christ.
(8) The other signs of which Christ speaks are the great roaring of the waters, as if all were about to perish. For just as a man, when he is to die naturally, first becomes ill, catches a fever, pestilence, or some other disease; all these are signs that he is to perish: so also the world will be ill in a moment, that heaven, sun, moon, stars, men, waters, and all things will be troubled, writhing, and evil, before they even go down.
(9) I consider the sign to be entirely in the people, that we have experienced it. For the sorry pope helped a lot with his sermon, so that the pious hearts were greatly frightened, because it was preached how great a mortal sin it was not to confess, pray, fast, hear mass, and the like. In such terror, no one knew what to do, because the true consolation, the forgiveness of sins through Christ, had disappeared. Then the torment began, now with these, now with other works; so that I believe this was the greatest sorrow on earth. As I have seen many of them myself, who could not bear such heartache and terror, and fell into despair from great fear and terror, so that they did not dare to stand before God's judgment.
(10) For the preaching of the priest drove us with power to fear Christ, the judge, to death. I was also one of them, and I could not think of anything good to say to Christ as a strict judge, so I called upon the Virgin Mary to help me and to be my support against such a judge. For there was no one else. We had lost Christ and had to confess that we were bad boys. There was no other way than to fear them and be afraid of the judge. Therefore, I think that such a sign is over for most of us. Just as I think that most of the other signs in the sky have already happened. But even if there are still some more behind, it can still happen every day that they are also
14 L. 1, 21-23. On the second Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 48-52. 15
come. But we should not therefore refrain from preparing ourselves for that day, as the Lord will teach below.
- At the end, the Lord speaks of another fear, saying, "People will pine away for fear and for waiting for the things that are to come on earth. Here he speaks of another fear, which is a very great fear, and arises from the fact that people will be afraid of the signs of the last day. Such are not godless, unbelieving people, but pious and God-fearing. Therefore they accept the warning with the signs, which the godless surely despise, so that they think that many such signs have happened before, and yet the last day has remained outside. Therefore they let this sign and warning pass by today and another tomorrow, and remain today as far away as last year, and today as yesterday, without any improvement, and do not care at all how it will go with the last day.
(12) The Lord lets such ungodly, secure people go. For since they can see signs and despise them, they will not ask anything, especially about the word and the sermon. But the pious, who perceive such signs, and are terrified, the Lord will command them, and comfort them most kindly, saying, Because they confess Christ, and love his word, and would not willingly fall away from it, nor deny it; they shall not be terrified or affrighted at such signs, though they be somewhat terrible.
13 Then, says Christ, they will see the Son of Man coming in the cloud with great power and glory. This will be a different splendor than when emperors and kings come in. For the whole air will be full of angels and saints, who will shine brighter than the sun, and the Lord Christ will hover in the midst of them, and with His saints pronounce judgment on the damned, who stand below on earth with the devil, trembling and shaking.
014 When therefore, saith Christ, these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, and be joyful and of good cheer; for it must so come to pass. If the world is to be destroyed
If it is to break, it must first crack, otherwise such a large building cannot collapse, and everything must move and be shaken. Just like a man who now wants to die, he writhes and writhes, his eyes are turned back, his mouth is curved, his face turns pale and he becomes completely shapeless. The world will do the same.
15 But I say unto you, Be not dismayed at this; lift up your heads, as they that love to see it from the heart. For know that your redemption is at hand. Yours, saith he, which believe; the rest, if they believe not, shall be damned. For this reason they should be afraid, but they are not. For the Lord Jesus will bring both heaven for those who believe and have been righteous, and hell and damnation for the others.
16 The Lord speaks these things to the pious. They will also be terrified when the sun and moon turn their eyes like this and the world will be full of fire. For the saints are not so strong; even St. Peter and St. Paul would be terrified if they were alive. But, says the Lord, be of good cheer; it will look miserable and frightening to you, but this is not for you; it is for the devil and the unbelievers. But to you comes blessedness and joyful salvation, since you have groaned and prayed so long for my kingdom to come to you, for your sin to be forgiven and for you to be delivered from all evil. What you have now asked with all your heart for so long, that shall come to you. For it is called a day of your redemption.
17 Therefore the last day may well be called a day of condemnation and redemption, a day of sorrow and joy, a day of hell and the kingdom of heaven. As the Lord says in Matth. 24, 30: "Then all the families of the earth will howl. Then, whether God wills it, we will not be with them, but will leave the pope, the rotten spirits, the wicked nobility, the wicked citizens and peasants, who are now doing all they can, persecuting the gospel, and causing all misery and misfortune; they will have to pay. But we, who now have to cuddle up to them, weeping and grieving, will laugh at that time and see that they have to go down with the devil into the abyss of hell.
16L. 1, 23-25. On the second Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 52-L5. 17
(18) Therefore, though the creature be disguised, and the sun and the moon be black and dark, and look upon you sourly, be not dismayed; crawl not into the corners when these things come to pass, but lift up your heads, and be not displeased; remember that ye have thus desired me. For if I am to deliver you, I must first attack those who hold you captive. As if you were a prisoner in a castle, in a tower, and heard how they were shooting and storming, you would not be afraid of such shooting and storming, but would be glad of it, if you knew that it was for your sake that they had begun to deliver you.
19 So do to him here also; do not let it frighten you that the world will bend and writhe like this; this rod is not for you, but for those who have cried out over you. Therefore accept this future as the future of your salvation. For I do not come to cast you into hell, but to help you out of this shameful, sick, sickly, hopeless world, and to separate you from the devil and his servants, and to set you among the angels, where you shall not suffer, but live in everlasting glory.
20 To such comfort now also serves the beautiful similitude with the trees. In spring, he says, when winter shall now cease, and the whole earth shall be new; when the cold shall depart, and the warmth come, and the dry trees shall bud and green, tell me, how does this begin? Is it not true that the trees first bud and then bud; so everyone says that the winter is over and now the beautiful summer is coming.
(21) Let this likeness be your doctor, and the trees of the field your art book, that ye may learn how ye shall wait for the latter day. For as the summer follows, when the trees grow lush and put forth leaves; so when the earth trembles, the heavens shake, and the sun and moon look sad and sour, be not dismayed, any more than you are dismayed by the young leaves that come forth from the trees, when it is about to be summer. For such signs shall be unto you as the sap and the leaves.
The little ones on the trees, so that you may wait for the eternal summer with joy. For this miserable life on earth here is like the shameful, unfruitful winter, since it dries up and spoils everything. Then it shall come to an end, and the beautiful eternal summer shall come, namely the kingdom of God, through which the devil's kingdom shall be destroyed, for the sake of which you had to suffer so much on earth. For you live among godless, evil, false, stingy people 2c. who blaspheme and desecrate the gospel and desire to cause all kinds of misfortune. This you must see and hear, and expect daily trouble. From such I will deliver you through my future, so that you may no longer see such willfulness.
(22) Therefore such a terrible thing is not for you, but for your enemies the wicked: let them mourn and be dismayed. But you rejoice that your salvation is near. As the pious Lot also did in his time, he lived in the midst of the wicked people of Sodoma, who caused him all sorrow with their lewd conduct, and tormented his righteous soul from day to day with their unrighteous works, not to speak of which he had to see and hear, until they became overripe and God could no longer pause. Then two angels came and led the righteous Lot out of the city. There must have been a terrible sight, that the sky became black, flashed and thundered, and the clouds opened, sulfur and fire rained down, and the earth also opened and sank everything. It is not possible that Lot should not have been terrified by this. But he was comforted by the fact that he knew that such a terrible sight was not meant for him, but for the sodomites, who had been bad, desperate boys and did not want to mend their ways. They were not only terrified by such fiery rain, but also perished in it and went into the abyss of hell. But to the pious Lot it was like a beautiful tree that sprouts and now begins to green. For he felt God's help and gracious salvation against the wicked.
(23) So it will happen to us on the last day, if we live to see it. It will be terrible
18 L. 1, 2S-27. On the second Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 55-58. 19
When heaven and earth begin to mourn, and in a moment we die. But a Christian should not follow the appearance, but hear how Christ interprets it, namely, that it is a beautiful blossom, a beautifully juicy twig; so that, although reason is horrified at the horrible, ugly appearance, the heart nevertheless clings to the word and strengthens itself against the outward appearance, and says: "Do not be alarmed, it is neither evil nor harmful; yes, it means, as Christ himself says, not evil, but that my Redeemer and redemption are near. So now welcome me, my dear Lord Christ, and come, as I have often asked and desired all my life, that your kingdom should come to me. Whoever can receive the Lord Christ in this way will in a moment enter into glory, so that he will shine like the beautiful sun.
(24) In this way our dear Lord Christ teaches us to know the last day, so that we may know what we have in Him and for what we should wait and hope for His future. The pope preaches about Christ, that he is a strict judge, against whom one must send oneself with works, item, call upon the saints and enjoy their intercession, if one does not want to be condemned otherwise. For this is how Christ was painted everywhere in the papacy, as coming to judgment and holding a sword and a rod in his mouth, both of which signify wrath. But because Mary and John are at his side, intercession of them and other saints has been sought and hoped for. As the good Father Bernard also thinks: if the mother Mary shows her breasts to her son, then he cannot deny her anything. This is a certain indication that one did not trust in Christ, but believed that Christ would come as a judge. But in this gospel he teaches us differently, namely, that he will come, not to judge and condemn us, but to save and help, and to fulfill what we have asked of him, and to bring his kingdom to us. But to those who have not believed in him, and who have mocked and afflicted his Christians on earth, he will be their judge and punish them. These things, he says, believe firmly and do not doubt.
And rejoice in my future; for it shall be for your good, that ye may be delivered from sins, from the devil, from death, and from the world; and through me ye shall be eternally saved. That means gloriously and abundantly comforted.
(25) But there is one more thing, of which the wicked consciences are sore afraid. For the Lord says that the last day will come unawares, that it will happen to people like a little bird of the forest, which flies along in the morning, is hungry and seeks its food, hopes to find it, as before, finds it, sits down on the hearth, is happy and in good spirits; but in a snap, before it is aware, the yarn falls over it, is caught and strangled. Such things are taken to heart by godly people, and because they know from daily experience how soon it happens that one falls, they become stupid and despondent about it. For they think: Who knows how this day will find you. Perhaps it will come at the hour when you are most clumsy, and least expect it, or lie in this or that sin; so it is done with you, and this day of joy becomes an eternal day of mourning.
(26) Neither will the Lord leave us in despair here, and teacheth his Christians how they ought to relieve themselves of these troubles, saying, Take heed lest your hearts be troubled with devouring, and with fretting, and with cares of food, and that day come upon you quickly. For it will come like a snare upon all who dwell on the earth. Be ye therefore always valiant, and pray that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."
This is a very noble and necessary teaching, which should never leave our hearts. The Lord does not forbid eating and drinking; neither does he say, as the pope does, that one should leave everything behind, go into a monastery and become spiritual. No, eat and drink, God is pleased with you; also seek your food, for that is why God has commanded the work. But beware lest your hearts be so burdened with all these things that you forget my future; rather, beware lest you forget my future.
20 L. i, 27-Ä. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. xm, p8.59.68-70. 21
But be courageous, that is, wait all the hours and moments, and for that reason keep yourselves in the fear of God and a good conscience. Let that be the first thing.
28 Then pray also that you may escape all temptation and sorrow, and be worthy to stand before the Son of Man. As this is finely understood in the last two petitions of the Lord's Prayer: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. If you do this, there will be no need; then the last day will find you over the table, or in bed, in church or in the market, awake or asleep, and it will be all the same. For he will find you in God's protection.
- but here one must also notice this, that one cannot call upon God properly nor pray, where one does not knowingly sin.
Therefore, a righteous repentance belongs to the right prayer, and that one should beware of wanton sins, and keep oneself in good conscience, and then pray to God's goodness in the name of Jesus Christ, that He may preserve us in His fear, keep us from sins by His Holy Spirit, and keep us in a right faith until the end, so that we may await this blessed day with joy, and accept our Lord Jesus as our Savior with heartfelt confidence. Such prayer is heard through Christ, there is no doubt about it. Therefore we should follow such advice and teaching, and prepare ourselves for this gracious day of eternal salvation. May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ grant this to us all, amen.
3.Sunday; Matth. 11, 2-10
*On the third Sunday of Advent. )
Matth. 11, 2-10.
And when John heard the works of Christ in prison, he sent two of his disciples, saying, Art thou he that should come, or shall we wait for another? Jesus answered and said unto them: Go and tell John again what you see and hear; the blind see, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who does not take offense at me. As they went, Jesus began to speak to the people of John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? Did you want to see a reed that the wind weaves to and fro? Or what went ye out to see? would ye see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft garments are in the houses of kings. Or what went ye out to see? would ye see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, he also is more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my angel before thee, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
In this gospel are two parts: the first, how John sends his disciples out of prison to Christ, that they may hear him, and see his miracles, and receive him as the true Messiah or Christ. And serve us, that we also may gladly hear the word of our dear Lord Christ, and esteem it to be the highest treasure, as in
*) The Wittenberg edition of 1556 has: In 1536, in his house; the Wittenberg and Nuremberg, which Walch also follows: In 1532, in his house.
D. Red.
to whom all our blessedness is due. The other piece is a sermon, so that our dear Lord Christ not only praises and extols St. John to the skies, that he is a paragon above all other preachers, since he so diligently waits for his office, that at that time, when he was in prison and in jail and could not preach himself, he nevertheless sends his disciples to Christ; but he also chides the Jews because of their unbelief, that they hold such a preacher in such low esteem and ask nothing at all about his preaching. Such
22 L . r, 29-S1. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 70-74. 23
serve us to beware of such naughtiness, not to despise God's word, but to hear it gladly and therefore to mend our ways.
2 Now the first thing, that we should diligently hear the word of Christ, is signified by this, that John, while he was already in prison, as soon as he heard of the miraculous works of Christ, sent his disciples to him, with such a command that they should ask him: Whether he was the one who was to come, of whom Moses and all the other prophets had spoken so much, and who was to be preached so much in the New Testament? That is, whether he was the promised Christ, of whom it was written that the kingdom of the Jews and the doctrine of Moses should endure until his future; after which Moses' doctrine and worship should cease, and a new doctrine and worship be established, not only among the Jews, but also among the Gentiles throughout the world.
(3) As these things were foretold plainly and clearly. Therefore, because soon after John was imprisoned, the Lord Christ began to preach about eternal life and the kingdom of God and to perform miracles, John wanted to direct his disciples to him. For this reason he sent them to Christ, so that they might see the miracles with their eyes and hear the sermon with their ears, since the prophets had prophesied so long before that Christ would bring them to earth and thus reveal himself.
(4) Therefore such sending is nothing else, but as if John said thus: I know that he is the true Christ, but the people do not believe it. Therefore go ye now unto him, and hear of him yourselves, that ye may depart from me and from all Judaism, and cleave unto this man, in whom is all that pertaineth to your salvation, and to the salvation of the whole world. This is the final opinion of the message to Christ, that his disciples should see and hear him for themselves, come to know him, and so believe in him and be saved.
Now what does Christ say to such a message? He says neither yes nor no, when they asked him if he is, but only answers with the works, saying, "You see,
hear and know that I am he. For just as Isaiah and other prophets prophesied that Christ would make straight the lame and give sight to the blind, 2c. so now you see before your eyes, you must neither give instruction nor answer, if only you would otherwise make yourselves right.
(6) This is a beautiful, glorious and comforting sermon, which sums up very well everything that can be preached about Christ, namely, what kind of king he is and what kind of kingdom he has, namely, a kingdom where the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf, the dead, and especially poor sinners and everything that is miserable, meager and nothing can hear and find comfort and help. We should diligently remember this sermon about Christ and his kingdom, and always let it resound among us that Christ has such a kingdom, and is such a king, who wants to help the wretched, poor people in body and soul, since otherwise it is impossible that all the world with all its ability could help. For there never came such an excellent doctor, who could have made a blind man see, a leper clean 2c. Just as there has never been a preacher who could have preached the gospel to the poor, that is, who could have pointed out and comforted the sorrowful, miserable, anxious consciences, and made the frightened hearts, which were drowned in gloom and sorrow, cheerful and of good cheer.
Moses is the highest preacher, but he does not know how to comfort poor sinners; indeed, he does the opposite, for all his sermons are thus: You must and must keep the law, or be damned. Then there arises a lamentation: those who feel their sin, and would gladly be rid of it, become sour, live according to the law, but cannot be satisfied, nor gain a happy heart and conscience by it. As the saints in the Old Testament lament, when they are weary of Moses' regiment and have a hearty longing for the kingdom of grace promised in Christ. Psalm 14:7: "Ah, that help might come upon Israel out of Zion, and that the Lord might redeem his captive people." And Psalm 102, 14: "Thou wouldest make thyself known, and have mercy upon Israel, for it is time that thou shouldest be gracious unto her. "2c. Again the
24 L. 1.31-33. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 74-76. 25
Hypocrites think that if they keep the law outwardly, they must not believe in the gospel or in Christ, that there is no need, that God must take them to heaven because of their fasting, praying and almsgiving. These are the secure, satisfied spirits who have no need of our Lord God and His grace.
Now it is true that Moses' sermon must be preached, and people must be admonished to such outward discipline and good conduct; just as in the world regiment executioners and beadles must be appointed to punish the wild, raw mob, which does not keep such outward discipline, but hurts, steals, is stingy, usurps 2c. But when the hour comes for you to die, tell me, what good are such teachings of Moses to you, if you have kept to them immediately? Isn't it true that you must confess and say: Dear Lord God, even though I have not been an adulterer, thief or murderer, I still desire that you will be merciful and gracious to me, otherwise I will despair even with all my good works.
(9) There is a history of this in Vitis Patrum (Life of the Fathers): One stood three days in a place, always lifting up his eyes to heaven, sighing and lamenting. And when his disciples asked him what was the matter with him, he answered, "I am afraid of death. Then his disciples began to tell him how strictly he had lived and how diligently he had obeyed God's commandments, thinking that they were comforting him. But he said: I tell you that I am very afraid; I have, as you say, diligently kept God's word, yet I cannot be free from such fear; for I know that God's judgments are different from the judgments of men. This one has come so far that he has seen, when the moves come that go before God and His judgment, that God's judgment is so sharp, severe and heavy that our holiness and good works cannot hold the sting, nor can we stand with it.
(10) Therefore, whether one should preach the law at once, and practice good works without ceasing, and judge himself according to the word of God at all times; but when it comes to the point of dying, one must say, like this father, "O God, who will help now? This is
of the miserable also one, since here of stands, but he does not know, to which he is to hold. For this he lacks, since the Lord says here of: "The poor have the gospel preached to them." He sees and has no more than the law; and leaves him stuck in an evil conscience, fear and distress, cannot comfort.
(11) The gospel is such a sermon of Christ, which says to the sinner: "My son, be of good cheer, do not be dismayed; for you should know that Christ has commanded grace to the poor, that is, to the miserable, afflicted hearts, that he would set his purity, which is divine and eternal, for you, make you content with God, wash away and forgive your sin. He means to offer you this grace through his word; therefore do not doubt, as you hear (now believe), so it will be done to you.
(12) So the gospel is called a gracious, blessed doctrine and a comforting message, as if a rich man promised a thousand florins to a poor beggar, that would be a gospel to him, a joyful message, which he would gladly hear and rejoice over with all his heart. But what is money and goods against this comforting and grace-filled sermon that Christ takes care of the miserable and is such a king who wants to help the poor sinners, who are imprisoned under the law, to eternal life and righteousness!
This, Christ says here, is my kingdom, a far different kingdom than the world kingdom is. There it is done in such a way that one helps the strongest, and as the saying goes: He who overpowers the other puts him in a sack. That rules by the sharpness with the sword, strikes and knocks everywhere around itself, can and should suffer also no vice and vice. It must have executioners, rods, swords, water and fire so that it can punish everywhere.
(14) But here in the kingdom of Christ it is quite different; it does not have to do with strong, holy people, but with weak, poor sinners, as Christ says: "The blind see, the dead rise" 2c. Now, to raise the dead is a great miracle; but this miracle is much greater and more glorious, and yet it does not have the appearance, namely, that
26 L. i, 33-35. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. xin, 76-79. 27
God so loves the world that he gives it his Son, whom he has ordained from eternity to be a king of sinners, to preach the gospel. Moses and the law do not preach about such a king and gospel. So it says: Whoever is a sinner belongs to the kingdom of the devil and of death. This reads as if our Lord God is a king of the saints and the pious, who have a much higher piety than the worldly regime demands. And this is also true. For Moses' kingdom is also our Lord God's kingdom, and the sermon he preaches is God's word. Just as the temporal government may also be called God's kingdom. For he wants it to remain and for us to be obedient in it. But it is only the kingdom of the left hand, since he sets father, mother, emperor, king, judge, executioner and commands them the regiment.
- But his right kingdom, where he himself is and reigns, is this, where the gospel is preached to the poor, in which thou shalt learn, when it cometh to pass that thy godliness can never help, that thou shalt say: Lord, I have done what I could, faithfully served my father, my lord, desecrated no one, not resented, faithfully taught my house, child and servants, and, as much as possible, governed well, not lived to harm my neighbor, not stolen, not broken marriage 2c.But where now? For such things do not help me before your judgment, nor do they advance me to your kingdom. But, dear Lord, I will not therefore despair nor despair; for I have heard once in thy gospel, that thy Son, my dear Lord Jesus Christ, hath wrought six miraculous signs. Among them is this, that the gospel should be preached to the poor, that is, that he should be ordained of thee, O heavenly Father, to comfort the troubled heart. I will also accept such preaching, for it belongs to me, because I am so poor and miserable, and can never find help either in myself or in the whole world.
16 Thus the prophet Isaiah prophesies of Christ in chapter 50, v. 4, where he, the Lord Christ, himself speaks: "The Lord has given me linguam discipulam, a learned tongue.
God has put his word on my tongue, that I may know how to speak to the weary in season," that is, to comfort the troubled conscience. The evangelist interprets this here and says: Christ preaches the gospel to the poor. For this reason and for this purpose he was appointed king, that he should evangelize, that is, comfort and strengthen the poor, stupid, afflicted hearts; therefore his kingdom is also called and is a kingdom of comfort and help, in which one should no longer frighten the stupid or leave them in fear, but comfort them and make them happy. This is not done by the preaching of the law, but by the gospel alone. This is the joyful good news that through Christ our sins have been paid for and through his suffering we have been redeemed from eternal death. This sermon is for the poor, says the Lord, that is where I want to go; for I cannot come to the great saints, who do not want to be sinners and do not need the gospel, even persecute it and call it heresy, saying that they forbid good works and preach against Moses and the law.
17 Therefore the Lord says again, "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me. Yes, indeed, blessed. For in this king and his preaching, in which everyone should rejoice, the whole world is offended. As we see in the Historia of the Gospel, the Pharisees, scribes, chief priests, priests, Levites, and all that is high and great, consider Christ a deceiver, and his preaching a heresy, and condemn him. He can nowhere preach rightly to them; it seems to them that he always turns it around and makes it wrong: he wants to cast the pious and righteous (as he does) into hell and not suffer in his kingdom, but lift sinners up to heaven. Just as the papists are doing to us today. Does this mean, they say, to preach rightly, that good works are not to be counted at all, and that heaven is to be opened to the wicked? Our dear Lord Christ also had to suffer this slander from the Jews.
18 But here it is: "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me." Now, if you would hear Christ rightly, accept his word, and enter his kingdom, you would learn that the
28 L. 1, 35-37. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. xm, 79-82. 29
The Holy Gospel does not forbid good works, as the papists lie to us, but teaches and exhorts Christians to do good works, so that they take care of them with earnestness, that they do nothing against God's word and conscience; lets worldly authority remain, emperor, king, lets the executioner use sword, rod and other things that belong to discipline. Why then do you take offense at the holy gospel, and blaspheme it, that one should do no good? The gospel neither rejects nor forbids good works. But it forbids this, that if we should die now, and go into another fief, and there be no counsel nor help against it, that we should not then rely nor trust on our life and good works; but look for the Lord Christ, and with firm reliance on his work and merit, that through him we may find grace and everlasting blessedness in that life.
For this very reason God has given us such a body, with so many useful limbs, that we should not be idle here on earth, but should walk with our feet, take hold with our hands, speak with our mouths, see with our eyes 2c. Above this he has also given his word, the Ten Commandments, that we should judge all our deeds according to them, and not do anything against his honor and our neighbor's benefit. The gospel not only allows this to happen, but also tells us to do it diligently. But if man is now alone and alone, and is to come out of this world before God's judgment, then the gospel calls you to look for another consolation, where you can set your hope and heart.
- Therefore you have lived well: is right and good, thank God for it; but do not rely on it when you die, as if God were to give you heaven for it; but draw near to this King, our Lord Christ Jesus, who, as the evangelist reports here, is to lead the ministry of making the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers clean, the deaf hear, the dead rise, and to preach the gospel to the poor, that is, to comfort the miserable, anxious, afflicted hearts. For he was not set apart by his Father to save us from our sins.
He is not to be executed or punished for his own sake, but to counsel the poor consciences, to raise them up, to comfort them, and to help them forever.
(21) Those who do not regard him for this, nor have such grace toward him, but are offended by him and his teaching and despise him, as the Jews did and the hypocrites are still doing today, he will control them in his time. And this is one of the things that offends the world, that it takes offense at the teachings of Christ, that it does not want to rely on God's grace, but on its own work and merit. Therefore, rebuke the holy gospel, saying that it is a seductive doctrine that forbids good works and makes people reprobate and wild.
(22) Secondly, the world also resents Christ because he is so poor and miserable; item, that just as he bears the cross and lets himself be hanged on it, so he also exhorts his Christians to take up their cross and thus follow him through all kinds of trials and tribulations. The world is especially hostile to such things, shying away from them, and just as can be seen when we confess the gospel and are to dare or suffer something for its sake, that many fall with heaps, like the worm-eaten fruit in summer.
- Thirdly, this is also called trouble, when we turn more to our hearts and consciences, as we feel, than to the gospel of Christ; that is, when we are more troubled by our doings than comforted by the grace of our dear Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed in the gospel. This trouble is not so common as the first two, for only the true Christians are challenged by it. But it is exceedingly grievous; and if it were without the help and assistance of the Holy Ghost, none of us could stand in such affliction.
(24) So the dear Lord Christ is an angry preacher everywhere in the world; as he soon after this gospel reports even more clearly, that people are offended by this preaching, and will despise and persecute it. But what judgment the world must endure because of this is shown by the terrible sermon against the three cities, Capernaum, Chora-
30 L . 1, 37-39. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. xiii, 82-8Z. 31
zin and Bethsaida; item, the serious complaint of Christ against the Jews, where he says: John was a strict preacher, ate only wild honey and locusts, drank nothing but water, led a very hard life, but what did it help? You blamed him all the same, that he had the devil. I," he says, "eat and drink with everyone, and am most friendly to people; so I must be to you a glutton and a winebibber, who is a publican and a sinner. So no one can get along with the poisonous snakes, the hypocrites and the works saints. If one lives freely and is friendly to people, it is no good. If another leads a strict and hard life, it is no good. How should one still do it to the shameful world? It would please it to praise everything it does when it does nothing right.
(25) Such afflictions must be suffered. For if at that time the Lord Christ himself preached, and rained and snowed with miraculous signs, so that the blind received sight, the deaf heard, the lame were made straight, the lepers were cleansed, and the dead were restored to life, he did not want to help, but the word was still despised, and he, the dear Lord Christ, was struck on the cross for it, and the apostles were driven out of the Jewish country, and nowhere in the whole world could be safe because of this preaching: what shall we greatly lament? And what wonder is it that the world so despises the holy gospel and righteous preachers in our time and runs over them with its feet? It was no different with Christ our Lord himself and the apostles, who not only spoke the word, but also performed great miraculous signs, which we do not do, but only speak the mere, annoying word.
26 For this reason, we must live and let it happen. For the gospel can never be otherwise. It is and remains a sermon that is not rejected by few people, but by the holiest, most pious, wisest, and most powerful on earth, as experience shows. But to those who know and believe that it is God's word; to those who know and believe that it is God's word.
are recovered, comforted, and strengthened against all such offenses. But those who do not know it are puffed up because of their good works, fall from this word to their own righteousness, and consider it an annoying and rebellious doctrine. This is what it means to be offended and annoyed. And this is done, as I said, by those who are considered the greatest saints and the wisest men in the eyes of the world. Therefore we may well lament with the Lord Christ over the blind world, saying, "We whistled to you, and you would not dance; we lamented to you, and you would not weep." If we preach the gospel, it does not help; if we preach the law, it does not help. The wicked world can neither be made truly happy nor truly sad, that is, it neither wants to be made sinners nor to be comforted against sin; it neither wants to be blind nor to see, as the example of our adversaries, the papists, is before our eyes.
(27) Now this is the other thing that is to be noted here: that the gospel is a doctrine and a sermon for the poor, that is, for the afflicted, anxious consciences, who feel their misery and sorrow, and are terrified and afraid of God's wrath and judgment; not for the rich, who direct all their actions and thoughts so that they may have great honor and good here, and live in joy and pleasure. Therefore it is a strange and strange sermon to their ears when Christ the Lord says: "The poor have the gospel preached to them," which they neither desire to know nor to learn, and even consider it foolishness; they not only resent it, but persecute and blaspheme it as heresy. As we can see from the pope and his spiritless cardinals, bishops, and most of the greatest and most powerful secular rulers and potentates who adhere to him. So that everything that is pious, holy, great and powerful in the world is opposed to the gospel.
028 Against such vexation, as I have said, Christ warns his company, saying, Blessed is he that taketh not offense at me. As if to say, "If therefore you see and know that the world is offended at my word, and that you, who confess it, are offended at it
32 L. 1, 39.40. On the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xiii, 8s. 108.109. ZZ 33
Do not be deceived or disbelieved, but remember that this is what happened to Christ, the Son of God, our Lord. And even though he preached so powerfully and performed so many great miraculous signs, it still did not help him. And that we should be careful not to be moved by the world's wisdom, glory, power and great multitude, he has faithfully warned and admonished us to hold fast to him and his word, saying, "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me.
29 Because it happened to our dear Lord Christ Himself that His own people, to whom He was promised and sent to be a Savior, were displeased with Him, and even though they saw His glorious and great miraculous signs which He performed before their eyes, yet they were not moved to believe His preaching and accept Him, and even crucified and murdered Him 2c.So we may be silent and not complain if we are also despised, laughed at and persecuted for the sake of the gospel. Such a doctrine of reproach is highly needed, especially in our day, when everyone blasphemes the dear gospel and is offended by it.
(30) So your love has from today's gospel excellent high teaching, on which our salvation and eternal life depend, namely, that we may learn how Christ is a kopeck.
He is the King of graces and of all comfort, who will speak kindly to the poor afflicted consciences through his gospel, comfort them in their sins, and help them to eternal life. For although the strict worldly regime is also God's kingdom, it is only his left kingdom that is to cease. But this is his right and eternal kingdom, which comes to us through the word, if we, who are oppressed by sin and death (because it is preached to such), accept and believe it. This comforts and assures us, then, that we should certainly go to Christ, and say with certain confidence, "I believe in my Lord Jesus Christ, who has made the blind to see, the lame to walk, the lepers to be clean, the deaf to hear, and the dead to live. I have this word, and for this reason I am certain that he will not leave me in my greatest need, but will lead me out of death and the devil's kingdom into eternal life and the kingdom of heaven. For this reason he became man and came to me on earth, that he might comfort me, a poor, miserable sinner, through his gospel, and help me from sin and death for eternity. 2c. All who believe this from the heart will go from this pit of misery to eternal joy and bliss. May our dear Lord Christ grant us this, amen.
4.Sunday; John 1, 19-28
*On the fourth Sunday of Advent. )
John 1:19-28.
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed: I am not Christ. And they asked him, What then? art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou a prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, What art thou then? that we may give answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said: I am a voice of one preaching in the wilderness, Direct ye the way of the LORD, as Isaias the prophet said. And they that were sent were of the Pharisees, and asked him, saying unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor a prophet? John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but he is come in the midst of you, whom ye know not. This is he that shall come after me, which was before me, that I am not worthy to loose his shoe laces. This took place at Bethabara, on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
*) Held in the house 1533.
34 L . 1, 40-42. On the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 110-112. 35
(1) This also of the beautiful and glorious gospels is one of the highest articles of our faith, teaching not of the ten commandments, or what we ought to do; but of a higher thing, namely, what Christ is, and what he hath done. For John praises him so highly that even though he leads a very holy life, yet he freely confesses and says, "I am not worthy to untie his shoe laces." Is therefore almost the same opinion with the gospel of eight days ago, without that here are other words and persons.
- for eight days ago your love heard how all power lies in not missing this person, Christ Jesus, but accepting him, not passing by nor looking at others. For whoever meets him finds salvation from sins, death and hell. For thus God has decreed that in Christ all fullness should dwell and that he should be all. He is the way, the truth and the life. Through Him alone all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles and saints have been blessed from the foundation of the world. John knows this and therefore instructs his disciples not to miss this treasure.
(3) But because we do not follow it, the defect is that we do not keep to God's word, but leave it out of consideration, and undertake various ways and means to get to heaven. One runs into a monastery, as can be seen in the papacy, becomes a monk, another fasts, the third seeks the intercession of this or that other saint; so that everyone seeks a special way and his own path to heaven. To prevent such evil and harmful actions, God has earnestly given His word to His people, saying that He would help them through the seed of the woman, that is, through His Son Jesus Christ. He that hath failed of him hath failed of salvation, though he had fasted himself to death, and prayed a fool. Again, whoever has accepted him with faith and relied on him has found forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation, and neither sin nor the devil has been able to hinder him.
4 All the holy patriarchs have followed this path.
The saints and prophets were followed and found salvation through faith in Christ. For if someone should have gone to heaven through a holy life, it should certainly have been the dear holy prophets, who for the sake of God did and suffered much in the evil, wicked world. But they all despair of their holiness, and hang on with firm confidence to the promised seed of the giving, which shall bruise the head of the serpents.
Most of the Jews in Christ's time did not want to follow this way, thought: What should this servant be able to do? We must keep the law, take hold, sacrifice, give alms; this will be the best and next way to heaven; this beggar cannot help. For Christ was altogether wretched and miserable, so that whoever did not keep the miraculous signs and his preaching, found nothing else in him that was worthy of respect.
6th So that the Jews would not let him pass by and not be aware of him, God, the merciful Father, decreed that John, like a trumpeter before the prince, should go before the Lord Christ and be the trumpet. When they heard this, they would open their eyes and look at the one who would soon follow him, and he would be the right man.
007 Wherefore, when the Jews were here sending a legation unto him, and asked him, Whether he be Christ, Elias, or a prophet? he answered, "I am not." But when they ask, "What are you? What do you say about yourself?" he answers: I will tell you, I am a voice crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord: that is, I am the trumpeter before the Prince. Therefore listen diligently to my preaching, for he will soon come after me who was before me, and baptize you with the Holy Spirit, since I, as a servant, can baptize only with water. He has come in the midst of you, but you do not know him.
008 Therefore this is my office, whereunto I am sent, to be a voice crying, or a preacher in the wilderness; that, when ye hear the sound of my trumpet,
36 L. 1, 42-44. On the Fourth Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, II2-IIS. 37
that you may know that he is there. For I am the voice that calleth, and the preacher, unto whom ye shall hearken. Now the next one who comes after me is he, as Isaiah also prophesies in chapter 40, v. 3: "There is a voice of a preacher in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord, make a level path for our Lord on the field. This, says John, is I, which shall declare these things unto you. Therefore see, he is already among you, but you do not know him; but I am to teach you, that you may know and accept him. For the next preacher who will arise after me is surely he; I am only the forerunner. I now hold this office and preach. He does not preach yet, but soon after me he will let himself be heard; so now see that you do not miss him and have respect for him.
(9) As John preached, so it came to pass. For immediately after his baptism Christ was seen with miraculous signs in Galilee, he sent out twelve apostles and seventy-two disciples, and they preached, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand, that is, Christ is present, and he is the one of whom he testifies; cling to him and receive him, and you will not fail. He will come after me, but he was before me. For John was half a year older than Christ the Lord, yet he says, "He was before me. This was a blasphemous word in the sight of the Jews, if they had understood it at that time; as is seen in John 8:58, where he says, "Before Abraham was, I am." For so much is said, that this man, before he was born on earth, was for ever the true Son of God. The Jews at that time did not understand this. But John certainly meant it with these words, and wanted to touch the divine glory of the person; as he also gives enough to understand, when he says: "I am not worthy to untie his laces.
010 Then the Jews should have fallen down, and thought: What kind of a man is this, what kind of a person, before whom John humbles himself so deeply, and says: He is not worthy to serve him in the least? Dear John, shall you not
worth? Yes, I, I, he says, am not worth it; be I otherwise who I want, I am nothing against this man. So he throws away all his holiness and says: He would be satisfied with this, if he could only enjoy this man so far that he should wipe his shoes.
011 Lest therefore the Jews think that he humbleth himself too much, because he hath baptized, and was a special preacher, he teacheth them well because of such baptism, saying, I have the same signs with me as the other prophets. Jeremiah wore a wooden yoke; Isaiah went barefoot and naked, prophesying to the Egyptians and the Moors how they would be plundered by enemies and stripped, Isa. 20. So, says John, I also preach a new sermon and new signs; I preach, You shall prepare the way for the Lord. I could not preach such things if the way had been prepared first. Then I wash you and baptize you as a sign that you are unclean and unclean. I will prepare this bath for you, but he will prepare another and better bath for you and baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
(12) All things therefore are directed that they should not let this man pass by, but remember John's preaching. Behold, John has told us of one who will appear after him; he will certainly be the one who now makes himself seen so powerfully with preaching and signs.
013 But what happened? They listened to John, but did not believe his testimony; indeed, they executed both Christ and his forerunner, cut off John's head, and crucified Christ, of whom John had preached so faithfully and exhorted everyone to accept him. They have always been such pious people, who not only despised the preaching of the prophets, persecuted them and beat them to death, but also crucified Christ the Lord Himself, whom they preached.
This is the way it is today, because Christ must be crucified, not only in his own person, but also in his members. We would like to point everyone to the right path of salvation with John, saying: There is no salvation outside of Christ.
38 L. i, 44^7. on the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xm, ns-H8. 39
Forgiveness of sin, nor eternal life. But what happens? The more we point people from their own works, as from a false foundation, to the right rock of Christ, the more vehemently our counterpart heresies and condemns us. For this does not agree with their teaching, as everyone knows. They point to the monasteries, say mass, hold masses and vigils, establish services, go on pilgrimages, buy indulgences 2c. But this does not mean pointing to Christ, but seeking other ways besides Christ to get to heaven. Against this we speak, and exhort the people to hold to John's testimony, which points to Christ. This is unpleasant to the pope and his crowd, who condemn us as heretics, and if they could, they would of course not lack the will to reward and thank us as much as the Jews did St. John.
(15) But why are they so hostile to us, and why do they dislike us so much? For no other reason than that we preach with John that they should humble themselves before Christ, and with all their worship and good works not esteem themselves worthy to wipe his shoes. For they themselves must confess that John was much holier than they; yet he says: I do not want to look at such holiness, if I could only have the grace to remove or wipe his shoes, that would be enough for me. We would like to instill such humility in everyone through the gospel; therefore, according to our ministry, we exhort everyone to beware of sins and to be pious, but not to take comfort from God in such piety; but rather, like John, to regard his good works and honorable life as a shoestring compared to the high, pure, perfect and great righteousness that our dear Lord Christ has earned for us through his suffering and death.
But the pope and bishops, monks and priests do not want to follow. Cause, they do not want to and cannot drop the trust in their and the deceased saints' merit. Therefore they do not desire to be partakers of our Lord Christ's benefits and merits, not to mention that they should comfort themselves as godly hearts do,
who feel their sin and are terrified of God's wrath and judgment; yes, they even cry out, as mad people who have never thought, much less felt, what sin and death are: Man is not justified by faith alone, works also do something. So they will not let the righteousness of Christ be their treasure, like John, who casts away all his holiness, will not let it count as much as a rag, where one wipes unclean shoes with it; this, as I said, the pope will not enter into with his bunch, they lift up their works so high that they consider themselves worthy of eternal life. Therefore they cannot suffer in any way that their worship and holiness should be compared to old rags; indeed, they make themselves believe that Christ must be pleased when they practice it, in honor and service of him.
(17) Therefore let no one be offended that the papists in our time despise and persecute the gospel. It happened to John, Christ and the apostles themselves in their time that their teaching was not only despised, but they were all persecuted and miserably condemned. Now, the Jews have received their punishment, our despisers and blasphemers will not escape their punishment either.
(18) Let us thank God for His grace in restoring us to the pure Word, and first of all pay attention to John's word, when he says: "Prepare the way for the Lord"; item: "He has come into the midst of you" 2c.; and soon after: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, who bears the sin of the world. - There he says nothing of our works and merits, 2c., but points us straight to Christ, in whom we find and have all things.
- after this we are also to note the example of his humility with diligence, that the holy man, who, as Christ testifies, has no equal among all those who are born of women (so, of course, all the monks and priests who have ever been under the papacy cannot hold a candle to him with all their holiness), lets himself down and humbles himself so deeply that he says: he is, with all his holiness and good works, the most holy of all.
40 n.i.47-49. On the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xin, H8- 41
He is not worthy to bow down before the Lord Christ and untie his shoe laces. Let this be an example of the humility in John, that we should not only take good care of him, but also follow him.
(20) We must do good deeds and make the utmost effort to do them, for God has commanded and commanded in the Ten Commandments, which he has not given in vain from heaven. It is his word, therefore he wants it kept. Therefore, let every man do his best to live by it, and thus show himself obedient and grateful to God, who gave us His dear Son, who humbled Himself for our sake, and became obedient to the point of death, yes, death on the cross, in which He did enough for all the sin of the world. Rely on this man's obedience and work and build firmly on it, and throw everything good you have ever done before his feet, and only confess freely from the heart with Johanne that it is not worth wiping Christ's shoes with it.
(21) In the sight of men it is a fine, clean, beautiful rag, a jewel and a virtue, that thou art no adulterer, no thief, no murderer, that thou givest alms, that thou art diligent in thy office; (2c) this may and ought to be praised in the sight of men in the world, and to be counted as rags, and pieces of silk, and of gold. But when it comes before our Lord GOD and his judgment, say, "In your sight, O LORD, the best of my garments and the finest of my gold are worse than any rag. Therefore, do not judge me according to my works; I will gladly let them be your old rags, and if God only wanted me to be worthy of them, I would gladly be satisfied with them.
22 St. Paul also does this, Phil. 3, 5-7: "I," he says, "am an Israelite, a Pharisee according to the law, and blameless according to the righteousness of the law," so that no man can punish me. Let that be something special, if someone can boast like that in front of people. "Nevertheless," he says, "for Christ's sake, I consider all this holiness to be a waste and a filth," and my highest joy and best comfort is that I shall be found, not in my righteousness, which is from the law, but in the
Righteousness that comes through faith in Christ, which is imputed by God to faith. So that I may enjoy such righteousness of my Lord, I consider all my righteousness as dirt. Here Paul does it even more crudely than John; the latter, after all, calls his good works a shoelace; Paul, however, calls it dung and dirt. That is unkind enough to speak of our holy life.
(23) But we are to let such examples be especially commanded to us, to be well aware of them, and to be earnestly diligent that we live before the world in all modesty and respectability, so that people have nothing to complain about us. Such things belong to this life, here on earth, and also end here, as you can see: a pious man is shamed just as much as a rogue; a pious woman just as much as a whore. But if it is to come to that and eternal life, then learn to speak: I hold fast to my Lord Christ and to his holiness, which he promises and gives me in baptism, word and sacrament; and I will be found a poor little worm 2c. So that a distinction may be made between our temporal life and holiness, and the eternal life of holiness, which is before God.
(24) The Gentiles also have kept themselves in fine discipline and honorableness, and have done and suffered much for the sake of the fatherland; therefore they are also to be praised. But here, when death comes, we are separated; all our deeds and sufferings remain behind, for by them we do not receive forgiveness of sins, righteousness 2c. But where then shall we take the righteousness and holiness that is valid before God and in eternal life? So we have to humble ourselves with John and say: "Lord, here comes a poor little thing, an old, torn, nasty little thing, or as Paul says, a stinking mud. In the sight of the world it may be muslin, velvet, and a piece of gold; but in your sight, O Lord, let me be an old rag, wiping the shoes of your Son with it, and give me his righteousness, who with his righteousness is my noblest and most precious treasure. For I know that through him and his righteousness I shall enter the kingdom of heaven;
42 L. i, 4g-si. On the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xm, 121-123. 43
since I would have to go to the abyss of hell through my holiness.
(25) From this it follows that we must freely conclude that monks, priests, monasteries, and what may be called such things, all belong to the devil and to hell. For they do not see with their good works that they may render the owed obedience to God, and be annoying to no one, but that they may think to become blessed there. That is why they sell their good works to other people. But this is to deny Christ altogether, even to mock him, and to despise him as the Jews mocked him and despised him. We should beware of such abominations, and learn here how we may meet such deceivers, that we may say to them, "Thou poor man, dost thou dare to make me blessed with thy filthy works and holiness? John, Paul, Peter and other saints could not have done that, otherwise they would not have preached so little about their holiness. If one still needed the monasteries for houses of correction, that one would raise young boys in them and let them study the Scriptures, then it would be a very fine, delicious and useful custom. But the pope and his godless crowd will not let it come to that; instead, they point everyone to heaven with such a monastic life. But they will certainly find such a heaven with it, since the flame and the fire go out to the window. Therefore, it would be much better to destroy such monasteries than to reject people from Christ and damage their souls and bodies.
(26) Therefore learn in summary from today's Gospel that we are to live modestly and honorably among and with the people, to be diligent and industrious in good works, and not to offend anyone. God demands such obedience through His law and wants it from us; and if we do not obey, He will strike us with the executioner, with the sword, and finally also with hellish fire. This, I say, is what we are obligated to do by God's command against the people. But when you come before God, say: Lord, because of my holiness and works I am lost. Therefore, ask that I may be
to be an old rag at the feet of my Lord Christ. For I am not worthy of my life, except that he cast me into hell. But I desire his holiness, that he may sanctify me with another, better, and everlasting holiness; and I shall surely enter into everlasting life.
27 Neither the pope nor the bishops want to hear this, for they see what would follow, namely, that monasteries and convents, masses and all their false worship would not stand for long; that is why they are so stubborn about it: the one more for the sake of his belly, the other and lesser part because they hope to be saved by it. John does not do this, neither does Paul, they do not want to keep their righteousness and holiness. So should all Christians do, saying with Paul, My holiness is a stinking filth and mire; and with John, My holiness is a rag, if I will count it against the holiness and works of Christ. But the papists want to be neither filth nor rags in their masses, vows, fasts, and prayers; they beat us to death for not keeping up with them and pointing people to a different and better way. Well, it is a breed of vipers, where nothing good can ever grow out of it; they will find what they are looking for. But let us look to the mouth and finger of John, that he may testify and guide us, that we may not fail to see our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and that we may not fail to see him, who so diligently and faithfully guides and directs us to salvation.
28 This is the most important lesson of today's gospel, since John so diligently points to the Lord Christ, thus humbling himself and exalting and praising Christ. The other part, that the Pharisees and chief priests send to John, and forbid him to baptize and preach, because he himself says that he is neither Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet; item, that he makes a distinction between his baptism, so that he baptizes as a servant, and the baptism of Christ, who himself is the Lord and can give the Spirit alone: such two parts are a little too high for the common man; without that one can
44L. 1, 51.52. On the holy day of Christ. W. XIII, 123,134-137. 45
Nevertheless, they should learn from this and realize how the world, and especially what is wise and high in the world, is hostile to God's works, and would gladly curb and suppress them, as the chief priests and Pharisees do here. But John has a right Elijah spirit and power, that is, an undaunted heart, and does not allow himself to be forbidden to preach or baptize until
Herod takes him by the head, throws him into the tower, and finally has his head cut off. He suffers this gladly and patiently for the sake of God, in the hope that he will have a merciful God and eternal life through his Lord and Savior Christ. May our dear Lord God and Father grant us this through His Son Jesus Christ, Amen.
Christmas
Christmas Day; Luc. 2, 1-15
1.Sermon; The history
*On the holy day of Christ. )
From the history of how Christ was born in Bethlehem.
Luc. 2, 1-15.
And it came to pass at that time, that a commandment went forth from the emperor Augustus, that all the world should be appraised. And this valuation was the very first, and came to pass at the time that Cyrenius was governor in Syria. And every man went to be appraised, every man to his own city. Then Joseph also departed out of Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, into the land of Judah, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; that he might be esteemed with Mary his familiar wife, which was with child. And when they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she bare her first son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger: for they had no other room in the inn. And there were shepherds in the same region in the field by the hurdles, tending their flock by night. And, behold, the angel of the LORD came unto them, and the glory of the LORD shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them: Fear not; behold, I proclaim unto you great joy, which shall be to all people: for unto you is born this day a Savior, which is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this is the sign that you will find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And immediately there was with the angel the multitude of the heavenly host praising GOD and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and goodwill toward men.
This feast of the Nativity of our dear Lord Jesus Christ was instituted among Christians primarily for the purpose of preaching and teaching the story, so that it may be remembered by the young people and the common man, so that they may form it in their hearts and learn to recognize their Savior. For even if it is said yearly, it cannot be preached or learned at all. Therefore we will divide the gospel into two parts. First, the Historia tell in the most simple way how they
*) Wittenberg edition: In the church in 1533; Walch: Anno 1533, in his house. D. Red.
After that, listen to what the dear angels preach and sing about it.
The first part of the Historia is this: that Christ was born just at the time when under the emperor Augustus the Jews and their property were valued for the first time. Then our dear Lord Christ began to reign, however secretly, in the world, and the great emperor Augustus must serve him with his empire, however ignorantly, and give cause by his commandment for the virgin Mary and her trusted husband Joseph to journey to Bethlehem, and as the prophets had foretold, to bring the Savior of the world to light there.
46 L-1, 52-54. Am heiligen Christlage. W. xm, 137-139. 47
Otherwise, if this had not been caused by the emperor's command, Joseph and Mary would have remained at home. But Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, therefore the emperor must give cause for it, and thus serve the Lord Christ for his birth; although neither the emperor nor the world knew anything about it. For otherwise the world is so wicked and unfaithful that it would rather have hindered it than promoted it. But God leads his regiment in such a way that it must do ignorantly at times, where it could never be brought to knowingly.
3 When they came to Bethlehem from Galilee in Judea to obey the emperor, the evangelist says, the time was right for the virgin Mary to give birth. All things are unprepared and unskilled. Behold, the two spouses are in a strange land, in a strange city, where they have neither house nor farm; and though they have friends there, as was scarcely the case, yet they have no regard for them. Above all this, the city was so full at that time that, as the evangelist says, they had no room in the inn, so they had to go to the cowshed and make do there like poor people. There will have been neither sponge, linen, cushion, pillow nor feather *); a bundle of straw must have done the best, that they have made themselves a little resting place with the dear cattle. There, in the hard winter at night, the noble fruit, the child Jesus, is born.
This is briefly the history, which the evangelist undoubtedly wanted to present to us, who are otherwise so cold, although he could warm our hearts a little, because our Savior was born so miserably into this world. Bethlehem would have been worthy of sinking into the abyss of hell if it had not shown so much honor to its Savior by lending him a cradle or a bench for a pillow. His cradle is first of all the dear mother's bosom, then the manger or crib. This is how one cradles the child. The poor cradle, she does not want to get cold,
*Spond - bedstead; Leinlach - linen bed sheet; Federwatt - feather blanket. D. Red.
She may cover herself with her little coat and other small things she had with her, for there is no one here who would lend anything to the child or mother, serve them, or help them with the smallest thing.
Why does the evangelist paint this birth as so poor and miserable? Because you should remember it and never forget it, and also let it go to your heart, and especially because you hear here that it happened too well for you, that you should be happy about it and also grateful to God. It is a long journey from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem, yes, as far as from Saxony in Franconia, if not further. It must be remembered that they did not bring or carry much household goods. So the swaddling clothes or whatever else belongs to such trade will not have been very delicious, that she might have wrapped the infant in her apron or shirt and laid it in the manger. For she could not always have it in her bosom, had to warm its little cloth, make a little bed for it and do other things. However, the dear child had to make do in the manger in the straw and hay. Joseph also had to do the best he could, and it may well be that some maid in the house served them with fetching water and other things, as in an emergency, when everyone should be willing to help. But this is not written. And it can be assumed that even though it has been said that a young woman was lying in the cowshed, no one took care of her.
Fie on you, you shameful Bethlehem, who are so hard and merciless against your Savior that you do not do him the slightest service! You deserved better the punishment than Sodoma 2c., that brimstone and fire rained down from heaven and destroyed you. For although the Virgin Mary was a beggar, or, to speak in terms of breeding, a dishonest woman who put her honor behind her, one should still have been willing and inclined to serve her in such distress and time. Yes, nothing will come of it, this child must be wrapped in cloth and laid in a manger, then it will stay. This is how this Lord shall be conceived on earth, when the others
48 L-1, 54-66. On the holy day of Christ. W. xm, 139-442. 49
splurge, eat, make great splendor with beautiful clothes, splendid houses 2c.
- This is the first part of the history, which is therefore prescribed for us, so that we may learn to grasp the image in our hearts of how our dear Lord Jesus was born so wretchedly in this world, so that we may learn to give thanks and praise to God for such a great good deed, so that we poor, wretched, even condemned people may come to great honor today, because we have become one flesh and blood with the Son of God. For the very eternal Son of the eternal Father, through whom heaven and earth were created from nothing, became, as we have heard, a man and was born into the world like us, without any sin. Therefore we may boast that God became our brother, even our flesh and blood. This great honor did not happen to the angels, but to us men. Therefore, even though the angels are a more glorious creature than we are, God has honored us more and higher and has drawn closer to us than to the angels, because He became not an angel but a man. If we human beings could understand this and believe it with all our hearts, then such unspeakable grace and good deeds of our dear Lord God should certainly give us great joy and drive us to thank God from the bottom of our hearts, to love Him and to gladly do His will.
In the papacy, a story was told that the devil came to a church for mass one day, and when the words were sung to him: "Et homo factus est, the Son of God became man," and the people stood and did not kneel down, he hit one of them on the mouth and scolded him, saying: "You rude rascal, are you not ashamed that you stand like a stick and do not fall down with joy? If God's Son had become our brother like yours, we would not know where to stay for joy. I do not believe it to be true, for the devil is too hostile to us and to the Lord Christ.
*) Here the Erl. A. has the note: This he preached in the house, in 34. D. Red.
It is certainly true that the one who wrote it had a high spirit and well understood the great honor that has come to us in that the Son of God has become man: not like Eve or Adam, who was made from the earth; but he is even closer to us, because he was born of the flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary, like other men, without her, the Virgin, being alone, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, without sin, and received from the Holy Spirit this fruit that was given. Apart from this, he is like us and a true natural son of a woman.
9 Adam and Eve were not born, but created. For God made Adam from the earth, and the woman from his rib. But how much closer is Christ to us than Eve is to her husband Adam, since he is our flesh and blood? We should esteem this honor highly and form it in our hearts that the Son of God became flesh, and that there is no difference between his flesh and ours, except that his flesh is without sin. For he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and God poured into the soul and body of the Virgin Mary full of the Holy Spirit, so that she was without all sin when she conceived and carried the Lord Jesus. Apart from this, everything was natural in him, as in other men: that he ate, drank, hungered, thirsted, froze, as in other men. Such and such natural infirmities, which are inherited by us because of sins, he, who was without sin, bore and had, as we do, as St. Paul says: He was found in all things a man like us, who ate, drank, was merry, and was sad.
(10) That is, to be deeply humbled and brought low. For he might well have become a man, as he is now in heaven, having flesh and blood like us; but he does not do what we do. He could have done this from the beginning, but he did not want to do it, so that he would show what love he has for us, so that we could rejoice, comfort and boast that we have a brother in heaven, of whom we may, indeed, should accept. For one
50 L. i,s6-s8. On the holy day of Christ. W. xin, 142-145. 51
unhappy man is the one who does not accept him, nor feels this joy in his heart.
(11) This is the reason why this history is preached yearly, so that every young heart may form it in itself and thank God for it, saying, "There is no need for me, for I have a brother who has become like me. 2c. Why he became like this and what he wanted to accomplish by it, I do not yet say. For this is why he saved us from sin and eternal death. But I will now speak only of the glory of the whole human race, of which we should boast with truth and rejoice that the Son of God has become man. All people can boast of such honor. The Christians, however, have a higher one after that, that they should enjoy such honor also in eternity. This is the first thing we should remember about this story.
(12) On the other hand, this excellent high example also serves us: Because Christ, the Son of God, has so humbled himself, and turned all his glory to poor flesh, and the divine majesty, before which the angels tremble, has so lowered himself, he walks therefore like a poor beggar; above in heaven the angels worship him, here below on earth he serves us and lies down in our mud: Because then, I say, the Son of God has done these things, we also ought to learn to praise and honor him, to be gladly humble, and to take up our cross according to his word, to suffer all kinds of tribulations, and so to follow him. For what harm can it do us, or why should we be ashamed of suffering? because our dear Lord suffered frost, hunger and sorrow. But it was especially wretched and miserable, as I said, when he came and was born on earth. There was neither vessel nor room, neither pillow, nor swaddling clothes, nor bedclothes; he had to lie in a manger, before the cows and oxen. So then your dear
Cousin, yes, even your brother, the king of heaven and earth and all creatures within, lies down so miserably; fie on you, why would you want to be so glorious and suffer nothing at all? Who are you then? Is it not true that you are a poor sinner, who is not worthy to lie on a heel? Yet you lie there on a soft bed, while your Lord lies on hard straw and in a manger.
(13) But is it not a grievous bargain? We see here in what humility and poverty our Lord Jesus lies for our sake; and we want to be junk lords, to go out free and suffer nothing. But this is a bad rhyme, when the Lord is born in such misery and poverty, too good for us, and dies for us on the cross 2c.; and we lazy rascals want to sit in good peace and quiet forever! No, that does nothing: "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above the Lord," says Christ. 2c.
(14) Wherefore let us learn well, and consider earnestly, first of all, to what honor we are come in that Christ is made man. For it is such an honor that if one were an angel, he would wish that he were a man, that he also might boast: My flesh and blood sits above all angels. Therefore, we humans should consider ourselves blessed. May God grant that we understand it, take it to heart and be grateful to God for it. On the other hand, we should diligently consider the example of Christ, what he, who is Lord above all lords, proved to us poor people in his first future and suffered for our sake. This would move us and drive us to gladly help and serve other people from the heart, even if it would make us sour and we would have to suffer a little over it. May God help us to do this with His Holy Spirit, through our dear Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
52 1, 58-60. On the holy day of Christ. W. xm, 146-150. 53
2.Sermon; The angels preach
On Christmas Day.
The other sermon.*)
What the angels told the shepherds about this
Your love has heard the story of this day, how Christ Jesus, the Son of God, was born into this world, and what we are to learn from it. When this happened in Bethlehem, the evangelist reports how an angel from heaven came to some shepherds who were near by in the field by their hurdles, with a glorious, great light, and preached of this birth to the shepherds with these words:
Fear not, for behold, I proclaim to you great joy, which shall be to all the people. For unto you is born this day a Savior, which is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And have this as a sign to yourselves: You will find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
- this is the first sermon of this born child, our lord jesus, which was brought from heaven to us on earth by the angels. For this reason it is well worth our while to learn it diligently, and indeed to beware lest we think we can or have learned it. For though it be preached every year, yea, every day, yet here on earth we shall not be able to learn it at all.
(3) But this preaching of angels was very necessary: for if Christ had been born twenty times, it would have been in vain if we had not known about it. For what is it that a man has a treasure in his house or cellar, if he knows nothing of it? It will give him little pleasure or joy. As the saying goes, Ignoti nulla cupido; a hidden treasure is a useless treasure, because one walks over it, as over the muck in the street, of which one pays no attention.
*) In the church, in 1534, in the afternoon.
Preaching and proclaiming history 2c.
It is the same with this holy, joyful birth. If the dear angels had not preached about it and had not revealed such treasure to the people, no one would have been able to desire such treasure, much less enjoy it, no one would have been happy about it. Cause, what one does not know, that does not affect him; there is neither pleasure nor displeasure, but is as if it had never been or as if it should never become anything.
(4) Therefore this is one of the chief things in this gospel, that the angel with his preaching revealeth this birth, and sheweth us this treasure; lest we should pass by, having the treasure, and yet know nothing of it, and neither rejoice nor be comforted in it, saying, I proclaim unto you great joy."
These words are very well put. The shepherds were greatly alarmed at the great light and splendor, as at an unusual thing, that in a moment heaven and earth had become so light and like fire in the dark night. Seeing this, the angel speaks to them cheerfully, saying, "Do not be afraid." As if he should speak: You have no cause to be afraid; but that you are afraid is a sure sign that you do not yet know about the noble, precious treasure that God has given you; otherwise you would not be afraid, yes, you would rejoice with all your heart and be of good cheer. For this is why I have come - to proclaim to you a great joy, a great work and miraculous sign, which, if you form it rightly in your heart, you will have to be in good spirits about it and have a great, exuberant joy.
- that the angel's main concern is that he would like to have such a
54 L. i,6o-62. On the holy day of Christ. W. xm, iso-153. 55
He says, "I will preach a sermon that sticks and is not in vain, but does what it is supposed to do. That is why he does not speak of a bad joy, but of a great joy and of necessary things.
(7) For this cause: because the devil by sin hath cast us down very much, and hath wrought a grievous miseries, that we are not only in original sin, and have eternal death upon us, but must daily in the world expect all manner of calamities of him; so that no man is safe for a moment, neither of the body, nor of the good things which all things that are in Fahr float and weave. Above such misfortunes there is a greater one, as it is written in the Gospel, that the devil leads into people, makes them mad and foolish, so that one can say with truth that such a person is nothing but a stinking secret chamber of the devil. He has made us humans so shamefully worthless through sin that we cannot have a morsel of bread here on earth, but must also bear God's wrath and eternal death afterwards. Let this be a terrible, miserable and horrible devil's kingdom.
(8) Nevertheless, if we consider it rightly and weigh both against each other, such sorrow, which we have from the devil, is by no means to be compared with the glory and this excellent treasure and joy, since the angel preaches here about, and says: "Fear not, I proclaim to you great joy, to you the Savior is born. With such a sermon the angel would gladly turn our hearts away from all such devilish lamentation for this little child; and thinks that he would then have accomplished a work of a delicious preacher, if he could bring us to the point that we could rightly look upon this Savior and learn to recognize him as our flesh and blood. And it is certainly true that if it should be or could be that this happy image would enter into the heart of a man, then this damage, which we have from the devil, would be very small, although it would be a great and eternal damage.
(9) He who wants to overcome the devil, to laugh at his poison and his wrath, and to be safe from him, must do it alone with this sweet sight and comfort, since the angel is here.
of preaching and says: To you the Savior is born. If this look falls right into the heart, then the thing is already won. For then man thinks: The devil has defiled and strangled me and all men, thrown me into God's wrath and eternal judgment: but this damage is not so great; the treasure that God has given me is even greater, namely, that God, my Lord, does not possess the human race, as the devil is wont to possess men; but he himself becomes a true man, so that God and human nature become one person. The devil cannot come so close to a human being. For even if he possesses a human being, the human being still remains a human being, the devil a devil, and they are two different persons and natures. On the other hand, the Son of God became man, so that I can say with truth: This man is God, and God is man.
For this reason, our dear merciful God in heaven has come much closer to us and has entered much deeper into our flesh than the devil can enter. He may possess and torture a man, but he cannot become a personal man; the natures remain always separated, not only in essence, but also in person. But such is one here, the Son of God is our flesh and blood, born of Mary the Virgin, naturally, like me and you, except that he was conceived without male seed by the Holy Spirit, and did not take the poison of the wicked devil with him, but has an entirely pure innocent flesh and blood. Except for this one part, because ours is unclean and sinful, he is a man like me and you, who had to eat, drink, sleep, wake up, like other men have to do nature half, as St. Paul says: "He was found like a man"; so that whoever heard or saw him had to say: This is a true natural man, not a ghost. For he has all the manner of this life about him.
This is the joy that the angel says about. But I am speaking now only of the glory we are to rejoice in, and not yet of the fruit of which one preaches when one speaks of His suffering and resurrection in the first place.
56 L. 1,62-64. On the Holy Day of Christ. W. XIII, 153-157. 57
digt. Now we say of the glory alone that God has become so close to us that He is our flesh and blood, and a personal man, as I and you are, except that He is without all sin. With this unspeakable honor he has adorned the human race. This is what the angel wanted to make the people believe, saying, "I proclaim to you great joy, which shall be to all the people."
(12) He is joyful and of good cheer, burning and leaping for joy, not at all ashamed of the poor shepherds that he should preach to them, but of good cheer, and would that everyone would take such things to heart as he did, and that all men would know such great glory, that human nature has come to glory, that the Son of God, through whom all things were created, the high Majesty, has become our flesh and blood.
(13) For it would be no wonder, if we had nothing else, that we humans should become so fond of one another that one should devour the other for love, as they say. But I am not yet speaking of utility and custom, but only of honor. If this were to go to our hearts, we should never be hostile to any man. After all, who would want to be hostile or do evil to the image that has body and soul, like my God and yours? For the sake of the honor that God has shown us, should we not love all people and do all good to them?
The angels are much more glorious creatures than we humans; God did not consider that. God did not become an angel. In addition, the angels are innocent and holy spirits who have not fallen, like the other angels and we poor humans. So it looks as if it would have been cheaper for God to have become an angel. So he comes to accept the poor, little creature, which is in sin, in the devil's kingdom and under the power of death, which the devil torments and defiles to the utmost. That is to say, ever sunk low. Should we not be softened by this, that we love one another with fervor, all of us?
friendship and service among themselves, not so among themselves despised, envied?
15 Some fathers, and especially Bernard, think that the devil, when he saw in heaven that the Son of God was to become a man, for such a cause did he draw envy against men and hatred against God, that he did not want to become an angel rather than a man, and thus fell down out of hope and envy. This may well be a thought or true. Nevertheless, the dear fathers wanted to show the great joy and honor that befell us in that God became man and took the very poor flesh and blood that we poor people have, who were possessed by the devil and handed over to death because of sin.
How wretched must these people be who know nothing of such honor? But they are much more wretched who hear from angels, apostles, or other preachers that God has so graciously visited human nature, taken it upon Himself, and made it master over all creatures, and yet have no joy in it. Yes, they must certainly be wretched people who do not feel this, who do not take comfort and joy from it.
(17) If, among many brethren, one becomes a great lord, how glad will the other brethren be? How can they console themselves so highly? As is seen in Joseph's brothers in the first book of Mosiah, when he makes himself known to them. And it is true that this is a natural joy. But how is it that we do not also rejoice in this unspeakable honor and glory, that it does not go to our hearts, and that we do not praise and thank God because God has become my flesh and blood, and now sits above at the right hand of God, a Lord over all creatures?
(18) Whoever could form such things in his heart should love all flesh and blood here on earth for the sake of the flesh and blood that is above at the right hand of God, and should no longer be able to be angry with any man. So that the tender humanity of Christ, our God, should make all hearts cheaply joyful and friendly with one sight.
58L . i,64-66. Am heiligen Chrifttage. W. xm, is--i6i. 59
and fill them with joy in such a way that no angry thought would ever come into it. If anyone had grasped this image in his heart, that the Son of God had become man, he would never be able to think of anything bad for the Lord Christ, but of everything good. For I know well that I do not like to be angry with myself, nor to desire to do evil to myself. But Christ is the very one who I am, is also a man; how then can he mean evil to himself, that is, to us who are his flesh and blood? So such an image, if it were right in the heart, would merge in a moment all the horrible examples of the wrath of God, as there is the Flood, the punishment with Sodom and Gomorrah. All these things would have to disappear in one glance, if we thought of this one man, who is God, and who so honored poor human nature that he became man.
Nineteenth But are not these wicked men, as I have said, who hear these things, and yet regard them not, but leave such treasure lying, thinking how they may fill their coffers with money, and build beautiful houses, and live in great splendor? This is because the wicked devil blinds the hearts, so that they cannot see a glimpse of such joy as the angel preaches here.
(20) Now this is a thing that should move us to great joy and blessed hope, that we are thus honored above all creatures, even above the angels, that we may now boast with the truth: My flesh, my blood sits at the right hand of God and reigns over all. No creature has such glory, no angel either; but my flesh and blood have it. This alone should ever be an oven that melts us into one heart and creates such a fervor among us people that we love one another with all our hearts. But there, as I said, the wretched devil has his ghost, so that we hear it in church, then do not remember it, but soon forget it. He spoils this joy for us with other worries, so that we do not include this image in our hearts as we should. If we now had no more than this honor, we should leap and dance for joy.
(21) But above this natural honor and joy, there is also this, that he, the man Jesus, will also be our Savior. This is the first and greatest cause that we should rejoice. Therefore, they are wretched people who neither hear nor know about it. But as reported before, much more wretched are those who hear and know it, and yet do not heed it. For these words should melt heaven and earth, and make us out of death like sugar, and out of all misfortune, which is innumerable, like delicious malvasia. For what man is there who could conceive that a Savior has been born to us? Such treasure the angel gives not only to his mother, the Virgin Mary, but to all of us. "To you," he says, "is born the Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
The angel spoke to the shepherds, who were Jews and knew very well the word "Christ" in their language, that it meant a king and lord. But most of the Jews were mistaken in thinking that he would be a lord and savior in the flesh. This was not the opinion. The angel looks to something higher when he says: "To you the Savior is born"; as if he should say: You have been captives of the devil until now, he has plagued you with water, fire, pestilence, sword, and who can tell all the misfortunes? There you poor people lie under his tyranny. The soul he seduces with lies, which is innumerably more harmful than no pestilence can ever be to the body. Thus the poor, meager, weak body also has no rest from him. When he has plagued soul and body in this way, eternal death is still behind him. Now to you, says the angel, to you who are trapped with soul and body under such a harmful, evil, poisonous spirit, who is the prince of the world and God, the Savior is born.
The little word "you" shall ever make us glad. For to whom does he speak? To wood or stones? No, but to men, and not to one or two alone, but to all the people. What shall we make of this? Shall we continue to doubt the grace of God and say: The Savior may well be St. Peter and St. Paul...
60 L. 1,66-68. On the holy day of Christ. W. xm, 161-164. 61
I must not do it, I am a poor sinner, this noble, precious treasure does not concern me? Dear, if you want to say so: He does not belong to me; I also want to say: To whom does he belong? Has it come for the sake of geese, ducks or cows? For you must see here who he is. If he had wanted to help another creature, he would have become the same creature. But he alone became the Son of man.
- Now, who are you? Who am I? Aren't we human beings? Yes. Who shall take care of the child, but men? The angels are not allowed to be, the devils do not want to be. But we may be, and for our sake he became man. Therefore it behooves us men to accept with joy to be like the angel says here: "To you the Savior is born. And shortly before: "I proclaim to you great joy, which shall be to all the people." Is it not a great and glorious thing that an angel from heaven should bring such a message to men? And after that so many thousands of angels are so joyful about it, wish and preach that we men should also be joyful and accept such grace with thanksgiving, as we will hear.
(25) Therefore, it is an excellent and precious word that we hear here: "The Savior is born to you." As if the angel were to say: This birth is not mine, I must not accept it, without being gladly pleased with you from the bottom of my heart. But it is yours, poor, corrupt and lost people. He is the same Savior. Therefore accept him, you may have this Savior, so that you may be saved from sins and death. That which was reported before is in itself a glorious, great thing, that God became man. But this is far above it, that he should be our spiritual and eternal Savior. Whoever felt and believed such things would know what a true joy would be, indeed, he would not be able to live long before great joy. But, as said in the beginning, we will not be able to fully grasp this sermon here on earth, nor learn it. This life is too narrow, so our hearts are too weak for it. Otherwise, if it were possible for a heart to accept it rightly, it would have to be
it would burst with joy, would never feel a sad thought.
(26) If we believed, this fruit should at least follow from it, that we would live kindly among ourselves, stop lying and deceiving and all kinds of naughtiness, for the sake of the image that God Himself became man. But there you can see how weakly it goes on with us, that this joy does not really want to enter our hearts, and we forget both the preaching of the dear angel and of the Savior, and most of the people go after the old things with avarice and other things. Which is a sure sign that we do not believe such preaching firmly, or even weakly, otherwise we would be glad and not grieve if we believed that we had such a Savior. How should a man rejoice in the agony of death, if he had a certain remedy against the pestilence! Such joy would be felt from the heart. But here, since we have certain assurances against sin and eternal death, no one, or even few, rejoice. Most people seek another joy, that they may have peace, rest, pleasure here, and yet they are not sure of it for a moment. That is a sign, that we hear this joyful sermon, as if in sleep, remain hopeless people, who have the treasure before their eyes and yet do not respect it.
(27) He who is so skilled that he hears these things and does not feel joy from them may well consider himself a wretched man. For what will make a heart joyful if it does not want to rejoice in what the angel says here: "To you the Savior is born"? Whoever does not want to improve and become more devout, whoever does not want to taste this malmsey and this fire does not want to warm his heart, may be made more devout by the executioner, otherwise he cannot be helped. Therefore, learn to regard it as an evil sign, where you find yourself so cold and frozen, and ask God from the bottom of your heart for His grace, that He may change and help your heart through His Holy Spirit.
28.*) But that the angel continues to report, he
*) Nuremberg edition of 1547: from a sermon preached in public, in 1533; Wittenberg edition of 1558: in 1530. D. Red.
62 L. 1, "8-70. Am heiligen Christtage. W. XIII, 164-167. 63
Let this Savior be born in the city of David, and call him Christ the Lord: with these words he directs us to the Scriptures. For thus it was foretold by the prophet Micah that he should be born in Bethlehem.
(29) In particular, the angel calls the infant Jesus a Lord. We are not to understand this as if he were a worldly king who would show himself to be a tyrant and beat him with a club. No, but as God says to Adam: "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head"; that he then, as our Lord, will stand up for us, and be the devil's enemy, but our Lord and Redeemer, who will address me and you as his own, and claim you as his own from the devil, and say to him: Give me this one whom you are holding captive; he is not yours, but my own creature, whom I not only created, but also bought with my body and blood; therefore let him go and give him back to me, for he is mine. So that Christ may be a comforting Lord, who may take hold of the devil's rule by force, and take his own to himself; who may come under his eyes and say: You accursed spirit have led them into sin and death, you deceive and lie to them, and yet they are not yours; I am the Lord, to whom it is due not only by nature but also by right, and not to you that I should rule over men, for they are my earned (deserved) goods.
(30) Yea, saith thou, if the Son of God hath not redeemed the angels, how then can the little word HErr be so interpreted? Answer: Such a little word has no other meaning for us, and is rightly interpreted in this way. But because the angel speaks in general, and gives the child Jesus such a high title, and calls him Lord, it is a certain indication that this child, born of Mary of the virgins, is natural, true, eternal God, otherwise the angel would certainly not call him Lord.
31 He is our Savior, and the angel is not, as the angel here clearly says: "To you the Savior is born. But he is not only our Savior, but also the angel Savior; they are now with us, and we with them, this Savior's household, numbering among these
Lord at the same time with us, that we human beings, who were servants of the devil before, come to such honors through this child that we are now accepted in the citizenship of the dear angels. They are now our best friends, so that we may boast for the sake of this child that we have one Lord with the angels and they with us, and are one household with one another.
(32) The dear angels should be reasonably hopeful that they are much more noble than we humans, first of all because of their nature and essence, and then also because they are without sin. But there is no hope; they do not despise us men because of our misery; they are heartily sorry for our death, sin and misery. That is why they take such heartfelt joy in the help that comes to us through this infant, granting us blessedness as well as themselves, that today we receive the infant for our own, who is their Lord and brings us to the high honors that we are to be their comrades. They do not say: I do not like the sinner, the stinking dead man lying in the grave, the fornicator, the knave. No, they do not say so, but are glad from the heart that they get such sinners to peace, and praise God that we are so rid of sin, and have come to them into one house and under one Lord. For such grace they thank and praise God, whose grace they do not enjoy.
(33) How much more is it fitting that we also give thanks and praise to God for this, and also love and serve one another, as the Son of God has shown us, who became our flesh and closest friend. But whoever does not respect this and does not want to love and help his neighbor in the same way cannot be helped, as I said above.
This is the first sermon after Christ's birth about this child, which will continue throughout the whole world until the end of time. Therefore you should diligently take note, for here you see how the dear angels became our friends, and came to us with the joyful message, saying: We should henceforth fear no more, because the little child has been born to us and wants to be our Savior. This
64 D. 1,70.71. On the Holy Day of Christ. W. XIII, 167-172. 65
is the right, highest and best consolation, since one can actually and certainly test God's grace and mercy, that God, the almighty, eternal Father, has had mercy on us, and has given us His Son in such a kind way, through a tender, pure, young virgin, whom He places in her womb, and has us preach: Let him be the Savior of us all; let us find in him what we lack; let him be our help and comfort, so that henceforth between God and us all wrath may be lifted and love and kindness may be united.
(35) Think, then, whether God does injustice to those who hear these things and yet do not accept them, as the blind, obstinate papists do, who are not satisfied with this Savior and seek other saviors on whom they rely. The angel's sermon reads differently, namely,
that this little child alone is our Savior, in whom alone we shall have all comfort and joy, as in the highest treasure; where he is, there all angels and God Himself look.
He does not put this treasure in the womb of the mother alone, but in the womb of me and you, saying, "It shall be yours, you shall enjoy it, and everything he has in heaven and on earth shall be yours. Now whosoever heareth these things, but hath no joy thereof, or forsaketh this Saviour, and seeketh another, he is worthy to be dashed nine cubits under the earth by thunder. Therefore we should thank God for His grace and ask Him to speak and write this angel's sermon in our hearts, so that we may take comfort in this Savior and overcome death and the devil through Him. May our dear Lord and Savior Christ help us, amen.
3.Sermon; The angels' song
On Christmas Day.
The third sermon.*)
Of the angels' song of praise.
So far we have heard of this feast, first of all the story of how the Son of God became man and was born of the Virgin Mary into this miserable world; which is therefore written and preached annually in Christendom, so that we may take it to heart and learn to thank God from the bottom of our hearts for such grace and glorious benefits that He has shown us through such birth of His Son.
After the story we have heard the heavenly sermon of the angel, by which such a birth was announced to the shepherds, with great clarity in the field. This is also something new, that God lets the great lords sit at Jerusalem, and sends such a
*) Held in the house, 1533.
The holy angel, then, descends from heaven to the poor beggars, the shepherds, in the field. So that the holy angel humbles himself according to the example of his Lord Christ, and is not at all disdained to preach such a beautiful sermon to the poor shepherds, which still remains and must remain among Christians until the end of the world.
(3) From such a story we learn how the dear angels are very fine spirits, since there is no hope inside. Therefore, all those who consider themselves learned, holy, and great lords should take note of such an example and learn from it that they do not exaggerate their art, wisdom, power, and other gifts, nor do they despise others for it. For if the gifts were to be used for the preservation of hope, then the
66 L. 1,71-73. On the Holy Day of Christ. W. XIII, 172-175. 67
angels would have had cause enough to do this and despise the poor shepherds. But they do not. Even though the shepherds are lowly and simple-minded people, the angels do not consider themselves so holy and high that they should not be heartily willing and happy to proclaim such a message to them.
4 We should do the same, and in all humility gladly use our gifts for the comfort and help of others, despising no one. For this is called following the example of Christ, as we heard in the first sermon. He despises no one; but just as he came down from heaven poor and miserable into this world, so he also wants to have poor, miserable people around him who seek and need help. For this very reason he is called a helper or a savior.
(5) The great lords of Jerusalem think that they should not be such saviors. But the poor shepherds may be. Therefore such treasure is first proclaimed to them by the angel in his short sermon, as you have heard, in which he instructs us how everything is to be done so that we may rejoice in this Savior who wants to deliver us from sin, death, the devil and hell. For so this sermon is called: "Fear not. The Savior is born to you today, who is Christ the Lord.
(6) These are not words that have grown in the heart of man, for even the wisest men on earth know nothing of them; but they are angelic words, sounding from heaven, which we, praise be to God forever, have also received. For it is just as much, you hear or read this sermon today, as if you had heard it from heaven itself. For the shepherds did not see the angels either; they only saw the light and the brightness. But the words of the angels they have heard. You are still listening to the sermon, you are still reading the book, if you would only open your eyes and ears, and learn such a sermon and use it properly.
7.*) But such a sermon sounds far different than Moses' sermon, which he received from the
*) From a sermon preached in public, in the morning of the day St. Stephen 1333.
Angels on the mountain Sinai has heard. For here it is the other way around. There it was done so that the people had to be afraid, were not safe in life and limb from thunder and lightning and other terrible creatures. But here they preach, the dear angels, that one should not be afraid, but be of good cheer, become defiant and hopeful as one always can, for the sake of the Child, who is our Savior, and who is baptized by the angels here with a name but "Christ the Lord".
(8) With this name they take hold of the Scriptures, and gather together in one heap all the prophets. For all that is written is directed to hope and wait for the man who is called Christ. For the law could not help against sin and death; neither could our own works and piety. This alone was spared on Christ, who was to do it. Then the angels look and preach here: This is the one who is to do it, in whom everyone will find everything that belongs to the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
(9) That is, all doctrine and religion thrown away, by which men are to be led to eternal life apart from Christ. For if it is to be this Christ, it will not be his mother Mary, nor St. Peter, nor St. Paul; nor Augustine, Bernard, Franciscus, Dominic, with their rules: for until now people have been directed to the intercession of the saints, to monasticism and other things in the papacy.
But how does this rhyme with this angel's sermon? Yes, how does it rhyme with the beautiful song: Ein Kindelein so löbelich 2c.? Since we thus sing in honor of our Lord Christ, and to the clamor over ourselves, over the pope and all the saints of works: If the little child had not been born to us, we would all be lost. If we are all lost except for Christ, then the monk with his rule, the priest with his mass must also be lost. For he who names all excludes no one. But if they are to be saved, they must not be saved by monastic orders, fasting, or prayer, but only by Christ, who has the name here, and is called a Beatificator or Savior.
68 L. i, 73-76. Am heiligen Christtage. W. xm, 175-177. 69
This angel's sermon was also preached in the papacy, and this beautiful Christian song, Ein Kindelein so löbelich, was sung everywhere in Germany every year, and is still sung, but no one understood it. The reason was that there was a lack of faithful preachers. Now where the preacher's chair lies and snores, so that he does not awaken and explain the words, they sing and read it, but without all understanding. For we must confess that even in the papacy we have had baptism, the sacrament, the text of the Gospel, the Lord's Prayer, the faith, the Ten Commandments, and even today the papists are like us, except that they have changed the Lord's Supper and changed his testament. But all this sleeps with them, they have and know not what they have. For they do not comfort themselves as Christians of such treasure should comfort themselves; but walk freely, securely, not even thinking what baptism, the gospel, the Lord's Prayer and faith are. Therefore, they do not know what they sing or say about it.
12 What is lacking? That the preaching chair has fallen, which must open the ears of the people and awaken the word, so that they understand what they hear, read or sing. The one who is supposed to wake others up must not be asleep, but alert and lively, otherwise a sleepy preacher can make a cheerful listener sleepy with him. How it happened with the pope. He sat in the rose garden and paradise, that is, in all peace and abundance; therefore he snored and slept, and let this glorious sermon fall so completely away that although they sing and read about it as we do, yet they know or understand nothing about it: So that both things go together with the papists. In the Gospel they read how the Savior was born. In the church they sing: If the little child had not been born to us, we would all be lost, salvation is ours. Nevertheless, they go, invoke the Virgin Mary, fast, celebrate the feasts of the dead saints, go on pilgrimages, order and hear mass 2c. That means to make other saints, and to invert this song or chant, and instead of this saint or child, the Virgin Mary and other saints, yes, well, the saints of the world.
also put the poor and miserable human works.
Therefore, it is highly necessary to ask God from the bottom of one's heart to give us brave preachers who will awaken and explain such words to us, so that we will not only hear and read them, but also understand them. But where there are no such preachers, it is like with the papists, who have the gospel, baptism, sacrament 2c., but understand nothing of it. Therefore, the word "baptism", "sacrament" is like a treasure to them, which one has in his house and yet is not improved, because it is hidden from him.
(14) The angel's sermon is clear enough: The Savior is born to you. But even if it were clear enough, it would still be incomprehensible to the pope and his crowd, otherwise they would not call the people saints, buy human works and merit, and seek other saviors, but they would be satisfied with this Savior. But where God gives a brave and lively preacher, who can awaken and explain such words in the hearts of the listeners, he brings out of this angel's sermon the high art that he can actually judge and judge all other false doctrines and spirits, and it is not possible that the devil should twist himself so strangely that he should not grasp him, know him and see into his heart, no matter how devious and deceitful he is. Hence Paul boasts 2 Cor. 2:11, saying, "We are not unaware of what Satan has in mind."
(15) We, too, must do no more about the matter than to hold all kinds of doctrine, whether Jewish, Turkish, papist or whatever, against the angel's sermon, whether it rhymes with it or suffers from it. The papacy has a great deal of ostentation with the services, and also many great, delicious works. But who does not see that it is all idolatry, since they hold such services for their Savior? That is, they rely on it as if God were pleased with it and they could thereby obtain His grace and enter the kingdom of heaven; yet here the angel preaches of the child that he, and no one else, is the Savior. For this reason, we can call pope and bishops with truth.
70 L. 1.76-78. Am heiligen Christtage. W. xni, 177-181. 71
accuse them of being in false doctrine and life. For neither their life nor their teaching rhymes with this angel's sermon. Whoever therefore keeps and judges himself according to the angel's sermon cannot fail nor err; let him take before him and judge what he will. Therefore we may well thank God for such grace, and pray from the bottom of our hearts that he will preserve us, that we may not let this child and blessed light out of our eyes and hearts, which shines before us against all the wiles of the devil and the wickedness of the world, so that we may walk safely, and all other teachings that are contrary to it may easily and soon be judged to be wrong; we must do no more than say: The angel does not preach that my, your, or any creature's work is our Savior; but he points us to the infant, of whom he says, "To you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord," who has done and accomplished everything concerning our salvation. I will believe the angelic doctor and adhere to his sermon, otherwise I will not hear anything that says otherwise.
(16) This is the precious angels' sermon, to which many thousands of other angels come and raise a beautiful music, so that, just as the sermon is a master sermon, so also a beautiful master song follows it, an angelic song, the like of which has never been heard before in the world, and reads thus:
Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and goodwill toward men.
17.*) This is a song of three songs or laws. The first law we must understand not only so that it teaches what we should do, but that it will be so from now on, because this Savior is born, that we will give God his praise and glory. As if the angels were to say, "Before this child was born, things were different. There was nothing else in the world but blasphemy and idolatry. For what is apart from and without Christ, be it ever so glorious and great, is nothing but blasphemy. But if God is to be God, that is, before the people for
*) From a sermon preached in public in 1333.
If God is to be kept and honored, it must be through this child alone. For there alone can we learn and be certain that God is a gracious, merciful, kind God; for He did not spare His only begotten Son, but made Him man for our sake. This unspeakable, great good deed urges and drives hearts to rise up in true love, trust and hope toward God, and to praise and thank Him for it.
(18) Such fruit, the angels sing, will follow, and now begins that God may be honored in the highest. Not with outward works, which cannot ascend to heaven, but with the heart, which rises from the earth to the heights of such a gracious God and Father, with thanksgiving and heartfelt confidence.
(19) Where the infant Jesus is not recognized, it is impossible to honor God properly. For all the world, even his own people, when he came, were full of idolatry, going one to another, worshipping as much as they had mountains, even trees in the land, which were beautiful, as is seen in the prophets. Such was the high idolatry, because they sought God with earnestness, sacrificed, fasted, and hurt the body with it. But they served no one but the devil and their own thoughts; they gave them the honor that belongs to God. This is the greatest dishonor and blasphemy that comes from not knowing Christ. Let them henceforth, as the angels sing praise to God, cease, that men may no longer honor the devil or themselves, but God on high.
- After this there is another dishonor, which is still greater, that one honors money, goods and the like. The world is also full of such idolatry. For kings and princes, citizens, go about with the coarse clod, the shameful mammon, the miserable helper in need, in whom everything is dear to them, and meanwhile they sing and say of the true Savior, the infant JEsu; but they despise it, yes, in part they become so mad and foolish that they also persecute it and do not want to suffer. Thus, God is blasphemed and disgraced everywhere, both with subtle idolatry, that is, with
72K . 1,78-80. On the holy day of Christ. W. xiii, 181-184. 73
The first one is the one who is not a righteousness and holiness, and the second one is the one who is a gross idolatry, despising God and following the mammon.
But now," the angels sing, "things will be different when this light shines in the world. For now people will no longer ask about their holiness or righteousness; they will not look at father or mother, gold or money; but will accept this one Savior and cling to him alone with all their heart. Then it will come about that people will honor God rightly, recognize him, praise him and give thanks.
This honor Adam lost through the sin in paradise. For this cursed way is naturally attached to all of us, that everyone would like to have honor. Look at the pope and the bishops; they have enough money and goods. But that they should give honor to God and promote his word, they do not. And how can such great lords, who sit in such high honor and power, do so? There is not a peasant anywhere who can play the bagpipe, he would like to be praised. If this happens in small things, which are called dung and dirt, that one wants honor and glory from it, how much more does it happen with those who deal with great things, as there is justice and holiness, good works, civil respectability? The devil will hardly allow such people to give God his glory, for they intend to keep it themselves.
(23) The human race is poisoned with this cursed ambition, since the devil made Adam and Eve in paradise want to be like God; it still clings to us. Therefore, when God gives art, money, goods, power, when He gives honor to a woman, a beautiful belt or skirt to a maid, they want to be praised for it.
(24) Now because this light, the infant Jesus, shines in the world, the angels sing that God has come to his glory. For all who accept it will say, "My righteousness, my holiness, my wisdom, art, money, and power are nothing; but the infant Jesus is everything.
(25) So then God comes to His glory, that He alone may be our strength, our defiance, our joy, our florin and our thaler, and we with Him may be our strength, our defiance, our joy, our florin and our thaler.
With all your heart, put all your confidence, comfort, defiance and joy in him alone. That one may say to Mammon, whom the whole world serves and honors as a god: "I know nothing else to comfort me, except when I have you, that I eat of you, clothe myself of you according to need, and also provide food and clothing for others who do not have you; otherwise I will wish you to nothing. So to the art: I am learned, God has given me a fine mind; I will use it in honor of my God and for the good of my neighbor; then up and there. But my comfort, defiance and joy shall be, not my money, not my art, but my Lord Jesus, Son of God.
- this is to honor god rightly, and to bring him to his glory and majesty, to say: dear lord god, all that we have and need is yours; we never made it, you gave it to us. But this is especially your own work and mercy, that we have escaped from the devil and have been freed from sins and set free. Therefore, the honor of this is due to you alone, and not to me 2c. With such roses God wants to be adorned by us, that we give it to him completely, throw all honor away from us, and carry it home to him with thanksgiving, even from the least gifts as well as the most.
(27) This is a quiet or law of this song, in which the dear angels sum up all that we are and have. Especially the spiritual gifts and the service of God, which are called righteousness, holiness, wisdom, good works; and they tell us not to keep them here, but to throw them up and give glory to God alone. This will now be done, they sing, through this little child.
28 Such a song turns back the race, as you can see. For because men neither recognize nor respect this child, they rage and rage against each other and want to raise everything. The peasant wants to be a citizen, the nobleman an earl, the prince an emperor. This is an indication that they are apart from Christ and know nothing of him. That is why they invert this angelic song and sing: Honor and praise on earth be to the red florins, the thalers, my power, my favor,
74 L. i,8o-W. On the holy day of Christ. W. xm, i84-i88. 75
Art 2c. Now sing confidently, dear fellows; but what does it matter, it shall become a donkey song, which lifts itself high and becomes an Ika out of it. For such is the glory of men and mammon sung on earth, yes, the sorrowful devil in hell below, and not God on high. Follow the other silence or law, and reads thus:
Peace on earth.
29 This must be understood like the first, that they wish and prophesy that it will continue to be so with those who know and have accepted this child, that happiness and salvation will be on earth. For what is there where Christ is not? What is the world but a sorrowful hell and the devil's kingdom, where there is nothing but ignorance and contempt of God, lying, deceiving, avarice, eating, drinking, whoring, beating, murdering? For so it goes in the world, where one says black, that one must understand white, who wants to come otherwise undeceived and unlied by the people. There is neither love nor loyalty, no one is safe from the other. One must be just as concerned about friends as about enemies, and sometimes more. So the devil rules and leads the world.
- But just as the angels sang that those who know and accept this child Jesus will give God the glory in everything; so they sing here, and wish, yes, they also promise and comfort, that such tyranny of the devil will now come to an end, and the Christians will lead a fine, peaceful, quiet life among each other, who will gladly help and advise, quarrels and disagreements will cease, and will dwell with each other in a friendliness, that among them, for the sake of this child, there will be a fine peaceful regiment and a lovely being, where each will gladly do the best for the other.
31 The dear angels say that this will also follow when God has his glory and is recognized as the Lord, from whom we have everything. Then the people will be kind to one another, neither hating nor envying the other, neither passing over the other, but always considering the other greater than themselves, and saying: Dear brother, please
God for me. Then there will be peace and abundance and all happiness. For peace in the Hebrew language means all good.
(32) Let there be such a good and peaceable life among Christians, that every one do that which is pleasing to another, and avoid that which is displeasing to him. But those who do not, do not hear the angels singing, but hear the wolf, the devil, howling, singing to them: Steal here, commit adultery there, strangle there 2c. This is the devil's song from hell.
But it shall not be so among the Christians, as the dear angels sing here. They understand our Lord's divine service very well: first, that we should leave the glory in heaven and praise and glorify God alone; second, that we should live on earth in a fine brotherly manner among ourselves and not follow the devil's harmful suggestions and tyrannical nature. This is what the dear angels would like to see happen everywhere in the world. But they see that most parts of the world do not want to follow the little child Jesus, and therefore there is a disturbance in the world. Therefore they set the third law thus:
And a pleasure to the people.
34 As if to say, we would like it to happen that all the world would honor God on high and be content with one another. But there will be many who do not respect the gospel and will not accept this son, even persecute him. May God therefore grant to other godly people a joyful and glad heart, so that they may say, "I have a Savior, the kingdom of heaven is mine, and Christ, the Son of God, is mine. Therefore, even if I am grieved and persecuted, and all misfortunes are inflicted on me because of this faith and confession, I will not be impatient or angry about it, but I will take pleasure in it, and no sorrow, suffering, or persecution, no matter how hard and great it may be, shall hinder or spoil my joy and delight in the newborn child. Such a heart do the dear angels wish for all believers, that they may have pleasure in unpleasure, and sing when the devil is angry, that they may have peace in Christ.
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They will defy all adversity and mock the devil when he harms them, saying, "Devil, if you can do nothing but harm my body, my life, my goods, you may well let it go, for you cannot harm me; I have an eternal Savior who will delight me in all bodily harm for eternity.
(35) This is the third silence, to have a cheerful, joyful, defiant heart against all suffering that may befall us, to say to the devil, "You shall not make it so evil as to spoil my joy, which I have through this child. This is called eudokia, a merry, calm, cheerful, courageous heart, which does not ask much about it, it goes as it pleases, and says to the devil and the world: I cannot leave my joy for your sake, nor will I be troubled for your wrath; always go, Christ gives me more joy than their sorrow. Such a heart the dear angels grant and wish us with their song.
The world does not sing this song to the dear angels, but to its god, the devil, who turns it around so that it reads: Glory to the devil in hell, peace on earth, and a displeasure and pure discontent to men. For that is where he drives his bride, the world, to curse and blaspheme God, to persecute and condemn his word, to cause unrest, discord, disunity, war, murder, and so on, so that she will keep house in such a way that no man may have a happy moment, may enjoy no happy morsel because of sorrow and fear. The wretched spirits of the mob help, they are the devil's mouth, defile and blaspheme God in heaven through false teachings.
After that, the dance is lifted up so that the devil continues with his shameful owl song, inciting princes and lords against each other, causing all disloyalty and discord, so that one says the best to the other under his eyes and proves the worst. That's how I like it, sings the devil. That is to give the devil honor in hell, to cause strife on earth, and to make people's hearts stupid and despondent. That's why you find many to whom God gives everything enough, but they don't have a happy hour; although cellars and closets are full, they still go, hang their heads, all they have is sadness, they can't have any pleasure in any thing. There it goes according to the devil's wish, he does not grant us humans any pleasure, which we should have in God and his gifts. On the other hand, the dear angels sing and wish us a courageous heart that can defy and throb, even when things go badly; in all kinds of misfortune and temptation.
So your love of the holy angels has a song that is found in no other books, in which they teach us about the right worship of God, that we should recognize God's grace in this little child, His Son, our Lord and Savior, give Him thanks and praise for it, then also live kindly with one another, and ultimately overcome all adversity with patience, and be happy and of good cheer for the sake of this little child. Thus this joyful, comforting song is finely summarized by the dear angels, whereby one can well sense that it did not grow on earth nor was it made, but came down from heaven. May our Lord God help us with His Holy Spirit, that we may keep it and live by it, through Jesus Christ, His Son, our dear Lord, amen.
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1.Christmas Day; Luc. 2, 15-20
*On the second day of Christ. )
From the example of the Virgin Mary and shepherds.
So far, your love has heard how God has made His angels, the dear princes, preachers, and has made them shepherds, poor beggars, or otherwise unsightly people.
sent to sing to them a beautiful song about the Child Jesus. The same song is now followed in the Historia:
Luc. 2, 15-20.
And when the angels were departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us go now to Bethlehem, and see the thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came in haste, and found both Mariam and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. And when they had seen him, they spread abroad the word which was spoken unto them concerning this child. And all before whom it came marveled at the speech which the shepherds had told them. But Mary kept all these words and moved them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, praising and glorifying God for all that they had heard and seen, as had been said to them.
1 Here we see that the angels' preaching and singing was not in vain. For the shepherds do not let their flocks be so dear to them; they rise up and want to see the child, whom the angels themselves call a Lord. This is the fruit that follows from the angels' preaching.
2 The other fruit is that the shepherds also become preachers, telling everyone what they have heard about this little child.
3 For this reason the evangelist says, "All who heard it were amazed at the words the shepherds had told them. But it must have been such a miracle for most of the people, which did not last long. For experience shows that the majority of people are such wretched, depraved people that if God does us good or bad, if he prods us or gives us good words, it is soon forgotten. It is such a shameful thing about a man's heart that it is so forgotten and careless. Because of this, our dear Lord God is caused to always perform new miraculous signs and punishments, if we are to be different and not forget His good deeds. So it is without doubt here also
*) Nuremberg edition of 1547: Gehalten im Hause, 1533; Wittenberg editions: 1534. D. Red.
that, as the evangelist says, all who heard it were amazed, and for a time there was great talk about the birth of a child in Bethlehem, when the angels preached about it in the air and the wise men from the east came and worshipped it. But before two, three or four years had passed, everyone had forgotten about it, and after that, for more than thirty years, when the Lord appeared, preached and performed miraculous signs, it was completely silent, so that no one knew anything about it.
4 We still find this kind of naughtiness among us today. For there is hardly anyone among a hundred, yes, I would say a thousand people, who still remembers the misery and miserable existence that existed in the papacy for the sake of both doctrine and life or worship; that the poor consciences, crowded in all places, can find no thorough consolation anywhere. All the toil, labor, expense and burden of conscience is forgotten. Otherwise the holy gospel, which helped us from such misery, would be more valuable and better kept with us; we would also thank God more diligently for it and be more pious.
5 It was the same with the Jews. When they were in Egypt, there was lamentation and crying,
80 L. i,85-87. On the second day of Christ. W. xm, 194-186. 81
There was no end to the weeping. What happened after that? They had hardly been three days in the wilderness when they wished to be back in Egypt. Such an unholy thing is the heart of man, which so soon grows weary and tired of a thing, and so easily forgets the great plague and torment. I let alone that it should remember the benefit, which happens even less; as the saying goes: Nihil citius senescit, quam gratia. (Although God is very angry, punishes with pestilence and all kinds of sickness, now lets this, now another plague go over us, it is just as if someone wrote with a pen in the water or in the air. Because it hurts and is obvious, it hurts; but as soon as it is over, it is forgotten, as if it had never hit us. This is our way of remaining. So the evangelist also says here: The people are astonished; but it lasts, as said, a dance to the high mass. But here we find some pious disciples and children who are not so forgetful and careless as the world; for the evangelist says:
But Mary kept all these words and moved them in her heart.
6 We are to remember these words and learn from them how to hear God's word correctly. "Mary," says the evangelist, "kept all these words and moved them in her heart. That is, she diligently pursues it, just as those who firmly hold God's word, seek and pursue it, find greater understanding and comfort in it the longer they do, and become more certain of their faith day by day. But in the case of the nefarious spirits, who hear it with one ear and let it out again with the other, preach to them as long and as much as they want, it is as if one were to strike into water. Mary does not do this; she was interested in it, therefore she keeps it, writes it in her heart, moves it, that is, pursues it, remembers it by herself: These are wonderful tidings, that I should be the mother of the child, of whom the angels preach that he is the Savior of the world, and is called Christ the Lord, and so on. With such thoughts it is so deep for her
into her heart that she would have had to keep it; and even if the whole world had been against it, no one would have been able to take it away from her or talk her out of it, she would have remained firm that her son was the Son of God and the Savior of the whole world 2c.
(7) We should follow the example of the holy dear mother of the Lord (for that is why it is prescribed for us) and form the word in our heart with such diligence and earnestness that it becomes a nature. As it is written in the 8th chapter of the Song of Solomon, v. 6: "Set me as a sigil upon thy heart, and as a sigil upon thine arm." There he wants his word not only to float on our tongue, like a foam on the water, or drool in the mouth, which one spits out; but that it is pressed into the heart, and remains such a mark, which no one can wash off, just as if it had grown in it, and a natural thing, which cannot be scratched out. Such was the heart of the Virgin Mary, in which these words remained as if they had been engraved. All those who grasp the word in this way have the right character of Christ, the right sigil, and do not let the word be taken away from them; they are like the spirits of a mob or the devil himself. Once they have heard and believed it, they stick to it. With the others, even if they hear it and are astonished by it, it does not remain long, but is soon forgotten.
(8) Here we must remember that if God's word is to take root in our hearts in such a way, it is necessary for us to be more diligent in dealing with it. We see it in the young boys, how often one has to chew the cud and blow the trumpet until they grasp it, and we let ourselves think that such great things can be grasped easily and without any effort. We are far off the mark. Most people, as soon as they leave the sermon, have other things to do, that very few remember what they have heard and learned from the sermon. But it is not right for us to emphasize what is behind.
- We should seek the kingdom of God first, that is, we should take care of it the most; then we will take care of it the least, and we will be more interested in our dealings, near and far.
82 L. i, 87-89. On the second day of Christ. W. xm, isg-M. 83
We are more interested in the word than in pleasure and pleasure. Otherwise, we would at least think of God's word so often and diligently and deal with it as seriously as we do with our dealings. But that is not the end. It is therefore no wonder that it clings so quietly and that we forget it so soon, as can be seen in the temptation. But it should not be so with Christians. Their greatest treasure is God's word, therefore the same is also their heart. And even if they have to deal with worldly affairs, their heart is always on that side where it is most concerned. This is said of the example of the virgins Mary, which the evangelist did not want to leave behind, because it is also necessary. Now follows further:
The shepherds turned back, praising and glorifying God for all that they had heard and seen, as had been said to them.
(10) After the shepherds have seen the infant Jesus and have shouted about him everywhere, so that the whole city of Bethlehem knows how to speak of him, they go back to their flocks, praising and glorifying God, as they had heard and learned from the angels, who sang, "Glory to God in the highest.
(11) This is also a good and fine teaching, that the shepherds, after they have been enlightened and have come to the right knowledge of Christ, do not run away into the wilderness, as the mad monks and nuns did into the monasteries; but stick to their profession and thus serve their neighbor. For right faith urges no one to abandon his profession and take up a new life, as the mad monks did, who thought they could not be saved, because outwardly they were different from other people; if they dressed, ate and drank, watched and slept like other people, it would be a common thing and would have no special standing. But they praised and had to keep their order and rule, and called it a perfect state; yes, as St. Paul speaks of it, Col. 2, 18, an angelic, that is devilish spirituality; because the devil is also an angel and spirit.
12 But Christ does not come in such a way as to
Change outward things, or disturb his creature and make it different. Therefore, one should clothe, feed or nourish the body according to need, and as is customary, and use it for work. This is God's creature and order, and He lets it remain so. He did not come to change anything about it. We may well do this for ourselves, if it is necessary, using other clothing and food, which is a bad, small change, since we are not allowed to the Lord Christ; let alone that one would want to praise such a change for a service of God and spirituality.
(13) This is the true change for which Christ came, that a man may be changed inwardly in his heart. Before the dear gospel came to light, I thought that God would not take care of me; if I were to go to heaven and be saved, most of it would be up to me; I did not know any other way; if I were to get rid of sin and death, I would have to do it by my works; for this reason I became a monk and let my blood sour. But caps, gray skirts, not eating meat, fasting and the like do nothing for it. Sin cannot be put away and purged with it, death cannot be strangled with it; but both sin and death are just as much under a gray or black cap as under a red skirt. But it is because of this that the heart receives a new light and, as reported above, a new sigil, so that it can say: I know that God takes care of me and means me with faithfulness. For he sent his Son and made him man, that through him I might overcome death and have eternal life.
This is the right change. For my heart did not know or believe this before. But now it knows and believes, and because of this it has a completely different mind than before. This is what our dear Lord Christ does, that the heart and soul get a new and different mind, will, desire and love, so that where before a man stood on money and goods, now that he has come to the knowledge of Christ, he not only puts on money and goods, but also body and life, before he has known Christ.
84 x. i,89-9i. On the second day of Christ. W. xm, 199-202. 85
and his word. Before, his heart would not have lost a penny for the sake of faith; now he would not let himself be deprived of Christ, even if it would cost a thousand worlds. Many before that time thought: If I want to be saved, I must put on a monk's or nun's cap. Now, if one wanted to put it on you, you would lie sooner at the end of the world. If you had eaten a morsel of meat on a Friday before, you would have thought that the earth would swallow you up. But now you say to the pope, to the bishop, even to the devil himself: Kiss me on the hand; why should I not eat it, or be afraid of sinning for it? God has not forbidden it; indeed, he created it for me to use and enjoy it. This means an inward change and a change of heart, since the heart gains a different mind and will from God's word than before, and yet remains in its profession and outward nature as before, as we also see in the shepherds.
(15) It did not occur to the shepherds that Christ the Savior was born. But when they heard it from the angels, they ran into the city and sought the infant. When they found him and preached about him, and thanked God for such grace and revelation, they returned to their flock, wearing the same robe and staff as before, remained shepherds, and did not change their outward ways. This is called Christian teaching and living. For Christ has not come to change the creature until that day when the soul is first changed completely and anew (which only begins here through the gospel); then also the body will be changed, so that we will no longer need a warm room, clothing or anything else, but will float in the air like the angels, and shine like the beautiful stars. The outward appearance will also be different. Before that day, all outward creatures shall remain as God has ordered them, and no change shall take place.
(16) Let every man in his profession and occupation be guided by these things, living chastely, righteously, and godly, knowing that such outward conduct does not hinder the Christian faith. Neither does Christ ask whether you are outwardly
Whether you are a man or a woman, an emperor or a stableman, a mayor or a henchman, he leaves all these things, saying, "You shall be obedient to God in this state and in this life, and you shall not depart from it. Therefore the shepherds did no more than praise and glorify God. They did not say, "I will henceforth serve God in such a way that I will run into a desert and do nothing in the world among people, but serve God only in a contemplative life. Cause, such is not serving God, but stepping out of obedience and serving yourself. But to serve God means to remain in the state in which God has placed you, so that a man remains a man, a woman a woman, an emperor an emperor, a citizen a citizen, and everyone in his state learns to recognize God and praise him: then he serves him rightly. For he shall not suffer thee to be in thy haircloth, nor in thy fasting, nor in thy cap; but that thou shalt be obedient in thy state and in thy profession, and shalt praise his Son: so shalt thou serve him aright.
(17) So also we see in the prophets that our Lord God is angry where the heart remains unchanged, and yet people think they are pious because of their outward works and services. Why do you afflict me with your sacrifice? says he, Isa. 1, 11. and Psalm 50: "Go, eat your own flesh, and have an evil year for it; if I may, I will have it all before you offer it to me: yet have I not commanded you. But this have I commanded you, and commanded that ye should obey my voice, and praise me, and give me thanks. I have given you sheep, cows and oxen to eat, so that you may court me with them, as if I had to beg them from you. So the prophet is also concerned that the heart be changed and that we, above all, be right-minded toward God. God is willing to put up with this, and does not desire any change; we do what every profession requires. This is that the shepherds go cheerfully, with joy and thankfulness, and do their work as they did before, without also praising and glorifying God.
18 Thus, in Vitis Patrum, one reads about a man who considered himself a great saint,
86 . L. i.gi-g3. On the Sunday before the new year's day. W. xiii, 202,203,230-232. 87
and when he wanted to know how high he should sit in heaven, a piper was indicated to him, whom he should be like. He soon went and asked him: "Dear, what good do you do? The piper answers: I do nothing but whistle for the peasants to dance, and once I was present when my companions wanted to ravish a maiden, and I defended and saved her. Another time he asked again: To whom he was like. He was answered: Two wives. He also asked them, like the piper, "What are their good deeds? Then they answer: We know of none but holy living; we have our house and children, and we wait on them as much as we can, and so keep ourselves that we have never reproached one another, neither have we denied one another. Then the old man went and said, "Now I see that no class should be despised, however small it may be. One can serve God and be pious anywhere, and God will be pleased with anyone who fears Him and does right, no matter what his status.
- such from the old father, whistler and
Two wives, as I respect it, did not happen that way, but was written as a good example, so that the world would be warned against monasticism. For that thou mayest be a Christian and please God is not in the outward life, but under the left teat and in the heart, that thou mayest know that Jesus is the right Savior, and comfort thyself, thanking and praising God for it. Then God will put up with the other outward life or state. Therefore we should learn and diligently observe that we do not tear the Christian faith away from the Word and place it, as the Pope has placed and bound it, in special clothing, food, place, etc., which is contrary to the Christian faith, by which alone, and not by anything outward, be it what it may, God makes the heart pure. By heart, however, each one shall live as God has required of him and as is customary. This shall remain until the life to come, when the outward life will be changed and the body will become more beautiful and brighter than the sun. May Christ our Savior help us, amen.
Sunday after Christmas Day; Luc. 2, 33-40
*On the Sunday before the new year's day. )
Luc. 2, 33-40.
And his father and mother marveled at the things spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this man is set for a fall and a rising of many in Israel, and for a sign to be contradicted. (And a sword shall pierce through your soul) that the thoughts of many hearts may be made manifest. And there was a prophetess, Hannah, the daughter of Phanuel, of the family of Asher, who was well bedded, and would have lived seven years with her husband, after her virginity, and was now a widow of eighty-four years, who never came out of the temple, serving God with fasting and prayer day and night. She also came at that hour and praised the Lord and spoke of Him to all who were waiting for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had finished all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their city Nazareth. But the child grew and became strong in spirit, full of wisdom, and God's grace was with him.
The most important thing in this gospel is that Simeon prophesies about Christ and his kingdom, how it first existed among the Jews and the people.
*) Held publicly, 1531.
and then among the Gentiles, so that, as we heard on the third Sunday of Advent, most of them will be offended and angry. But yet many shall also be corrected by it.
88 L. 1,93-95. on the sunday before the new year's day. W. XIII, 232-238. 89
And be erected. Besides this/ which is the most distinguished, there are also other points that we want to run over after the brevity.
This history took place when the infant Jesus was six weeks old and was carried in the temple, according to the custom of the Jews, to be presented to the Lord, and a sacrifice was made for him, Deut. 12, Luc. 2; as your love will hear at the feast of the sacrifice of the infant in the temple. Then old Simeon, prompted by the Holy Spirit, takes the infant Jesus in his arms and preaches about him that he is to be the Savior and light, which not only shines in Judaism as in a lantern, but is also to be a public light for all the Gentiles.
(3) The evangelist in today's Gospel says that Simeon's preaching to the child amazed his father and mother.
(4) And because he is called Joseph the father of the Lord Christ, he speaks of him as other men spoke of him. But he has made a strong enough statement above, saying that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. This should be noted so that no one is offended by the fact that Lucas here and the Scriptures in other places sometimes speak of a thing in the same way as other people. For it was a secret work of God that the Virgin Mary was with child, which Joseph himself had to believe after the angel had revealed it to him in a dream.
(5) When the old man Simeon, who could hardly see because of his age, came along and praised the child so highly, many who heard it would have despised it as a fool's speech and thought that Simeon was talking like a mad old man.
006 But it was such a sermon, saith the evangelist, that his mother and father marvelled at it. For this thing, that he should be the light of the Gentiles, they had not heard from the angel himself as loudly as Simeon speaks it.
7 Therefore, this should not be interpreted because it says here: "His father and mother were amazed", as if they had not heard such a thing.
It is a sign and indication of great faith and high understanding. For this is the true nature of faith: the more firmly a man believes a thing, the more he marvels at it and is glad. But where he does not believe, he does not accept it and has neither joy nor pleasure in it. So we have heard these days about the birth of Christ, that this infant is our flesh and blood, and also our Savior, who is to save us from eternal death, sins and the devil's kingdom. If you believe this from the bottom of your heart, don't you think you would be so astonished that you could not see this child enough for yourself, nor think enough about him?
(8) With these words Lucas praises both the mother's and the father's faith, that the mother was happy and of good cheer, and that she could not have wondered enough that this child should be a light to enlighten the Gentiles; whereas all other kings and princes are a noisy dark night, even in sin and death, not to mention that they should help others out of it.
(9) We should also have such wonder at the gospel that we would be hopeful and joyful about it, and boast: I am a Christian and have been baptized; I have no doubt that through the Lord Jesus I shall be and remain ruler over sin and death, that heaven and all creatures shall serve me for my good. If a prince would give me a tunic or a village, that would make me happy. But what is it against this? Yes, even if I had the crown of the Turkish emperor, it is nothing against this, that I have a share in the inheritance of Christ and should live with him for eternity.
(10) But where can you find one who truly believes and takes it to heart? All of us, at least, can believe it and know it: but that we do not believe it, we are soon to be convicted, for we are not surprised. If such knowledge of history is called faith, it is truly a cold and half-dead faith; otherwise we would not only be happy, but also hopeful. For a Christian is a hopeful, happy man.
90 L. i,95-97. on the sunday before the new year's day. W. xm, 238-244. 91
A man who does not ask about the devil or about all misfortune, because he knows that through Christ he is master over all these things.
(11) Therefore, in this amazement, the Virgin Mary will undoubtedly have had a special good and holy pride and hope, which was not based on her, but on God's grace and mercy and on the infant Jesus; as Lucas finely indicates with these words: "They were amazed, not because she was a mother of the child, but "because of what was said of him". As all Christians do: they do not look at what they are, but at what has been given to them; therefore they do not boast about themselves, but about Him who has given and given them everything by grace.
(12) We do not lack the fact that God gives us, but we lack the fact that we do not want to see or recognize it properly. Otherwise faith would bring the fruit, so that we would also marvel and rejoice at the great grace and blessing that has come to us through this little child. For the fact that we poor sinners have been placed in eternal life and righteousness should at least be felt with a little spark, and give us courage, so that we would not be so despondent in temptation and persecution, but would defy both the devil and the world, and say, "What if you take away my life right away? Because only this child remains to me, take away the shells and husks; I have little loss compared to this core and treasure, that through Christ I am freed from sins and have escaped eternal death and the wrath of God.
So we should also be surprised. But, as I said, it happens to few. Yet there must be some among whom it happens, who marvel at all that they hear of Christ. To them this preaching is an eternal food, which they can never be satisfied with; as Peter says, that even the angels desire to see it.
14 Now let us also consider the prophecy of Simeoni, which, as reported before, is primarily about Judaism, that among the people of Israel, as he reports, many are offended and angry with the Lord Jesus Christ, again.
Some will also be corrected in him. Now this is the title of the Child, our dear Lord Christ, so that he may be held in the world, so that many may run and fall against him, and so that many may hold on to him and rise up against him.
15 Therefore, whoever wants to be a Christian must act accordingly. For no one is to be forced here. God has commanded the princes, mayors, and executioners to compel and force all those who do not want to refrain from stealing, murdering, lying, deceiving, and other misfortunes. But here in the kingdom of Christ there is nothing like this; if you do not want to believe, you can leave it; we do not want to drag you or force you with your hair. But another will force you in his time, when you will no longer be able to defend yourself.
(16) Yes, they say, if I have so long a time, there is no need. Well, that is decided, if you want to be saved, you must accept this king, who (as Simeon says here) is an angry king in the world. But let no one doubt him, for there will always be those who will mend their ways and not be angry.
(17) This is a very necessary lesson, that we should not look only at the great heap that is falling: we must let this happen. In the world it will never be otherwise; where this King is with his word and kingdom, most of the people will be angry and fall. You must be accustomed to this and let it go, if you want to remain a Christian in any other way; and besides this, look at the little group and keep to it, which does not fall, but holds fast to this king and looks like him. If then it happens that people often tumble and fall, let it go; for this is how it goes, as Simeon says here.
- the papists blaspheme our doctrine atrociously, and oppose it vehemently; not that they are offended by it, for most of them know very well that it is the truth; but do it out of sheer wickedness and courage, to maintain their position and splendor, not inquiring much about Christ and his
92 L. i,97-s9. On the Sunday before the new year's day. W. xm, 211-217. 93
Word. For the belly is their god. Therefore, let us not count them here among the heap that is angry.
(19) But those who are angry, who are not public enemies and persecutors of the doctrine, but hearers, also confess and believe that this little child is the Savior of the world. But they will not accept that our work and everything we do to praise and honor God should be nothing. Should all those be damned who have lived according to the old doctrine and faith for so many hundred years? I do not believe that anymore 2c.
- when thou seest it go thus, say, It goeth aright, as it ought: for the young child which the virgin Mary bare is set to fall, not unto them that know not of God; but unto "many in Israel," that is, they that are God's people, having His word 2c. It is to them that this little child is set for a stumblingblock, over which the worldly wise and the saints run, and fall and break their necks. Therefore, if they do not want to accept the child, we must let it go, close our eyes and ears, and pretend that we do not see this case.
- It was the same with the disciples*) who were exceedingly angry when Christ disputed with them, saying, John 8:21, "You will die in your sins." Then they thought: What says the fool? We have the prophets and Moses. We know what is right and what God wants from us. Shall all this be nothing, nor help us? Shall we let this servant teach us how to be saved? They went there, crushed their heads against Christ, and fell.
- So now even the pope's clergy (I am talking about the best, because the majority of them, as I said, are belly servants), call our doctrine devil's lies and heresy; say: We pray, fast so much, let it get so sour; shall all this be nothing? Shall it not please God? Well then, let us eat, drink and fornicate, and thus please God, and
*) Wittenberg editions and Nuremberg edition of 1544: "Juden. Cf. Erl. A. 1, 97. ed.
will enter the kingdom of heaven, because Christ alone saves sinners, not the righteous (as the Lutherans preach). The latter are also offended by the infant Jesus and fall down so that they never get up again.
23 If then thou wilt be a Christian, send thyself into it, and only be sure that thy Lord Christ, thou, thy doctrine, and all that thou doest will not please men. For here you hear that your Lord Christ himself is a stumbling block and a rock of trouble to those who are God's people, and that all who want to be great, wise and holy resent it, push against it and run over it. If you want to be considered a fool, a heretic and a deceiver by them and their followers (for nothing else will come of it), then accept this Lord and King; if not, then you may walk idly. So that all those who want to be Christians and be saved must be an offence to their Lord Christ and a cause of trouble to others, and be considered heretics and seducers. That is one part of this prophecy.
(24) But besides this, the gospel, which is well to be remembered, saith, that he is not only set for the fall, but also for the resurrection of many in Israel. They are the ones who accept this king, endure him, and lay down their lives and limb for his sake, if need be. They know that they cannot help themselves. But if they are to be helped, it must be done by him alone, whom the angels call a Savior, and Simeon here prophesies of him: "Many will rise up against him. Therefore they recognize and consider themselves poor and miserable sinners who have fallen hard and low; for this reason they stretch out their hands and hold on to this noble foundation and cornerstone with joy, straighten themselves up on it, believe in it and will never again be put to shame, 1 Petr. 2, 6.
025 But the other fools, who think that they stand firm, and have no need of grace or help, run headlong against him, blaspheming and cursing him confidently. If it goes like this, do not let it challenge you, act as if you do not see it; it will not go out with this child in any other way than Simeon prophesies here. Meanwhile, look at the other, albeit small, crowd that is coming up to him.
94L. 1.99-101. On the Sunday before the new year's day. W. XIII, 247-251. 95
This little child makes them holy and righteous; it makes wise those who recognize that they have lived in error and ignorance; it helps and makes blessed those who are lost and corrupt. Learn to take comfort in this, and do not let this child turn you away.
(26) For many years I have diligently considered the matter, how I might preach of the Lord Christ in such a way that it would please everyone, and no one would offend or be offended by it; but it will not be. Therefore we may be accustomed to it, and learn here how we should answer those who speak: In the papacy everything had been quiet, there had been no heresy or disagreement; but after this teaching had come to an end, everything had turned out badly, so that little or nothing good had come of it. You may answer such clever ones from this gospel and St. Simeon's prophecy, that wherever the pure doctrine of Christ goes, it will certainly follow that some will fall and cause all misfortune. But nevertheless the teaching shall also produce the fruit again, that some will hold on to Christ and rise up in him. These are, as I said, the poor afflicted consciences who find comfort and joy in this teaching.
27 Our adversaries will not consider such things, but look only to the fall and the trouble, which cannot be avoided: not because of the doctrine, which is pure, right, and good; but because of men, who are not right, and will not follow. But consider the matter rightly, and freely confess it: Would it not have been better in the papacy if the trouble and fall had continued as it is now, because everything was going on so quietly and peacefully as it seemed, and yet the devil ruled in all places with idolatry and false doctrine, and drove everything to hell with heaps? Who would not rather suffer a temporal damage than an eternal one? For it was an unfortunate, even eternal pity that no true preaching, knowledge of God, nor worship was to be found in the papacy.
28 For many years now we have often experienced that this was discussed at many kingdom meetings, and would have liked to have it preached in such a way that it would be pleasing to everyone and annoying to no one. But it is certain: if you take away the trouble and the fall, Christ is already lost. For where the man comes and lets himself be seen, there soon arises a tumult and a fall. He came to us, the dear Lord Christ, through his gospel, before we were aware of him, just as he came to the Jews. We should have accepted this with great gratitude and thanked God heartily for this unspeakable grace. But what has happened? The pope and the bishops are indignant about it, think that he should have asked them about it beforehand, and that if they had given their will to it, he should then have started with this teaching and made a change in the church. There the trouble goes with power. For Christ will not cease his preaching; so the pope and bishops will not suffer the same. So the dance is lifted up, and this prophecy of Simeonis remains for and for, that this child is set for the fall of many in Israel.
29 For this reason there must be perplexities, as Paul also says in another place, "There must be mobs and heresies; the word must be persecuted. But nevertheless Christ shall remain, and some shall rise up in him, and be saved. But the others must fail, who would gladly make Christ different from what God the Father has ordained and set him, namely, that he, like a stone in the way, should stand in the way, that one should lean on it and stand up. But because most of them are so mad and foolish, they do not want to hold on to such a stone, but run against it with their heads and bump into it: this is not the fault of the stone, but of such foolish, blind people, who fall on it, and also break it to pieces, even though it was placed there by God, as it is written in Isaiah 28, that they should believe in it, stand up on it and be saved through it.
(30) Therefore, do not consider the gospel to be such a doctrine that causes nothing but strife and dissension in the world;
96 L. i, ivi-in3. On the Sunday before the new year's day. W. xm, ssi. 97
as the pope and bishops reproach them, as if they were pure, had never made any water turbid, nor given cause for all kinds of punishment and misfortune through their sin and idolatry. If they would let this doctrine go and be made free, such disunity and other plagues would also remain behind. But now, because they resist the teaching and do not want to let it go their own way, what wonder is it that God does not do with them as they would like?
- The Jews were also angry with Christ, but he gave them no cause. Yes, he would have liked to see it well, had come also therefore, that they should believe in him and become blessed. But because they would not, the fault was not his. For they should have judged themselves according to him, as according to their Lord, who had promised them and had now come, and not have been offended at his small stature. So we should not allow ourselves to be led astray by the great distresses at this time, but should judge ourselves according to the gospel. But he that will not do it, though he be offended, let him thank his troubled head and unbelieving heart, and lay not the blame on the gospel. This is the first part of this prophecy of Simeoni.
32.**) But that Simeon speaks further and especially to the mother: "And a sword shall pierce through your soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed"; this rhymes very badly with that which the evangelist says, that Simeon blessed her. For it reads harshly, and sounds very unkindly, that he says, "A sword shall pierce through thy soul." But it is not written for the sake of the Virgin Mary alone, or for the sake of the Lord Christ, who have no need of it; but it is written for our learning, that we also should be guided by it.
(33) For not only I, but also no apostle, could have thought or believed that such great wickedness would be in the world if the gospel had not come and revealed it and brought it to light. For before this time there were many excellent and pious people.
*) From § 31 until the end of the sermon is not found in Walch at this place. D. Red.
**) Held publicly, 1535.
in the papacy, who have kept themselves finely respectable and chaste. There have been many wiser, more reasonable people, since one could have sworn that they meant heartily well. So that the world, as long as the gospel is not there, shines most beautifully because of its art, wisdom, discipline and respectability.
34 After that, it can be seen even more beautifully in the spiritual appearance, that it has devised and made a lot of worship; as we have also experienced in the papacy, that whoever saw it, had to say that it was a holy, godly being. For all reason is caught up in such appearances, both with worldly virtues and spiritual nature, so that if it should remain like this, and the gospel does not expose the unrighteousness, hypocrisy and idolatry that is underneath, they would all go to the devil, and still keep the appearance that they were pious, wise, holy and humble.
- But when the gospel comes, and the preaching of this little child begins, who, as Simeon prophesies, is set for the fall and rising of many, and for a sign to be contradicted; Then it is found that those whom all the world before thought to be living saints are the greatest sinners, the wisest the greatest fools, the quiet and gentle hearts the most bloodthirsty murderers, and certainly the gospel has no worse enemies than what high, sensible, wise, virtuous, holy people are in the sight of the world. The more highly they are adorned with such virtues, the more bitterly they rage against the gospel. As you can see, the more a monk is devoted to his rule and order, the more he has prayed, the more strictly he has fasted; the more he rages against the gospel when it comes up. This is a great plague and an exceedingly horrible thing.
This is what Simeon says here. O, he says, the world goes about in both spiritual and worldly regimes in the most beautiful honors; it leads a virtuous life, and lets itself become angry that everyone thinks that they are pure angels and children of God, before great holiness and wisdom. No one can and will believe that under such a pretense there is such great vice and harmful poison; all people become fools about it.
98 L. i,iv3. io4. On the Sunday before the new year's day. L.i, 104,105. 99
ren. There is no art in the wide world that could see or judge such things, except this preaching of Christ and the holy gospel, which stirs up such poisonous swarms that everyone sees what filth and harmful poison is behind it. For as soon as such preaching is heard in the world, it enrages its people; then the beautiful saints glitter in such a way that they burst out, and let themselves be seen before all the world, that it is basically vain glitter and evil with them.
- There is many a fine prince who is highly graced with wisdom and understanding, and heartily desires to preside rightly over his people; is not stingy, not a glutton nor a banqueter; wants to know all dealings himself, so that no one may be wronged; is a chaste, chaste husband; In sum, if one should choose a man to govern, one should choose such a lord, since one can boast with truth that he is a reasonable, pious, holy prince, especially if one wants to reckon it according to the old nature and appearance in the papacy, with prayer, fasting, devotion, to endow altars, chapels, churches and new services, which are diligently directed to shut people's mouths with it.
38 But let the gospel come, and you will find that there is nothing but hypocrisy with such pious gentlemen, proving also by deed that an abominable murderer, who sheds much innocent blood, deals in evil practices, and falls from one sin into another over the gospel, like Ahaz, tries everything that he can hinder or curb. That one must say: Who would have always thought that so great sin should be under such a beautiful holy life? No one stabs nor breaks open such filth and unwillingness, but the holy gospel, that such poison comes to light.
I would have thought that if anyone would accept the gospel, it would be the pope and his cardinals, bishops and clergy, who are considered the highest and most pious people in the world. But now it turns out that the gospel has no fiercer or more ferocious enemies than the pope with his clergy, high schools, doctors, monks, and priests, who have
should be promoted with all diligence. This is what Simeon means here when he says to Mary: "The child whose mother you are will make such a noise in the world, will disgrace the people who think that everyone and themselves are living saints.
40 Then the thoughts of the hearts will be revealed, so that it can be said: In this man, who seems so holy in the eyes of the world, who should be commanded to rule the world and given the keys to heaven because of his intellect, virtue, holiness and piety, there is such an unrighteousness, such great blasphemy, idolatry, envy, hatred, murder, ignorance 2c. that it is not possible to tell everything. For he cannot hear God's word and the truth, nor tolerate it, defends idolatry, strangles the people over it, yes, if he could drown country and people in blood, he would do it, just so that he would dampen the gospel. This must be a bitter, poisonous heart, which should not be found in any man, let alone in such a man, whom the world considers pious, honorable, gentle, wise and virtuous. Thus, says Simeon, this child will reveal the heart.
(41) I would not have thought, when the good gospel came, that the world should be so wicked; indeed, I thought that everyone should have leaped for joy when they heard that they should be free from the abominations of the pope and the miserable pressures and compulsions of poor consciences, and through Christ by grace have the goods for which they had striven in vain and in vain with so innumerable costs, toil, and labor. And especially I thought, as reported before, that the bishops and high schools should accept it with heart.
But what happens? It is precisely because of such preaching that they trample us underfoot, and no one is more hostile to us than the clergy. We must learn this and get used to it, and for the sake of such naughtiness of the world not celebrate with the gospel, but continue confidently. For it is such a doctrine that teaches and knows the devil and his members rightly, that he is an enemy of God, and the world also, where it is best, most pious and most holy. For I would not have been able to deny that.
100 L. 1, 105.106. On the Sunday before the new year's day. 2.1, 106.107. 101
I would never have believed that such a great contempt for God and His word should be in the hearts of people who outwardly pretend to be so pious. But the Gospel teaches us that we can see before our eyes that popes, bishops, princes, noblemen, citizens and peasants are full of devils, because they not only do not accept this blessed doctrine, but wantonly despise and persecute it. I did not see this devilish wickedness in people before the Gospel, but thought they were full of the Holy Spirit. But Christ reveals through his word that they are possessed with the devil.
But why does he reveal it? To teach us; then also to comfort us. For instruction, that we should not be frightened when we see that such holy people are such devils, that we should wonder and say: This is such a fine prince, such a fine citizen, such a fine husband, how does he come more and more into blindness and wickedness, that he cannot stand God's word and is so hostile to him? Now this gospel teaches, tells the cause, and says: "Before, the thoughts of the heart were hidden; but now comes he who is called the Revealer of hearts: who, by his word, has kindled such a light in our hearts that we see what thoughts people have, which neither they nor others saw before; they must come to light and be revealed.
(44) The devil was a liar and a murderer before, just as he is now; but he was too beautifully adorned that he could not be known, but was thought to be an angel of light. But now, because the gospel shines under his eyes, you see what was in him, that it was all lies, deceit and murder ever with him. You can see this in his members, from the highest lord down to the lowest servant; the more pious and holy the people seem, the greater they are, full of poison and blasphemy. So they have been all ways: but they have kept and kept under the left teat. Our Lord God has closed a window through his gospel, as Simeon says here, so that it can be seen, and they can no longer hide it.
45 Secondly, such a revelation of the heart also serves to comfort us: because the world does not want to tolerate nor suffer God's word, and yet it leads such a holy appearance that we are not frightened by it, but rather conclude straight away: Let it appear as pious and holy as it wants, because this unrighteousness is attached to it, that it does not like God's word, but rather persecutes it, that it is the wretched devil, as it stands and walks, and that all virtue and holy life in it is nothing but a cover of shame.
(46) It is not evil in itself to be reasonable, wise and virtuous. But this is the devil, that one should use such beautiful virtue as a cover of shame, and thereby cover the abominable sin, which is called blaspheming God and persecuting his word.
(47) Virginity is highly praised, as it is a peculiar and strange gift. But what would you think of a virgin who had murdered her father and mother? Wouldn't you say, if she were still a virgin, she would be a murderer of her father and mother, and Master Hans would reward her according to her merit, and her virginity would be of no use at all?
(48) It is the same here, and goes as Simeon says. O Mary," he says, "your Son will make many pious people into great scoundrels and murderers, who now go in to be worshipped for holiness, but who in time will prove themselves to be God's worst enemies. Yes, says reason, they are nevertheless honest pious people, not scoundrels and murderers, as you pretend. Now lick yourself, dear kitten, with your smooth bellows and sharp claws; but it shall not last long, praise God. It must not last longer than for Christ to come with his gospel, then you will find that the majority of respectable, pious 2c. People in the world are the worst of the boys, murderers and enemies of God, who cannot stand God's word, engage in all kinds of practices and tyranny, if they would muffle it.
They do not like to be called evil. But they cannot excuse themselves before God. For even though a man may be pious in outward appearance
1021, IV7-109. On the new year's day. W. XIII, 274,275. 103
But he has the bad habit of being so mischievous in his heart that he cannot tolerate God's word: how long will he remain pious against people? For it soon happens, when the heart is full of murder, that the tongue, yes, hand also becomes a murderer, if there is time, space and reason. Such naughtiness the gospel exposes; otherwise no one would know it, indeed, no one would be able to believe it.
- Simeon says to Mary further: "And a sword," he says, "will pierce your soul." For such wickedness of the world she has had to see and experience. And not only she, but the whole Christian church at any time when the light of the Gospel shines. But it is impossible for Christians to see it without pain and especially heartache. As Peter also says of St. Lot, 2 Peter 2:8, that he had to see and hear the vices of the sodomites, who tormented his soul from day to day with their unrighteous works.
(51) This is the sword that pierces the heart of Christians, that is, their heart is wounded by the fact that the world is such a shameful weed that can adorn itself in such a way, and yet practices all kinds of arrogance and tyranny against Christ, blasphemes and condemns his word, persecutes and murders his saints. This is the suffering of Christians, the suffering of the heart, which goes beyond all suffering, and also arouses the heartfelt groaning of sorrowful hearts. When this comes, the punishment will be
not stay back there for long. That was enough of Simeoni's prophecy for this time.
Now, in addition to this prophecy and teaching of Simeoni, there is also a history of the widow Hannah, who also testifies and preaches about Christ from the Holy Spirit. The evangelist reports how she served God by praying and fasting day and night. This is what our adversaries, the papists, say against us, even though we have never denied that one serves God with proper fasting and prayer. For what God has commanded, if one does it, it is called serving God. Since fasting, that is, moderation in eating and drinking, item praying is commanded by God, we let it remain a service of God; for it is a commanded obedience.
(53) But the papists are not satisfied with this, they want to interpret it as that such obedience helps to the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Then we say no to this, and say with the angel, "Only the infant Jesus, who has the name Jesus or Savior, executes this, that he may absolve his people from their sins.
54 Let us now leave it at that, and ask God for His grace, that He may graciously protect us from all trouble, and help us to stand up in Christ, and never again be offended or offended by Him and His teaching. May our dear Lord Christ grant us this, amen.
The new year's Day; Luc. 2, 21
1.Sermon; Theh circumcision
*On the new year's day. )
Of the circumcision of Christ and the Jews.
Luc. 2, 21.
And when eight days were expired for circumcising the child, his name was called Jesus, which was called of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
(1) On today's feast, two things in particular are to be preached. The first is about circumcision. The other, about the name
*) Held in the parish church, morning, 1531.
JEsu, of whom the evangelist especially reports how he was appointed by the angel before the child was conceived in the womb. Therefore, such a name must be very important.
104 L-1. go-m. On the new year's day. W. xm, 276-279. 105
(2) First of all, we will speak of circumcision, and make a distinction, not of the work, but of the person, which is preached today, as being circumcised. Now there is so great a difference between the circumcision of Christ and that of other Jews, as far as heaven and earth are from each other. For the persons are altogether unequal and distinct, as ye shall hear hereafter.
- Now the circumcision of the Jews has its origin in the Scriptures, which are read in the first book of Moses, Cap. 17, 10. ff. It also has its definite time, how long it should last, namely until Christ. It first began with Abraham. God commanded him and all his household to be circumcised. And all babies born from then on were to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth. Those who had such signs of circumcision on their bodies, he wanted to be their God and take care of them like his people.
4 Now it was not without God's special counsel that not only Abraham, but all his household members who were male, had to be circumcised, so that the Jews would not boast that they were God's people alone. For here God soon accepts Abraham's servants, who were Gentiles, as His people and children in the inheritance, since Abraham's blood children and heirs belonged to it; indeed, they come to it sooner than Isaac, since the promise is made to him; even though they were poor purchased servants of the Gentiles. Therefore the Jews must not boast so highly. For if they make the circumcision equally great, they cannot deny that God also called Gentiles at the same time, who were not Abraham's children, but his purchased servants.
(5) Of this circumcision we have no more today than the mere interpretation and image of faith. Just as other histories, which have passed and been accomplished, serve only to teach us the examples of faith and good works. We must not do works, but we must have the same obedience and faith that those who lived at that time had. So we preach from
of circumcision to this day also, not that we should be circumcised, for such is finished; but that in circumcision we may learn to be obedient to God, as Abraham was obedient. But if Christ had not come, we would still have to be circumcised today, if we wanted to boast otherwise for God's people. For there the command is clear: "Whosoever is not circumcised, 'his soul shall be cut off from among my people.'" This command Christ has abrogated. Now command us further, who are his people, not to be circumcised, but to be baptized, and to believe, if we want to become God's children and be saved.
The example we take from the old circumcision is this: God lets us see here how foolish He is in raising His things, when one wants to judge according to reason. For among the proud pagans it was the most ridiculous and foolish thing that was ever seen on earth, that God, the eternal wisdom, should impose such a ridiculous commandment on man (since we do not like to speak of it), but especially on the elderly. For Abraham was already nine and ninety years old when he received this commandment. Hence the mocking, derisive names that the Gentiles give to the Jews, they are called recutitos, apellas, and the like, only that they mocked them with them.
But this is how it shall be, as your love has also heard in the next Gospel. All that God pretends, no one shall like; everyone shall laugh at it and consider it the greatest foolishness. Again, what he does not pretend to do, and we do for ourselves without his command, that shall please him; so we would like to have it. But God will not do it. So it is that reason is offended and angry, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:21: "Because the world through its wisdom did not know God in His wisdom, it pleased God through foolish preaching to save those who believe in it.
- What is more foolish, if reason is to judge, which is also less rhyming with it, than that in the Lord's Supper under the bread the body of Christ, and under the wine the blood of Christ is to be used for the forgiveness of sins?
106 D. 1, 111-113. Am neuen' Jahrstag. W. Llii, 279-282. 107
What should be eaten and drunk? What should a drink of wine or a bite of bread help? thinks reason; cannot think otherwise. But God does not want to change it because of that. If reason does not want to believe or accept it, it may leave it alone.
9 It is the same with holy baptism. That a child who is immersed or watered in water according to Christ's command should be washed of sins and moved from the devil's kingdom into God's kingdom; how does that rhyme? How can you believe it, if you want to put the word aside, and measure and understand the matter with reason? Then it would be believable if sin were a black or red stain; but because sin is in the heart, marrow and legs, it seems that the water will slowly come in and wash it away. So Abraham, too, could have thought when he received the command to be circumcised: "Dear man, what good will it do me to be circumcised if I am an old man? What good is a child? Or what is better after circumcision than before? If God had wanted the body to be different, he would have made it so that nothing of it could have been cut. Reason would have said so; can also not say otherwise nor think, if it wants to be smartest.
But when one comes to the question: Why God commanded this or that, the devil has already won; as one can see from Eve in Paradise. She was ordered not to eat from the forbidden tree. But when she let such a command out of her sight, and listened to the devil, why God should have forbidden such things, she went away and fell into the horrible disobedience, which we all still have to bear.
(11) Therefore we are to learn diligently from such a command of circumcision, and we are to live diligently by it: If God says or does anything, you shall shut your mouth and fall on your knees, ask nothing else and say nothing else, but do what He tells you, listen to what He tells you, and let yourself be pleased with what He does. For God wants to be unmastered by us, who are by nature children of wrath, sinners and liars.
For this reason, his counsel, word and work are far too high for us to understand. We are still blind, presumptuous fools who think that they not only understand, but could also do better. That is why Jeremiah says: "Man's heart is so hopeless and treacherous that no one can reason with it. Since we are of such a nature, we should put our wisdom aside and think of God's things and commandments as follows: "If I look foolishly at you, there is no other cause in truth than that I am a great fool who cannot understand or grasp divine wisdom, for my foolishness and blindness hinder me.
(12) So the old circumcision is an example of a fine faith, that Abraham and his servants were not horrified by such a command, but followed it straightforwardly. They did not think: "It is a foolish thing, if we old people let ourselves be circumcised, God will not mean it that way, it must have another mind (just as the sacrament abusers disputing baptism and the Lord's Supper). What did God want to command about the foolish thing of circumcising the body? What was it for? They did not think of such a thing, but immediately obeyed the command and decided: Because God commanded it and so willed it, be it ever so foolish, I will not be saved, but I will follow His command as He commanded. That therefore circumcision is a fine example of a firm, righteous faith, which Abraham and his servants had; from which we are to learn that we also do such things, not letting our wisdom and reason deceive us from the word of God.
013 This is said of the circumcision of the Jews of old, which should stand no longer than the law, that is, until Christ, who put an end to the law. As this is clearly shown in the fact that the infants were first circumcised on the eighth day. For the Scriptures keep the order that after six days is the Sabbath, and the day that follows the Sabbath is the eighth day, when a new week begins. For our dear Lord Christ has with the circumcision
108D.1,H3-IIS. On the new year's day. W. xili, 282-285. 109
He began to fulfill the preaching that was said about him, that he should be a Savior and a light for the Gentiles, who should not rule in the small corner of Judaism alone, but should reign in all the world through his gospel, and should absolve us from all sin, since he was circumcised, and with his circumcision put an end to the previous one.
(14) Now I said at the beginning that if one wished to speak correctly of the circumcision of Christ, there must be as great a difference between the circumcision of Christ and that of the Jews as between heaven and earth. For here the persons are unequal, although the work is the same. Circumcision, like the law, was given to those who were sinners and guilty of eternal death. But now Christ is without all sin, and is the Lord of the law, with whom the law has nothing to do; for it has to do only with sinners. But he is not a sinner. Because he is circumcised according to the law, just as another sinful child is circumcised, the law takes offense at him and must therefore suffer its punishment and cease. If Christ had wanted to do it, he could have abolished the law by force, for he is the Lord of the law, with whom the law has nothing to do, because he is without all sin. But he did not want to do it by force, but with love and humility. Now this happens to us too well, that we should accept it and be comforted.
(15) For our dear Lord Christ did not need it for his own person, nor did he need it for his own person to become man or to be crucified. He did it for our sake, because we needed such a man, who would be without sin, and would fulfill the law for us and thus appease the wrath of God. For this cause he put himself under the law, giving such victory, which he obtained in the law, to us, that we should need and enjoy it, and henceforth have all the right to the law through him, which he has for a law, that it should no longer condemn nor ensnare us. For whosoever believeth in Christ with a true faith shall be saved from such damnation through him.
016 Therefore mark well this difference; for there is all in it. Abraham had to go under the law and be circumcised, because he was a sinner, and therefore the law had a promise for him. But Christ is not a sinner, and therefore must not be under the law: nevertheless he put himself under the law, that whosoever believeth in him might be saved and delivered from the curse of the law by him.
Therefore the feast of the circumcision of Christ is a very comforting feast, because we should praise and thank God that even though we have fallen under the law through our sin, this does not harm us in our salvation, but through Christ we shall be free and delivered from the curse of the law, who for our sake bore the curse of the law and submitted to the law.
- But that it was necessary for us to get rid of the law and become free is taught by St. Paul, when he says in 1 Cor. 7:19: "Circumcision is nothing, but keeping God's commandments. These are very proud words, offensive to the Jews; for so much is said: no one who is circumcised fulfills God's commandment or keeps the law. But what is this but, that they which are circumcised are not circumcised; or, that I may say it more plainly, By circumcision no man fulfilleth the law; neither is any man thereby absolved from sins. For although the Jews have allowed themselves to be circumcised, God's commandment and commandment still stands: "You shall love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. Give me a man who can boast that he has done or can do something. The law says, "Thou shalt not be lusted after." Give me a man who can boast that he has done or can do. In sum, if you take a commandment before you that you want, you must confess that there is no one who has kept it perfectly.
(19) But what judgment belongs to such people who do not keep God's commandment, even though they are circumcised? St. Paul shows this from the fifth book of Moses, where it says: "Cursed be every man that continueth not in all things which are written in this book.
110 L. 1, 113-117. On the new year's day. W. XIII, 288-289. 111
Book of the Law, that he may do it." Concludes, therefore, that all those who deal with the works of the law are under the curse. Cause, they cannot keep it. For if one could keep the law, there would be no need. But because it cannot be kept, it follows that the law accuses us, chokes us, gives us to the devil, and casts us into hell.
(20) Therefore there must be a higher and better preaching, which gives us more than the law, which cannot do more than command: We are to love God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves, even if he harms us and we would like to avenge ourselves. But nothing comes of it. Nature stirs itself up with anger, ill-will, impatience, hatred, envy, hopefulness 2c. Therefore there is no one who can follow such preaching. And even if we do as much as is possible, we cannot stand before God with it.
This is the reason that a higher and greater one comes, namely Christ, the Son of God, who is without all sin, yet allows himself to be circumcised like other sinners, and thus in all humility submits to the law, so that it may even abolish it and make us free from it, who could not bear such a burden and therefore had to remain under the curse and wrath of God. As not only our experience but also the testimony of the holy prophets shows. For what else would have concerned the holy prophet David Noth, since he says in the 19th Psalm v. 13: Delicta quis intelligit? "Who can tell how often he is mistaken? Forgive me the hidden faults," since I know nothing of them; item, Ps. 143, 2: "Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for before thee no living man is righteous"; item, Ps. 130, 3: "If thou wilt, O Lord, impute sin, O Lord, who shall stand?"
(22) Such sayings and others testify sufficiently that it is impossible for a man to say that he has done enough for the law and has escaped the wrath of God because of his works. Since the law holds us captive and does not allow us to stand before God, but rather hinders the confidence we should have in God, it follows that if we want to stand before God, we must have something higher than the preaching of the law, namely, the preaching of the holy gospel, in which
Our dear Lord Christ proclaims to the Jews and to us that we are condemned because of our sins. And it does not help the Jews that they are circumcised, for such circumcision does not absolve them from sins; as the prophets say, though they are circumcised in the body, yet the heart is uncircumcised and unclean. But this settles it for us, that the gospel preaches further, how our dear Lord Christ, who was not guilty of the law, but without sin, nevertheless gave himself up under the law, and was circumcised, that he might gain a cause for the law, and say unto him, Hear, O law, thou makest me a servant, when I am thy lord: therefore must thou serve me again, and be my servant and prisoner again.
(23) Now the right which our dear Lord Christ has to the law for his own person, he gives to me and to you, and takes away the right of the law which it has against us, as poor sinners, and makes us free and absolved from it. But not that we should do nothing and live as we please, but that where we have not done what we ought, it should be forgiven us and not imputed to us, and should not harm our salvation.
(24) Therefore those who believe in Christ do not need to be circumcised at all. For they are not only exempt from these and other burdens of the law, but have forgiveness of all sins and the promise of eternal life through Christ. Therefore they can boast and say, "The law does not help me, neither does circumcision; but this helps me, that I believe that Christ is circumcised; for this was done for my sake, that I might have a guarantor to stand in debt for me, to which debt the law, because of my sins, can commit me. Therefore I will take comfort in his innocence and say: The law was for a time like a lord in heaven; for it accused us men before God, and so we had to suffer it. We were not wronged because we could not deny our sins. But now it is the other way around, because through the circumcision of Christ we are redeemed from the circumcision and the curse of the law.
112 L. 1, 118-120. On the new year's day. W. XIII, 289-291. 113
(25) My circumcision, my love for God and for man, my obedience, are not in order; I do not want to rest on them, nor do I want to rely on them. But all my confidence, comfort and defiance shall be that Christ is obedient, innocent and holy. Such confidence and hope I shall not lack; for it is a certain comfort and firm shield. Before I had it, I thought it was my turn to fulfill the law or be damned. But now I know that it is an impossible thing for me and for all men who cannot bear such a burden. But Christ took it upon Himself, threw Himself under the law, and there began circumcision, that He might fulfill it everywhere, leaving nothing behind that God has laid on us poor sinners to obey; such is my heart and comfort.
026 I ought to tame my old Adam, and to keep him to do what he ought: for otherwise I should be a disobedient child. But there is much disobedience in the measure of it. We do many things that we ought not to do; we leave many things undone that we ought to do; sometimes we even fall into gross, horrible sin. Here is no other consolation, but that we may flee under this shelter, which is called, "Christ hath put himself under the law"; and we shall take comfort in what our obedience lacks, that Christ hath fulfilled it. For we shall never come to do all that we ought, as St. Paul says: "I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, which is contrary to the law in my mind, and taketh me captive into the law of sins, which is in my members. This is said: I must do what the flesh wants, but I do not do it by faith, but I am sorry, I do not like to be caught like that.
(27) So now Christian righteousness is complete, that I know myself to be a poor sinner, who can never do enough for the law. But I do not despair because of this. For here I see that my Lord Christ took care of me, and gave himself up for me under the law, and was sufficient for the law.
has done. Then it follows that such a heart must say: Did my God do this for my sake? Should I not also love such a gracious God? Should I not do his will with all my heart, and in turn do what is dear to him? Thus one becomes cheerful and friendly toward God, and follows the right fulfillment of the law, which is not forced, but willing. Even though such fulfillment is not yet complete and imperfect because of the flesh, God is pleased with it for the sake of faith in Christ. For what is still unclean and imperfect belongs under the cover and umbrella of the forgiveness of sins.
So your love has heard of two kinds of circumcision. God commanded the first, and until Christ the Jews had to submit to such circumcision with obedience, just as they did to the law. But with this they have not yet been saved. For no one has ever been able to do enough for the law. Therefore, even though circumcision existed, the law still condemned all Jews and condemned them before God. But by this we are saved and sanctified, because we have Christ, who gave himself under the law and took away the curse from us. Now the Jews who believed this and placed their salvation in the promised Seed, the outward circumcision was a seal to them that they were righteous before God, not because of circumcision, but because of faith in Christ.
29 Therefore the feast of the circumcision of Christ is a comforting feast, by which we learn, when we come before God, to say, "O Lord, you commanded the Jews to be circumcised; you commanded the Jews and all of us to love you with all our hearts, and to love our neighbor as ourselves; but, dear Lord, I have not done it, and cannot do it, for that reason, according to my merit, I should be lost and eternally damned. But this is my only consolation and shield, behind which I flee and hide myself: Your dear Son Christ Jesus, my Lord, has given Himself under the law, and has given Himself up to the law.
114 2.1, 120.121. On the new year's day. W. XIII, 291-294. 115
He allowed himself to be circumcised like another sinner, and thus did your will completely; otherwise he would not have allowed himself to be circumcised on the eighth day like another child. This was done for my sake and for the sake of all sinners, and was given to us as a gift and as our own. For on account of his person he would not have needed it. Therefore I accept it, and
I beg you, dear heavenly Father, to be merciful to me for his sake and to let me enjoy his piety and holiness. So that everyone may learn to trust in the holiness and innocence of our dear Lord Christ; then we may be sure, and neither sin nor death may prevail against us. May our dear Lord Christ grant us this, amen.
2.Sermon; Jesu name
*On the new year's day. )
The second sermon.
From the name Jesu.
Your love has heard of one part of today's gospel, namely, of circumcision, by which Christ wanted to show us that he had put himself under the law for our sake, so that we might be freed and set free from the curse of the law. Therefore we also let this feast be kept and celebrated, so that we do not forget such a good deed.
2 Now follows the other part, about the name Jesus, which the evangelist remembers here with diligence, as if there was a special need that such a name be well known, since it was not invented by men, but brought down from heaven and announced by the angel before the child was conceived in the womb. But this is so that everyone may know that it is such a name that pleases God, since God Himself baptized His Son in this way.
Now the name Jesus is called in German, as we actually speak and say, as much as a Savior. Some German it, ein Seligmacher. But it is not good German; Heiland is better. But why Christ bears this name, is indicated by the angel Gabriel, when he says to Joseph, Matth. 1, 21: "You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
*) Held in 1831 in the church, afternoon.
(4) Let us diligently learn and remember this name, that this little child is called Jesus, and is a Savior, who healeth from the greatest and most grievous affliction, that is, from sins; and not from the small trouble and insignificant affliction, which this life bringeth, that one may have this, and another another hurt in body, goods, or otherwise. God has commanded the world to do this: it has kings and emperors to protect their subjects against their enemies; it has fathers and mothers to feed and educate their children; it has physicians to advise and help with bodily illnesses. But they are all poor saviors compared to him who is a savior who saves his people from sins.
(5) Therefore, whoever takes this infant and lets him be his Jesus or Savior, let him be regarded as a Savior, not especially for this life, which he has commanded others, as has now been said, but for eternal life, that he may save from sins and death. For where sin is gone, death must also be gone. Therefore, consider for yourself whether you have more to hope for from God than from the emperor and other worldly lords. If you do not want to believe that there is another life after this life, then you have enough salvation in the emperor, in father and mother, in the doctors.
116 L.1, 1A-123. On the new year's day. W. XIII, 2S4-299. 117
For these are founded on this life and physical need 2c. But if you believe that after this life there is another, you need this Savior for it; otherwise neither emperor, father, mother, doctor, nor anyone else, nor even an angel can help. It is true that if the emperor, father and mother, and other people do not want to or cannot help in physical need, the Lord Jesus will be there and help His own. But this is not his special and primary office, therefore we preachers do not point it out to the people.
Now this is his special office, and he will make his name known to all sinners, that his name is Jesus, that he will save from sins, eternal death and the devil's kingdom; for this they may also be. For if there were no hell, no kingdom of the devil, no eternal punishment and torment, why would they want or need the Lord Jesus? Otherwise it would be the same when a man dies, as when a tree falls, or as a cow when it dies, so it is all over. That is why you can see how a wild, reprobate people are, who do not believe in God and eternal life.
(7) But whoever believes that there is a God, must soon conclude that this life here on earth is not completely finished, but that there is another and eternal life ahead. For we have experienced that God does not take care of this temporal life in the first place; otherwise He would not let the wicked do their will so long and have all the fullness here on earth. But God promises us an eternal life after this one; in this life the infant Jesus is to be our Savior and helper. And if he helps us to this end, he has helped us enough. And it does not matter if he already lets us wade around in this temporal life, as if we had no God who wanted to or could help us. For his help shall be an eternal help; we shall be content with that, let it be with the temporal, as it may.
8 One sees how the pope, cardinals, bishops and all persecutors of the Word live so securely, and drive all courage against the Word and the Christians. God looks on, lets it happen, and pretends as if he did not see that
It seems that God has held more firmly and strongly over the Gentiles than over His people. But if you are a Christian, do not be mistaken. For the very reason that God has promised us certain help to eternal life through His Son, that is why He leaves us here in this temporal life, as if He had nothing to do with us; so that we may learn and believe that we have such a Savior in the infant Jesus, who wants to help at the time and hour when no one else can help, namely when sin comes and wants to accuse us and hand us over to eternal death.
(9) Outside of this hour, unfortunately, we see that we do not have much desire for this Savior, nor do we ask for him. For he who is in good health and has a chest full of florins may not ask the Lord Jesus to buy anything; he can do it with money. It is the same with other temporal gifts: reason, wisdom, power, can all help in the things for which they are ordered. A mother can take care of her children with food, drink and other things, a doctor of a sick person, a lawyer of a lost cause. But when this temporal life is over, and the conscience cannot deny its sins before God's judgment, and therefore must stand in the sorrow and peril of eternal damnation, then is the right time for this Savior Jesus to come. For neither emperor, nor father, nor mother, nor physician, nor lawyer, nor angel, nor any creature can help. Where then will you seek help or counsel? Nowhere, but with this child. For it is for this very need that Jesus says he will be there to help all who recognize such need and seek help from him.
(10) Furthermore, it is up to you to take good care that this name is not reversed and that the infant Jesus is made into Franciscus, Dominic, the Carthusian order, mass, vigils, indulgences, alms, fasting, and other things, as was done in the papacy; then everything would be wrong. There is no other Savior against sin, neither in heaven nor on earth, except this only child of the Virgin Mary, who is called Jesus. Therefore, whoever seeks another Savior,
118 D. 1, 123-126. On the new year's day. W. xm, 299-303. 119
be it the Carthusian order or whatever, he is lost. So whoever could call the child by its right name and call it Jesus would be fine, because the name is the real thing. Therefore, one should seek help here alone and nowhere else.
011 But the devil hath his business for ever, and will baptize the child otherwise, that he may be accounted a judge, and seek other saviors and helpers. But it is decided: Jesus is not called Jesus because he gives you enough money and makes you Lord on earth. This has already been granted and given, Genesis 1:28, where God says: "You shall rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the beasts of the earth." For this reason he is called Jesus, that he may be a Savior, and then help us, when otherwise all things are lacking, and we must leave everything we had on earth and go to another life.
(12) Therefore, this name casts away and rejects everything that people undertake outside of Christ, that it should serve and help for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. For the fact that a monk thinks: Through my order I will reconcile God, so that he will be gracious to me 2c., is so much said: My order shall be called Jesus, and shall accomplish that which is due to Jesus. That the pope and his preachers teach that faith alone does not do it; if you want to be saved, you must do good works and enjoy them; this is what is said: Good works are and are called Jesus.
But it is not true. What I think and imagine shall not be called Jesus: this little child alone shall be so called. The pope and his clergy do not do this; neither do we, when we are more afraid of our sins than of this child Jesus, and think: If I had not done this or that, I would have stood up to God.
14 The Holy Spirit cannot suffer such things, but wants this child to have his name entirely and only, so that, if we want to be helped against sin and eternal death, we may despair of all our works and the help of the saints, and with steadfast faith we may be saved.
He is to be given the name of Jesus, and he is to be given that name alone. But whoever wants to take this name from him, as the pope and the Turk dare to do, let them know how they are advised.
(15) Again, whoever can hold on to this name shall remain safe from the devil, let alone be harmed by the world. For it is a name which the angel brought from heaven and gave to this child by God's command before it was conceived in the womb. If the persecutors of this name, who point to other saviors and helpers, want to prove the angel Gabriel wrong, he will call upon our Lord God and say: "Lord, you told me to baptize your child and call it that. Then you will see what the persecutors will do against this name and gain from it, namely, that they will have neither Jesus nor God, and will have to die in sins and perish; whereas all those who hold fast to it will stand and remain before God and His Son.
16 Therefore, let us remember this name and hold fast to it, that this child is the only Savior against sin, death and the devil. This little child is the only Savior against sin, death and the devil. If the world wants to be hostile to us, let it do so, not in God's name. If it does not want to consider this child as its savior, let it do so, and see who will help it when death comes, obs its and other human works, fasting, praying, almsgiving, mass, calling on saints 2c. will do. But we want to have all our comfort and defiance in the fact that we know that God Himself gave this name to the child and called him Jesus or a Savior. For this reason, we gladly confess and consider him our Savior, that is, we want to take comfort from him when sin and eternal death afflict us, that he will help us against them. In such hope and faith we know that God is well pleased and takes it for the highest honor. On the other hand, He is most displeased with those who either do not want to accept this Savior or seek other helpers.
17 So we are to learn both, that we may
120 n. 1, 126. i27. On the new year's day. W. xm, 303-30s. 121
At the same time the name and the work of today's feast finely rhyme. The child Jesus lets himself be circumcised like another child. Why? Because he is without sin, and is not allowed to be circumcised, so that he becomes a child of God, because he is a child before. But it is because he is to be called Jesus, and to be a Savior, who is to help against sin and evil conscience, against death and all misfortune that follows from sin. For this reason he allows himself to be circumcised and submits himself to the law, so that he will not leave anything behind that God has ever commanded men to do, so that when we see our uncircumcised hearts and the abominable disobedience within us, we will not therefore despair, but hold fast to Christ, saying, "I am unfortunately a great sinner, and have not done the will of my God; but for this reason I will not despair of God and his grace. For what I have not done, Christ has done for me, and the law cannot accuse him of not having done the least thing. Therefore let the law leave me alone, neither condemn me nor accuse me. For I am not alone; Christ is with me; to him I cleave, who paid the price of my sin, and gave me his innocence and righteousness. In spite of the law and the devil, that they should harm me. So let the circumcision of Christ and his name be used.
If anyone has time, let him draw from the prophets the beautiful sermons of comfort about Christ and his kingdom, who forgives sins, makes righteous, and gives us eternal life. For all these sermons are gathered together by the angel in one word, that Christ shall be the Savior of all the world, and shall be called Jesus. And especially the beautiful prophecy, Isa. 9, 6. belongs here, where the prophet says to the Lord Christ
six names, he is called: "Wonderful, Counsel, Power, Hero, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace. For such names all serve the work that through the little child we may be helped from sin, death and the devil to righteousness and eternal life.
19 Where then is the shameful Antichrist, the pope with his devil-mouths, who takes such a name from Christ and presents him to the people as a serious, wrathful judge, where one cannot occur nor find mercy in him, unless he has the intercession of other saints and many good works? There is a twofold sin. The first, that one takes Christ's name, and will not let him be a Savior and Jesus. The other is to give such a name to the saints, and even to our works, as if Christ were to be a savior for himself and had pleasure in our destruction.
20 So, where is the shameful devil, who shoots thoughts into our hearts for and for, as if God is ungracious, and wants to let us fall in the challenge and not help us? But how do such thoughts rhyme with this name, that the angel by command of God calls the little child Jesus? If such a name is to be right and true, then God's will must not be that he should delight in our destruction; but his will is that we should be helped and saved.
(21) Therefore let this name be dear to us, and let us keep it in all our temptations, that the Son of God and our Lord Christ is called Jesus, and that he is a Savior. As soon as it was said of him in paradise, "He shall bruise the head of the serpent," that is, help us against the devil and his kingdom. May God, the Father of all comfort and mercy, increase such faith and confidence in us daily and preserve us forever through His Son Jesus Christ, our Savior, amen,
122 L. 1, 12". 129. on the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. XIII, 304-309. 123
Epiphany
Three King's Day; Matth. 2, 1-12
*On Colonel's Day above Feast of the Apparition. )
Matth. 2, 1-12.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in the land of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, the wise men came from the east to Jerusalem, saying: Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him. When Herod the king heard this, he was afraid, and all Jerusalem with him; and he gathered together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, and inquired of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem, in the land of Judaea. For thus it is written by the prophet: And Bethlehem in the land of Judah is by no means the least of the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come to me the duke that shall be ruler over my people Israel. Then Herod called the wise men secretly, and learned diligently of them when the star appeared, and directed them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye find him, tell me again, that I also may come and worship him. When they had heard the king, they went. And, behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they were greatly rejoiced, and went into the house, and found the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him, and opened their treasures, and gave him gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And God commanded them in a dream that they should not turn again to Herod. And they went again by another way into their own land.
The first part, from the history.
1 Today's feast is called the feast of the revelation of Christ. For these three revelations are said to have taken place in one day, though not in one year: that the Lord Christ revealed himself to the wise men in the east by the star; at the Jordan, when he was baptized by John; and at the wedding of Cana in Galilee, when he performed the first miraculous sign. Be it as it may, that such revelations happened in one day or not, they are nevertheless very marvelous stories, and especially the one of today with the wise men. For the Lord made himself known, not only among the Jews, but also among the Gentiles, so that the Jews might not say that he had kept himself secret, that no one had known about him.
002 For it was determined that he should come from the Jews, not as a great king, but so miserable that he could hardly find room to be born: this makes his future very troublesome, and
*) Two sermons, publicly delivered in 1532, merged into one.
still reproaches the Jews today. For this reason, it was of great need that God should reveal and make him known among the Gentiles, so that, even though he was poor and miserable, he might be preached and proclaimed gloriously everywhere. For it was no small thing that the wise men from the east came such a long way, and made a cry of this child in Jerusalem: as Simeon and Hannah in the temple, the angels in the air, the shepherds in Bethlehem. They all had to do with this child, singing and saying of him; so that this child was most gloriously proclaimed, that the Jews should become aware of him and accept him.
3 As far as today's history is concerned, the evangelist reports with special diligence how the wise men first came to Jerusalem and searched for Christ there. For since Jerusalem was the capital and this child of the Jews was to be king, they could not think otherwise than that they would find him at Jerusalem. But in that they think so, they miss, find the Kjnd not in the glorious city Jerusalem, but in the poor little town Bethlehem.
124 1> I2g-I3i. On the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. XIII, 309-316. 125
Let us remember this. If we want to come to this child and find him, we must not follow our thoughts or reason, but stay with the word alone and not turn away from it. For if we let the word go, the trouble is already there. The child has a glorious, great name, but besides that he is poor and miserable, and because of that he does not want to be found in Jerusalem with those who are glorious and great. Therefore, as the wise men do here, we must keep the word and not be deceived by the splendor of the world. But he that forsaketh the word, and will not hear what the scripture saith of this little child, but judgeth according to the outward appearance, shall not come unto Christ, neither shall he find him.
(5) As we see in the papists, who leave the word and fall into the thought of painting Christ as they please. They do not like that about him, that he alone should be the Savior. That is why they add their own works and devotion, which they think of enjoying beside the Savior Christ. They call upon the Virgin Mary to reconcile their son to them; they think that such invocation and intercession should also be a savior for them. But it is nothing but lies. For where one drops the word and gropes for Christ apart from the word, one seizes the devil, who then imagines such thoughts in people's minds, that Christ is a judge and cane-master, whoever now wants to stand before him must enjoy the intercession of the saints. That is why in the papacy everyone put more trust in the Virgin Mary and the intercession of the saints than in the Lord Christ Himself. This is what happens when one does not stick to the Word. That is why the devil is particularly interested in tearing us away from the Word and leading us to his own thoughts apart from the Word. For then he knows that he has won and we have lost.
Therefore the highest and best art is to hold fast to the word, and not to think of divine things otherwise than as the word tells us. But it takes a lot of effort to bring people to this point. Many people cannot yet be raised to think in the
If they stay with the word about the sacrament, they want to judge badly, like a cow, after they see that there is nothing but wine and bread, and that the body and blood of Christ are not there. Fasting, then, the work without the word in the eyes. But this means to take only the husks, and to leave the core, the words of our Lord Christ, behind.
(7) So at first these wise men also had thoughts of Christ. Since they have this from divine revelation, that the king of the Jews is born, they go straight to Jerusalem, and think they will find him there in a glorious castle and a golden chamber. For how could reason think otherwise of a king? But such thoughts, because they are without word, they must perish. For they are missing and do not find the child in Jerusalem, since the holy city was where God himself dwelt. But if they are to find it, they must follow the word. This is the true star and the beautiful sun that points to Christ.
(8) Therefore, the wise men are a good example of a beautiful and mighty faith, in that they put out of their eyes and hearts all other thoughts that they and the whole world had, and badly follow the word that is held out to them from the prophet Micah. They are not angry at all that from Jerusalem, where the true worship was and God Himself dwelt, they are turned away from our Lord God and His temple to a cowshed in Bethlehem, when they were not looking for a beggar but for the king of the Jews. Badly as they hear, so they follow, and let nothing trouble their thoughts; looking only to that which Micah saith, there they abide. This faith can be praised as a special example. For I myself, if I had been there, would have kept to the temple, and thought: Here dwells God; therefore, if the Child is to be found in any place in the whole world, he will be found here, where the whole priesthood and service is.
(9) But God has another purpose in mind and does not want His Son to be found among the great spiritual prelates and in Jerusalem, just as he is found today with the pope.
1262.1, 131-133. On Colonel's Day or Feast of the Apparition. W. XIII, 316-321. 127
But he thought that he wanted to abolish the priesthood and rule of the Jews all together, because they built so much on it and assumed so highly that they were priests, Levites and God's people, and that they had the temple. God could not and would not tolerate such pride; and the temple, the worship and the priesthood, since they were so high, had to be taken away one by one. But the poor little Bethlehem had to come forth and be the first hostel of the Son of God.
(10) This is the first part of this history, a special, necessary and useful lesson, that the wise men, when they seek Christ the newborn King, do not find him at Jerusalem, as they thought. But if they should find him, they must have and hear the prophet Micham. Now that they have the word, and have let go of their thoughts, they go willingly from the holy capital Jerusalem to Bethlehem, to the little town, and do not mind. Then God gives them the comfort that the star will come again as soon as they leave Jerusalem and shine before them to Bethlehem, to the door where the child was. They need such comfort, for there they find nothing but poverty and beggary: Joseph and Mary are not at home in that place; the child lies there in a manger; there is scarcely a drink of water.
How does this rhyme with the king? If one wanted to mock the people, one would cite them thus. But the pious people are not mistaken, they hold fast to what they have heard from the prophet Micah and have seen in the star. Therefore, regardless of the poor, miserable being, they fall down before the child, worship him and open their treasures, and worship him. This is the Historia.
(12) Here we should especially not forget the great, excellent comfort that God also calls the Gentiles to the kingdom of Christ and accepts them as a people, even though they were not circumcised, nor were they subject to the law like the Jews. For here we Gentiles have a certain testimony that we should not despair, as if we did not belong to Christ; but that we should accept ourselves, as well as the
Jews, even though we are not his people, like the Jews.
For these wise men were pagans, who had their priests and worship according to the pagan way, but without God's command and word, and were uncircumcised. Nevertheless, regardless of all this, they come as strangers and undeserving people to the light, the Lord Christ, and accept him. He also accepts them and is pleased with their worship and gift. This is written for our comfort, that we should thank God for having established such a kingdom on earth through Christ, in which we, who are not His people, are dealt with not according to merit, but according to grace.
14 Secondly, we are to learn from history how we are to conduct ourselves righteously toward our dear Lord Christ, that is, that we are to reject all adversity and, with these wise men, confess before the world the Lord Christ, seeking and worshipping him from the heart as our Savior.
15 Also, because he leads his reign on earth in such a miserable and poor form, we should gladly help with our money, goods and all our wealth to promote and increase his kingdom, which is hindered and suppressed in so many ways by the devil and the world. For we can open our treasures to Christ this day and give them to him, just as the wise men did. Cause, there is his word, Matth. 25, 40: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these that are mine, ye have done it unto me.
16 Therefore, whoever helps poor, impossible, abandoned people with money and goods, whoever gives his tax and handouts to keep young people in school, to educate them in God's Word and other arts, so that in time they can also help others in the church ministry and lead them, he sacrifices and gives to the poor little child Jesus, who, as soon as he was born, was not only poor and destitute, but also had to leave the country and flee to Egypt because of the tyrant Herodis.
- on such a flight and long journey God creates through these wise men for the infant, his nurse Joseph and the virgin Mary a
128 L. 1, 133-135. On Colonel's Day or Feast of the Apparition. W. xm, 321-324. 129
Provision. And it will not have been a small gift, for so the evangelist says: "They have opened their treasures. But because we cannot doubt in their hearts about the infant Jesus, because they have recognized him as the Son of God and the eternal King and Savior, we must believe that they have given him abundantly.
18 Therefore, this also serves so that the poor Christians who suffer persecution and are in misery should not despair. God, before he would let a poor Christian suffer misery and die of hunger, would rather create a person for him over a hundred miles away, who would be comforting and helpful to him. As the example of His only begotten Son sufficiently comforts us.
The other part, from the saying of Micah.
(19) In addition to the history, the prophecy of the prophet Micah is especially noteworthy, in which he portrays the Lord Christ in an exceedingly fine way. The words are thus:
And you, Bethlehem Judah, are by no means the least of the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come to me the duke who shall be lord over my people Israel.
(20) In this saying, as the Jews themselves testify, God revealed that the Lord Christ was to be waited for in Bethlehem to be born there. This is a special honor that makes the poor little Bethlehem a thousand times more glorious than Jerusalem was. Therefore, although the prophet says that Bethlehem is small and of little account in the eyes of the world, the evangelist changes the prophet's words and says that it is not small or little. God honors this poor Bethlehem so highly that His Son is born there. Let this be an honor above all the honor that any city in the whole world has ever had.
21 Therefore the words of the evangelist, praising Bethlehem, are excellent, saying, "Out of thee shall come to me the Duke, who is Lord over my people. This is the joyful text that teaches us what we should look upon and hold the Lord Christ for, that although he is a beggar before the world, a wretched and despised man, who is in a
He is born in a small, poor spot, yet he is a lord and duke over Israel, that is, over the people of God.
(22) But what kind of rule this is, we reported in the angel's sermon on the day of Christ, who also calls Christ a Lord, not because he wants to be a tyrant and plague and force the people. For for this cause the prophet called him by name, saying, "Bethlehem, thou that art little." As if to say: If this Lord wanted to be great and splendid in the sight of the world, and to be seen in such a way that he should be feared, he would probably find another place where he would be born. But there is no splendor, no power, no goods, no money, neither sword nor gun. Therefore he leaves great, mighty cities, Jerusalem, the holiest, Rome, the mightiest, and others, and is content with poor, little Bethlehem. So that the city in which he is born will soon show what kind of Lord he is, poor and miserable in the sight of the world, but rich in spirit and in all spiritual goods.
023 For this is his title, that he should be a lord and a prince. But by his birth, by the city in which he is born, by all that he has on earth, he is poor and miserable, and has neither royal nor princely splendor. Therefore, if he be a lord and prince, and yet not glorious in the sight of the world, but wretched and poor, what can his glory be but that, as he is poor and wretched in the sight of the world, so he be rich and mighty in the sight of the world, which is poor and meager? This is that he is righteous, since the world is full of sin; that he is eternal, since the world is mortal. He is the master of the devil, since the world must let the devil rule and drive it. He is pious, since the world is evil. He has a gracious God, since the world is under God's wrath. He is a Lord of eternal life, since the world belongs down to hell.
(24) This is the dominion of this child, and in such a case his people shall enjoy it. He will not help you physically without as much need as your salvation and his honor require, for he himself is miserable.
130 L. 1, 135-137. on the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. XIII, 324-32L 131
and poor. For this reason, no one should think that he will receive money and goods. This may be expected from the pope and his like, who makes his creatures lords over great goods and divides the lands to them, as Daniel prophesied. But you should feel and enjoy the dominion of this child only in the fact that he wants to forgive your sin, make you righteous and holy, give you the Holy Spirit, and bring you out of the devil's kingdom and death into eternal life.
(25) This is where faith comes in, and that you diligently keep God's word, as reported in the beginning. For he who forsakes the word and follows his own thoughts will lose Christ altogether, and will have to think of him not as a Savior but as a judge, and flee from him as from the devil, whom we fear even when we have been wicked and done wrong, lest he come and lead us away.
(26) Our dear Lord Christ does not want to be such a lord, that he would deal cruelly with his own; but he wants to be lord and ruler over his people Israel, that he would help them from their sins and place them in God's grace. For "his people" means nothing else but poor miserable sinners who are frightened and despondent because of their sins, and would like to be well with God. So Micheas sums it up very well, first of all, that he is not to be a worldly lord, nor is he to be a lord who is spiritually evil, but is to help all who believe in him against sin, the devil, death and hell. For of such a Lord one can rejoice.
27 Thus far do the scribes carry the saying of Micah, and no further. Perhaps they fear that this is too much, for they see that Herod's heart was troubled as to how he might cut off this king of the Jews; therefore they omit the rest of what Micah says about this king. As if they should say, We know of no king of the Jews now, but of Herod; and yet it is thus written in Micah, There shall be born a prince of the Jews in Bethlehem. So they let it hang, and must not show themselves any further. But the prophet, though he is dead, yet he speaketh
Nevertheless, he goes on and says what kind of a duke or king this child will be because of his person, namely: "Which origin has been from the beginning and from eternity.
28 The scribes did not tell Herod the king, nor did they themselves understand. For it is somewhat more obscure than the foregoing, that he should be born in Bethlehem, and be a duke over the people of Israel. This is to be understood well, and is a strong indication that he must be a man.
- But that the prophet adds: "His origin is from the beginning and before the days": this is so much said that he is also eternal God, who did not first begin to be something at Bethlehem. At Bethlehem he was born, that is one beginning; but besides this beginning he has another beginning, which is called: "from the beginning and from everlasting".
(30) For let the prophet keep his words. First he says: Ex te egredietur, out of you shall come forth. Here the chief priests and scribes themselves testify that "to go forth" means as much as, to be born. As we also say in German: Der ist da, dort her, das ist. da, dort geboren. Therefore the little word "go forth" must also mean so much afterwards, since he says: cujus egressus ab antiquis diebus, his going forth is from eternity, before time, day and hour have been.
If you want to know where this child came from, listen to the prophet Micah, who says that he came from Bethlehem. Where else did he come from? Only from Bethlehem? No, but he was born before the world, before heaven and earth, before sun and moon. This cannot be accepted in words, and is as much as, in eternity, before time or days were. Herod and the Jews should not have understood this, nor were they worthy of it.
32 This is the King and Lord who was born in Bethlehem, a true, real man, and who shall also be called: Egressus ab antiquis dierum, who came forth and was born before the world, that is, he is eternal, true God and true, right, natural man.
132 L. i, 137-139. On Colonel's Day or Feast of the Apparition. W. xin, 329-332. 133
The world wants to become mad and foolish over this, because it cannot rhyme these two births together, that this child also had its beginning or birth before the sun and moon were created. For this reason the Jews did not like this, and after that many heresies arose which challenged this article. But think thou upon him, who hast God's word before his eyes. From whom then may he have been born, if he was born before the world? From no one but God. This is also what reason must conclude if it believes otherwise that God created heaven and earth. For what can one think that is before heaven and earth but God? If then this child came forth or was born before heaven and earth were created, it must have been born of God and be God itself; for apart from God and the creature there is nothing.
34 This is the text that does it all. For if Christ alone were a mere man, death would have choked him as well as all other men. Nor would it have helped him that he was born of a virgin. For it is far more wonderful that God should make Eve from a rib than that a virgin should give birth. For a virgin is a woman's image, created without that she should bear children. Therefore neither devil nor death would have asked to be born of the virgin Mary. But this is because the Virgin Mary does not bear a son alone, but such a son who was born before the world. Therefore the devil and death, and the whole kingdom of the devil, are overcome, because they have attached themselves to such a man, who, before the world was, had his beginning or birth.
(35) For if it were not so, and he had come forth from Bethlehem alone, death would have devoured him as well as me and you, as the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist, and other great saints. But his exit is called: from eternity. Therefore, death, which until now has strangled all men, must exist with shame in this child, the Lord Jesus, because he was God, he could not atone.
He could not be accused by the law, strangled by death, or condemned by the devil. But because he had his origin in the time of Bethlehem, and was born into the world like another child, he had to die. So the devil and death sang to each other, looking no further than the exit from Bethlehem. This infant is killed by the same exit. But now that he lies in the grave, he says: I was born before the world; and with power he tears through the grave, sin, death and devils, so that they cannot hold him.
- The prophet wants to bring us such a message about this prince, that he has two exits, or as we speak in German, two births; therefore he is such a person, who is at the same time true God and true man with each other, so that he is only one person and not two; that one must say: Christ is the Son of the virgin Mary, who sucked at her breasts and gained weight in her womb like another man; but besides this he was also born of his Father, the living, eternal God, before the world in eternity. That therefore these two natures, divine and human, in One Person, inseparably united, are One Christ, who is true God and true man 2c.
37 The chief priests did not tell Herod this, nor was he worthy, as I said, the tyrant, to know or understand. They themselves did not understand it 2c.
Now this is an exceedingly marvelous birth, which, if we would learn it rightly, we must begin first of all by grasping the beginning at Bethlehem. Just as the prophet also keeps this order, he writes first of the bodily birth; there he also makes more words of it than of the other birth, which is from eternity. For whoever wants to know how our Lord God is disposed toward us, let him begin below and first learn what he has done here on earth and how he has revealed himself to men. After that, he will learn from this child, as the text gives it in itself, that it is from eternity. Such
134 2.1, 139-141. On Colonel's Day or Feast of the Apparition. W. XIII, 332-338. 135
will then not be terrible, but most lovely and comforting.
39 But there is a special misfortune, that everyone, out of shameful and harmful presumption, wants to start first with the provision of this and that. Because God knew all things, why he did not ruin man's case? Why does he still watch the world and let it promote its own damnation, when he could well be in favor of it and convert it so that it would have to be pious? 2c. Whoever wants to begin to recognize God with such questions will actually break his neck. For this is Lucifer's case, he also wanted to go above, and nowhere above. But it does not.
(40) If you want to travel with certainty and learn to know God in His essence, you must begin here, as the prophet does here, that you first come to Bethlehem, and then ascend to heaven and eternity. As Christ also teaches, saying, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. He who sees me, Philip, sees the Father," John 14:6, 9. He who does not lift himself up, but immediately wants to go up and speculate on how God rules, how he punishes and chokes, it serves him right when he is in trouble. As the wise man says, Prov. 25, 27: "He who investigates difficult things finds them too difficult.
Therefore, this is the right art for anyone who wants to learn about this child, to go to Bethlehem first, that is, to see what kind of office this child is to lead and carry out in the world, namely, that he is to be a duke, as Micah says, who is to redeem his people from sins and eternal death. When, then, these things have been well learned, and this infant in the manger has been found, seen, and well apprehended, it will be found that he is not only Mary's Son, but also God's Son, born of God before any creature was created; and not only will no harm follow, but all joy and security; for through this child we come to God and His grace, whom otherwise we would never be able to believe to be a gracious God. This is the text of the infant Jesus in Bethlehem.
- but here also see how shameful He
rodes and the scribes deal with it. Herod persecuted the child, and the scribes despised him. Now this is the art of our Lord God, who can put such an excellent text before the people that they talk, sing and say about it, and yet they shall not understand a word of it. For is it no wonder that the scribes preach this text here, Herod sends the wise men to Bethlehem according to this text, and that is even more, the prankster says: "Search diligently for the little child, and if you find it, tell me again, that I also may come and worship it? yet they do not understand a word of it, they have the shells; but of the kernel they must guess.
God still deals with ungrateful, evil Christians today: not only with the papists, who have, read and know the Bible just as well as we do; but also with the people of our part, that they know how to speak of the Gospel, but do not understand a word of it. For otherwise they would prove otherwise with their lives. Just as the scribes and Herod have the prophet in their mouths; but if they understood him, do you not think they would also make themselves out, and seek and worship the little child? But the fact that they do not do so, but go away and throw themselves to the winds, is an indication that they do not know or understand what they are teaching other people.
44 But believers have an advantage over unbelievers in that they not only hear the words, but also understand them, and have great joy and comfort from them. Therefore, although the world, the pope, and our proud citizens and peasants are superior to us in money, goods, power, and honor, we know that in this respect they are far, far inferior to us, and so afflicted, even though they can hear the words, speak and teach them themselves, that they should not understand the least of them. As their lives sufficiently show, they have ears like the stubborn Jews, and yet they do not hear, and are blind with their seeing eyes.
May God, with the wise, through the star of His holy Word, graciously lead us to His Son Christ Jesus, and keep us from all offenses forever, amen.
136 L. i,i42.143. On the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. xin, 338-342. 137
On the Colonel's Day or Feast of the Apparition.
Second sermon.*)
Matth. 3, 13-17.
At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. But John rebuked him, saying: I have need that I should be baptized of thee, and thou comest unto me? And Jesus answered and said unto him, Let it be so now: so it behoveth us to fulfill all righteousness. And he suffered him. And when JEsus was baptized, he came up straightway out of the water: and, behold, the heaven was opened upon him. And John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
From the baptism of Christ.
About the feast of Epiphany (which is usually called the feast of the three kings) your dear people have heard how it takes its name from the fact that Christ revealed himself, not only through the star, but also at the Jordan, where he was baptized. Since such a revelation is the highest, most distinguished and most comforting, it would not be wrong to call this day the feast when the Lord Christ was baptized and revealed at the Jordan when he was thirty years old.
The evangelist tells us in detail how this happened: that Christ, who until then had kept quiet and had not yet entered his ministry, rose from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan to be baptized, like other sinners who confessed their sin and sought forgiveness for it. John is appalled by this and considers himself unworthy to baptize him. But Jesus says: "Be content, it must be so, if all righteousness is to be fulfilled; that is, if this is to be accomplished, that poor sinners may come to righteousness and be saved, then you must baptize me. For I became a sinner for the sake of all sinners; therefore I must do what God has commanded sinners to do, so that they may be justified through me.
*) In the house, 1534.
This happened for our comfort and as an example, that the Son of God was baptized, who had no sin, and did what he was not obligated to do. Since we, on the other hand, are such poor, wretched, depraved people that we do not do what we are obliged to do, we are still bad boys. Let alone that we should come so far and do something else that we do not owe. Therefore, this is to be especially noted here, that Christ, the Son of God, who is the founder of holy baptism himself, nevertheless allows himself to be baptized, and further commands that such baptisms remain in the church from now on, and that all who want to be saved should also be baptized.
4 From this it follows that they must be accursed people whom the devil has defiled and blinded, who neither want to see nor hear what is happening here, but either despise baptism or mock it. Why would you not let yourself or your children be baptized, since the Son of God lets himself be baptized? How can you be so hopeful, even so blind and foolish, that you can despise this holy and beneficial work? Shouldn't you give baptism all the credit, if it is of no other use, just because you hear that the Son of God himself was baptized, that you were baptized in his honor, even though baptism is of no other use to you?
138 L. 1, 143-145. on the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. xm, 342-345. 139
5 In addition, this is also written here, what we can expect from such a baptism and how it should benefit us. For there it is seen that God in heaven pours Himself out over such a baptism of His Son with all grace, since, as the evangelist says, heaven opens up, which before was closed, and now becomes over the baptism of Christ a gate and window, so that one can see into it, and henceforth there is no difference between God and us; for God the Father Himself is present, and says: "This is my dear Son" 2c. Now is this not a great revelation and certainly a great sign that God is not hostile to baptism, which His dear Son has sanctified with His own body, but has a desire and love for it, and cannot stay away from it?
Therefore, since one celebrates a feast of the revelation of Christ, why does one not let this revelation be, since God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit reveal themselves so powerfully? For God, the Holy Spirit, also comes in a friendly form, like an innocent bird, which is the friendliest of all other birds, and has neither wrath nor gall with it; as a sign that He will not be angry with us, but will help us through Christ to become pious and blessed.
(7) Now this is a twofold revelation: one of God, the eternal Father Almighty, and the other of the Holy Spirit, which is in the baptism of our dear Lord Christ, who was baptized at the Jordan, not only as an example to us, but also as a grace for us to enjoy such baptism, and to believe that we have a gracious God through it, if we follow such an example and are also baptized according to Christ's command.
(8) Not only does the Father reveal Himself by opening heaven and making heaven and the world one thing, but He also lets Himself be heard with a new voice, the like of which no one has ever heard from heaven before, saying: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. This is a different voice than the one at Mount Sina, where God also speaks from heaven, but in such a way that the earth trembles before it, and the mountains smear, and the people are afraid to die.
(9) God does not let Himself be heard here with such a terrible voice; indeed, nothing is heard there, but only kindness, grace and mercy. As if God should say: You people, turn your eyes here and see what kind of trade is going on. You see that John is baptizing a man at the Jordan, as he usually baptizes more people; but if you really want to know who this man is, listen to me: He is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. You must not be afraid of him, for there he stands naked, like another man, without sword and worldly power. Neither should you be afraid of me, for I am not coming with thunder and lightning, with guns and trumpets, as at Mount Sina, but with a friendly image and a blessed countenance.
10 So go out in the most friendly way. The Son of God, who is without sin and innocent, stands in the Jordan and is baptized; the Holy Spirit comes upon him like a dove, so that John sees him with his eyes; and God the Father speaks to us in the most friendly way, proclaiming to us how he is sending us not an apostle, a prophet, or an angel, but his only begotten Son, in whom he is well pleased. This means, I think, that we are commanded to look to the Son, because God Himself was not displeased to proclaim to all of us, when He was baptized, that He was His beloved Son. As if he should say: If you now want to have a gracious father, you can easily do so; only hold on to my son, to whom I cannot be hostile, then you will, if you obey his voice, also be dear to me for his sake; therefore hear him and do what he tells you. For he hath no more need of baptism for his person, than he hath need of circumcision. Cause, he is without all sin.
Now the baptism of John is ordained of me for the sinner's sake, that all who confess their sin, being sorry for it, and desiring to be delivered from it, should come to this baptism, and certainly believe that I will be gracious to them. But why does my son, who is not a sinner, allow himself to be baptized? Not because of him, but because of you, who are sinners; for he took your sin upon himself.
140 2-1> 145-147. on the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. xni, 345-343. 141
He will get rid of them and put them away, so that you will be saved and your sins will no longer be found.
12 The evangelist reports this very well when he says: Christ, when John rebuked him, said: "Let it be so now; for so it behooves us to fulfill all righteousness. This much is said, In this baptism is the righteousness of the whole world. For since I have the sin of all the world upon me and bear it, if the world is to be saved, I must do what God has commanded sinners to do, namely, to be baptized by you. Do not hinder this blessed work, but as I gladly let myself be baptized for the sake of the poor sinners, so you also gladly help and baptize me, so that God's wrath may be quenched and sin put away. The eternal Father is pleased with this, speaks to us from heaven, and directs us to his dear Son, saying: "He is my dear Son, in whom I am well pleased": for our comfort, that we should accept such baptism and certainly believe that God's wrath is appeased, and our sin is put away through such baptism of Christ, so that God will be pleased with us further, for the sake of his Son.
(13) This voice should be followed, if possible, on the points of needles, and this glorious revelation should never be let out of the eyes and heart, that our Lord God tears the heavens apart, sends down the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, and lets himself be heard with a sweet voice, saying: Here you have my Son, my heart and highest treasure, and all that I am. But what does the Son do? He presents himself as a poor, meager sinner, and is baptized by John at the Jordan; so that the whole Godhead reveals itself here in the most gracious and friendly way, according to the distinction of the persons, in three different forms; so that everyone may know who holds to the Lord Christ, and accepts his word and is comforted by his works, that God cannot nor will be hostile to such a man. For here it says: Whatever the Son says, says or does, it is all pleasing to the Father.
14 O, how blessed we would be if we could see Christ.
They heard the voice and held fast to it with all their heart. Again, wicked and accursed people are these who let such a voice resound, and yet pass by as if they did not hear it. But the cursed papacy still blasphemes and persecutes this voice, saying: Christ is not the only one whom the Father loves; he also loves monks, priests, mass, pilgrimages and other things. Whoever would think that the kindness of God and the fatherly heart should not be honored more highly than this, should rather be dead ten times over than live with such blasphemous, unholy people.
(15) Therefore learn, little children, because you hear this voice resounding. A few years ago we knew nothing about it; heaven was closed, and we had to listen to what the monks preached about purgatory, poltergeists and other lies in the name of the devil. Now, praise God, the pure doctrine is on the way again, and the only thing missing is that one hears and learns it. Since nothing helps in the world, let us thank our Lord God for this blessing, that he has revealed his heart and his treasure to us today: the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, his Son at the Jordan in baptism, and himself in a glorious, sweet voice.
Who then would not condemn him who would not give thanks and rejoice here, and accept the Son with his heart, standing here in the Jordan, being baptized as a sinner, on whom the Holy Spirit sits in the form of a dove? Since the voice of the Father is as close as can be to the wall? There will undoubtedly also have been countless holy angels. For where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit can be seen, there must be the whole heavenly host.
(17) Therefore let this feast be held in high esteem. It is also a revelation that Christ revealed himself to the wise men through a star, but this is much higher. These are the right three kings, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, all three of whom are found together when Christ is baptized. If he had wanted, such a revelation would have happened in the desert or in the temple in Jerusalem. But at the baptism it has
142 L-1, 147-14S. On the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. xm, 348-350. 143
We are to be taught, as I have often said, that we should hold baptism in high esteem, and because we have been baptized, neither look at ourselves nor judge ourselves in any other way than as made, even newly created saints.
The blasphemous Anabaptists say today that baptism is only bad water. The devil take such blasphemers. A dog, a sow, or a cow should thus judge, which has nothing but the taste of water. A Christian, however, should not judge according to taste, but according to the word; for there is not only water, but also God's word and power. As can be seen in the baptism of Christ, God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Therefore it is not bad water, but such water as the Son of God bathes in, the Holy Spirit hovers over, and God the Father preaches over; so that baptism is not bad water, but water rich in grace and a bath of the new birth, consecrated and sanctified by God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For this very reason, Christ sets forth the manner of baptizing, that one should baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
19 Therefore, even today, when a child is baptized, the Son of God, who sanctifies with His body, the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies with His presence, and God the Father, who sanctifies with His voice, are present at such baptism. Therefore, it cannot be said that the water alone is bad, since the whole Godhead is present; therefore, we should not regard baptism as a work of man. For although a man baptizes, he does not baptize in his own name, but in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who are also in this work; otherwise baptism would slowly accomplish what it is supposed to accomplish.
20 Who then will despise the fact that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Who will call such water bad water? Do we not see what kind of spice God throws into this water? If you throw sugar into the water, it is no longer water, but a delicious clearing, or something else: why do we want to separate the word from the water here, and say that it is bad water; as if God's word were, yes,
God Himself, not with and in such water? Not so; for God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are in and by such water, as there at the Jordan, when Christ stood in the water, the Holy Spirit hovered over it, and God the Father preached by it.
Therefore, baptism is such a water that takes away sin, death and all misfortune, helps us to heaven and eternal life. Such a delicious sugar water, aromaticum and apothecary has become of it, since God has mixed Himself into it. But God is a God of life; because He is in this water, this must be the right aqua vitae, which drives away death and hell and makes us eternally alive.
(22) So we should learn to recognize and appreciate baptism. For one does not baptize in the name of an angel or man, but in the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; or as it is written in the stories of the apostles, in the name of Jesus, which is just as much. For whoever confesses Jesus Christ must also confess God the Father and the Holy Spirit, since Christ clearly says that he comes from the Father and wants to send the Holy Spirit. He who confesses Christ with all his heart will not be false to his word, but will believe that the Son is not alone, but that the Father and the Holy Spirit are with him, even though the Father and the Holy Spirit are not mentioned by name.
- Therefore we should learn these things well, and not confess the word of holy baptism about the water used to baptize, but confess and say that it was ordained by God to make us clean from sins and save us from eternal death for the sake of our Lord Christ through the Holy Spirit. For what did God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit want to do with it? Therefore, if you confess that the child now born is in sins, put it into holy baptism and let God do His work with it, as His word says and promises, that one must be born again through water and the Spirit, and that whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved. Therefore, if thou confess that it is in death: put it, in the commandment of Christ, into this bath or baptism, and death shall be swallowed up. And thou that art already baptized,
144 i> 149-iöi. On the first Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 350-353. 145
Remember also that your baptism is a seal and pledge to you that God has forgiven your sin and promised you eternal life through Christ. For baptism has a divine power to blot out death and wash away sin. For this is why we were baptized, just as we are baptized into the death of Christ in this hope.
- But whether we have fallen into sin and done wrong, let baptism and what is promised to us therein remain firm and sure. But return, and persevere not in sins. For it is not fitting, if you desire forgiveness of sins, that you should persist in sins and not refrain from them; but repent, and say in right faith: My Lord God has promised me all grace, having put me in His Son's baptism; to such grace I return, trusting that my sins are taken away from me: not for my sake, or for the sake of any man or creature; but for the sake of my Lord Christ, who commanded it, and appointed it, and was baptized Himself a sinner.
(25) So this revelation far surpasses the one when the star appeared to the wise men; for all Christians enjoy this revelation, since only some pagans enjoyed that revelation there. Therefore, this feast should be called the feast of Christ's baptism, and the day when Christ was baptized.
Then we would have cause to preach about baptism against the evil spirits and against the devil, who likes to let us see all other things, but without our right treasure, he would like to take it out of our eyes and hands, as he did in the papacy, where little or nothing was preached about such revelation at the Jordan.
Therefore learn and diligently observe how this day God has revealed Himself with a beautiful sermon of His Son, that what He speaks and does with us, and we with Him, all these things shall be pleasing to Him. For he that followeth the Son, and keepeth his word, the same shall be the dear child, and shall have the Holy Ghost, which also was seen here at baptism in a beautiful, friendly, and peaceable form. Just as the Father also lets himself be heard in the most friendly way, and says: Here you have not an angel, prophet, apostle, but my Son and myself. How could he reveal himself in a higher way? And how can we serve him better than to listen to his Son, our Savior, and to follow what he preaches and tells us? But he that will not hear him, nor follow him to his blessedness, may hear the apostles of the devil to his everlasting destruction. Therefore we may thank God for such grace and pray that He will preserve us and make us blessed, amen.
1.Sunday after Epiphany; Luc. 2, 41-52
*On the first Sunday after Epiphany. )
Luc. 2, 41-52.
And his parents went up to Jerusalem every year for the feast of Easter. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. And when the days were fulfilled, and they were gathered together again, the child Jesus abode at Jerusalem, and his parents knew it not. But they thought he was among the companions, and came a day's journey, seeking him among their friends and acquaintances. And when they found him not, they went again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass after three days, that they found him sitting in the temple in the midst of the teachers, listening unto them, and asking them questions. And all who listened to him were amazed at his understanding and his answer. And when they saw him, they were amazed. And his mother said unto him, My son,
*) In the house, 1534.
146L. 1, 151-153. On the first Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 383-356. 147
why have you done this to us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee with sorrows. And he said unto them: What is it that ye have sought me? know ye not that I must be in my Father's? And they understood not the word which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart. And JEsus increased in wisdom, age and grace with GOD and men.
(1) This is a high gospel, if one wants to interpret it sharply, and say how it is when one loses this little child Jesus from his heart. But we will save such high interpretation for another time, and now take before us that which is lightest and easiest, and most useful for the common man.
(2) Your love heard at the feast of the wise men that it was called the feast of the revelation of Christ, which took place so that the newborn babe would not remain secret, but would be revealed. Otherwise it would have been of no use to us if we had not known about it. For this reason other gospels have been preached about these days, in which it is seen how Christ revealed himself. When John baptized him at the Jordan, and after that he showed himself with the first miraculous sign at the wedding in Cana, that he was such a Lord, who had all things in his power. So that the Lord Jesus would not only be known among the people, but also experienced and famous, as being more than another man, namely a Lord, born to such dominion, who is able and capable of everything, and we would recognize him as our Savior and in all distress and need would turn to him and learn to seek help from him.
3 Today's gospel also serves this purpose. For it is also a revelation, by which the Lord Jesus shows himself to be not a common but a special child, because he secretly withdraws from his parents, and steps out of the obedience, which otherwise all children owe to their parents, by God's command. The evangelist says that this happened: His parents had to appear every year at the Easter feast, like other Jews, in the temple in Jerusalem. When they took the child Jesus, he stayed behind them in Jerusalem. That provided the parents, may perhaps be accustomed that he went before more with their relatives.
For Christ did not live like a fiend in his youth, he did not lead a special life; but kept himself like other children, played at times also with his companions, without (only) that he, as the text reports, increased in grace and wisdom before other children. This makes his mother Mary and Joseph think that he is among the companions, and so they leave him behind. But in the evening, when they came to the first inn in Jerusalem, they looked around to see where the child was. When they did not find him among the friends and acquaintances, they were very frightened. For the child was specially commanded to the mother. So Jofeph also had a strong command that he should take care of him. But Mary alone was the mother; therefore it was a great sorrow to her heart and a great fright that she should not find it. There will not have been much sleeping, eating, resting from crying, but they walked back the four miles at night. But the child was lost.
004 Now therefore reckon what their heart hath said unto them in the meanwhile? For the first day it is lost; the second day they seek it, and find it only on the third day. Because of this, they will not have slept much during the three nights, and they will have thought many things. And especially she, the mother, will have thought: God has taken your son away from you, he does not want you to be his mother anymore, that you have waited for him so diligently. So Joseph also thought, "God will no longer have you as a caretaker, because you have been so industrious and have not waited for the only child.
(5) Now this is a special thing, that the child Jesus, our dear Lord God, wanted to show himself in such a way that he would not have to be subject to his mother out of necessity and by right; but what he did, he did only as an example, out of good will, and nothing out of duty. For he was not only his mother's son, but also her son.
148 L. 1, 153-ISS. On the first Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 356-359. 149
God and Lord. Therefore he does not present himself as a son to his mother, as we will also hear today for more than eight days, when he says: "Woman, what have I to do with you? He does the same here, showing that he is not only a man who must obey his father and mother out of necessity; but he lets himself be heard to say that he has another father, who is greater, and on whom he has more favorable regard than on Mary and Joseph. What is it, saith he, that ye have sought me? Do you not know that I must be in that which is my father's? As if he should say, I am your Son; but so that I am more the Son of that which is in heaven.
For our sake, then, he reveals himself, so that we may know him well and come to believe that he is not only a true man, but also a true God. Therefore, as the mother addresses him, "My son, why have you done this to us?" he answers for himself and says, "I have not disobeyed you, nor have I despised you, as you would have us believe. So he wants to be right and unpunished by his mother. Mary and Joseph, however, must have been wrong about the pain and sorrow they had. For they should have remembered what the angels, the shepherds, the arch-father Simeon and others preached about this child, and should have known that even if he had stayed behind, he would not have been disobedient, but would have owed more obedience to God, his Father in heaven, than to his mother on earth.
(7) And this example of the child of Jesus, our dear Lord, is intended to remind us of our ignorance and great blindness, which always tends to serve men rather than God. Therefore, when it comes to the point that we must disobey either God or our parents and overlords, we should learn to say with Christ: "I must be in that which is my Father's in heaven"; outside of this case, I will gladly and wholeheartedly be obedient to father and mother, emperor, king, lords and wives in the house. But here in this case it means: Dear father, dear mother, I have another father, I should look to him more than to you. Mary and Joseph had forgotten this.
Therefore, he had to remind them of it and teach them.
(8) Now this is written for our sake. For the naughtiness, as I have said, we have by nature, when we are to serve God and render his obedience to him, that we excuse ourselves to the world and say: I must not; for GOD has commanded me to be obedient to my authorities. As the persecutors of the Gospel do now: "We have learned from us that we are guilty of obedience to the authorities; they praise this same obedience highly, and say: We know well that according to the Scriptures it is not wrong to receive the Sacrament under both forms; but we must be obedient to the authorities. There is my father and mother, there is my prince, who does not want it; therefore I may not do it. Thank you, dear Junkers.
But who is the authority? My sovereign? My father and mother? Yes, this is true; but have you no other authority besides these? What do you take this man for, who says in the first commandment: I am the LORD your God? Should it not be so here, when he says: This pleases me, this I will have; that you, regardless of your princes, yes, king and emperor, father and mother, say with Christ: Oportet me esse in his, quae sunt Patris mei: "I must be in that which is my father's"? For God's word and command shall ever proceed cheaply. If it is directed, then one should also do afterwards what father and mother, emperor and king want, so that one does not harness the chariot before the horses.
(10) Just as Christ was revealed to us through the star and at the Jordan to comfort us that he is our Savior, as we heard abundantly from his baptism above and from the angels' song and sermon on the day of Christ, so he reveals himself to us in today's gospel as an example that in matters concerning God we should not look to anyone, be it father, mother, prince, or whatever you want to call it. For there is another lord and higher authority, who is called God; to him you must obey, and do what he tells you to do, and serve him above all things. When this obedience has been established, then do according to what your father and mother, your ruler and authorities, have commanded you.
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But that they do not hinder you in this higher obedience, which, as I said, must be directed above all things.
(11) I do not want to touch here on the great temptation that few people feel when one loses Christ in the heart; but I want to remain simple with the little child, who thus reveals himself that he is something more than other men, because he takes himself off without permission from the obedience of his mother, and does not go after her, but she must go after him; to confirm that she had heard from the angel: "He will be called a son of the Most High. She had to be reminded of this here, so that she would not forget it.
(12) Thus this revelation is closely related to the other. For here it is seen that Christ is a peculiar man, as the shepherds and Simeon had testified of him. Therefore he did not want to be like other children, even though he sometimes ran around and played with other children.
(13) Now what he did in the temple, the evangelist shows in detail, that he did not ask what the grain was worth, how one should eat and drink; but he talked with the scribes about the word of God, listened to them at first how they interpreted the Scriptures, and then punished them for it; but in this way, as is fitting for a young boy. As an example, as we see in Matthew, when they, the scribes, preached about the fifth commandment, and interpreted it only as meaning that one should not kill with one's hand, he came out and said, "Truly, according to this commandment, it is not acceptable to speak evil of people, to curse them, or to be angry with them. For this commandment requires a kind heart toward one's neighbor.
14 In this way he also let himself be known and revealed that he, like a young child, asked about such things and how they should be understood, so that they, the scribes themselves, wondered and thought such things: Where does the boy come to such thoughts and understanding? For no doubt he will not have suffered or allowed to go unanswered what was wrong.
15 He will not have failed to ask the teachers what they think of the Messiah, where he comes from and what his ministry will be. But he will have spoken about all this with special humility, discipline and shame, and he will have acted as if he had heard it from his mother. That everyone thought that the boy has the Holy Spirit, he will become a special man. For it is customary at this time of the year for young people to show that they can sense what will become of them and how they will turn out.
(16) This is a brief history of how the infant Jesus revealed himself to his mother and Joseph, as if he were more than another child, because he was out of their obedience and still wanted to be unpunished.
Now St. Lucas concludes the gospel and says: He went down with them to Nazareth and was their subject. So that this child, who had withdrawn from his mother for the sake of his father in heaven, now becomes obedient to his mother again, and to Joseph, even though he was not guilty. As Lucas finely reports in that he says: "He was subject to them. As if he should say, He did it of his own free will, not out of necessity; for he was God, and a lord of Mary and Joseph. But that he was obedient to them, he did it not for the sake of his father and mother, but for the sake of the example. For this is to be respected, that the child Jesus did everything in the house, what he was told to do, to pick up shavings, to fetch food and drink, and not to let anything bother him.
(18) Young people should diligently remember this example, that the Lord, who is the God of us all, did these things in his childhood, and did not let anything he was commanded to do go to waste, even if they were small, minor, and unsightly works, so that they might also do such things and learn obedience and humility. For such things are well pleasing to God; and as the fourth commandment teaches, He will have all children to be obedient and willing to their parents.
- before times was a question in monasteries
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Among the young monks, what Christ would have done in his childhood? How then the monks have written their own book, De infantia Christi, since there are many clumsy fools inside. There is a fable about a bishop who should also have desired to know such things. He dreamt that he saw a carpenter hewing wood, and a little child with him, carrying shavings, until finally a maiden in a blue skirt came, with a pan, and called both the man and the little boy to eat. Then in a dream he thought he would secretly go and stand behind the door so that he could see what they were eating. As the mother was preparing a little dish for the child, the child said, "Yes, mother, what should the man behind the door eat? The bishop is said to have been frightened and awakened by such a word. Such a petty thing they have fantasized.
20 But if you really want to know what Christ did in his youth, listen to the evangelist here, where he says: "He was subject to them," that is, he did what his father and mother told him to do, and did not let anything stand in his way. Every child and servant should be ashamed in his heart who hears such stories about the infant Jesus, and yet does not obey his parents or their rule in such a way, and even lives in shameful disobedience. It does not do to ask, to remember, or to speak of it, as everyone commonly does: If I knew what the infant Jesus had done in the tabernacle, I would do it too. As the monks say: Franciscus did this, dressed like this, watched like this; I will do the same. But no one knows what Christ has done. I say no to that. For here it is written, "He was subject unto them." With such words the evangelist sums up the whole youth of our dear Lord Christ.
Twenty-one: But what does it mean, "He was subject to them"? Nothing else, but that he went in the works of the fourth commandment. These are the works of which the father and mother of the house have need, that he fetched water, drink, bread, meat, kept the house, and such like things, which he did.
He was called like another child; this is what dear Jesus did.
(22) Then all children who are godly and pious should say: Oh, I am not worthy to come to glory, and to be like the child Jesus, in that I do what he, my Lord Christ, has done. If he picked up shavings, and did other things which his parents commanded him to do, which were common, small works, as they are in the house; how fine children we would be if we followed his example, and did also those things which our parents commanded us to do, it would be as bad and small as it could be.
(23) Therefore, do not write great books about what the infant Jesus has done. Just pay attention to what the father and mother need in the home and what they call the children: Only pay attention to what father and mother need in the home and what they use to call the children. For here it is clear that he did not run away to a monastery and become a monk, but went with them to Nazareth, stayed among the people, and there waited for obedience to his father and mother, and let himself be brought up like another child.
(24) The crude and fanciful monks write that the infant Jesus made new birds and other animals in his youth. But these are works that do not belong to obedience and the fourth commandment. So the parents would not have told him to do such things. For filial obedience requires other works, namely, those that belong to stewardship, and which, as we see, almost no one wants to do. Of such works the evangelist reports, which are called obedience to parents.
(25) That it may be diligently observed, and that there may be no doubt that these works are so sanctified and sanctified by the infant Jesus, that we may shut our mouths, that we may come to them. But the world does not allow itself to be told. Therefore we have left such works and obedience standing, and in the name of the devil have gone to monasteries, to St. James, and elsewhere. Everyone thought he would do better and more deliciously than the dear little child Jesus. They did not see that
154 L. 1, 159.160. On the other Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 365-368. 155
Such household works and obedience to father and mother are sanctified by this holy person, the Son of God, who himself in his youth carried wood, stoked the fire, fetched water, and did such other household work that we are not worthy to imitate him.
Therefore we should learn this history with diligence, and consider ourselves blessed if we walked in such obedience and works, since we see that Christ himself did not let such works spoil him. For they are a thousand times better and holier works than the works of all monks in monasteries can ever be. For the infant Jesus did not enter a monastery, but was born in a monastery.
He stayed at home and served Joseph and his mother, as an example to us, so that we might learn how such works are worthy, noble and holy, which Christ our dear Lord Himself has done.
(27) So that this is the sum of today's gospel: Christ is Lord over all, and yet, as an example to us, he lets himself down and is obedient to father and mother, so that we may learn both, first of all to obey God, and then also to be faithful to father and mother and all authorities. In this way we can boast on both sides that we have done right, and because of this all happiness and blessings will be with us. May our dear Lord Christ grant us this, amen.
2.Sunday after Epiphany; John 2, 1-11
*The next Sunday after Epiphany. )
John 2:1-11.
And on the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of JEsu was there. JEsu and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. And when there was no wine, JEsu's mother said unto him, They have no wine. JEsus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? My hour has not yet come. And his mother saith unto the servants, What he saith unto you, do. Now there were six stone water jars set there, after the manner of the Jewish purification, and into each went two or three measures. †) JEsus said to them: Fill the water jars with water. And they filled them to the top. And he saith unto them, Draw ye therefore, and bring unto the Master of the feast. And they brought it. And when the master of the feast had tasted the wine that was water, and knew not whence it came (but the servants knew, who had drawn the water), the master of the feast called unto the bridegroom, and said unto him, Every man giveth good wine at the first, and when they are drunken, then the less; thou hast kept the good wine until now. This is the first sign that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, revealing his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
- this is the first miraculous sign that our dear lord jesus did on earth, so that, as john himself reports, he might reveal his glory to his disciples, so that they might know him by such a miraculous sign and believe him to be the son of god and the true messiah, since he can do what no other man on earth can do.
*) In the house, 1533.
†) Marginal gloss: "Such have not been common measures, but, as John calls it, metreta, is harmless such a measure, which holds at half a bucket or more."
cannot do, namely to change the creature and make wine out of water. Such art is only God's art, who is a lord over the creature; men cannot do it.
(2) For this reason, this miraculous work is primarily intended to help us learn to recognize our dear Lord Christ, and to have recourse to him with certain confidence when we are in need or in distress, and to seek help and grace from him, which will certainly come to us in due time. This is the most important part of today's gospel.
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(3) Since such teaching and comfort are found in all the miraculous works of Christ, we will now speak especially of the miraculous sign the Lord performs at the wedding, so that the doctrine of the marriage state may remain among Christians, for it is very important.
4 It is especially necessary for this reason. For, as you know, under the papacy the marriage state was greatly despised, and only virginity and chastity were praised. But how God paid and punished the celibate clergy again, we know to a good measure that not only the desire and love for marriage is taken from them, but also the love for women is almost extinguished. It is a great wonder that the godless sodomite crowd in monasteries and convents in the papacy has not long since been set on fire with hellish fire and sunk into the abyss of hell solely because of this sin, which followed from contempt for married life.
(5) That we may have other thoughts of the marriage state, and not, like Pope, flee and hate it, is the purpose of this gospel, in which we see that the Lord performs his first miraculous sign at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, in that poor little town, when he was thirty years old, had already been baptized by John, and had now begun to be a preacher. According to Pabst's holiness and wisdom, it would have been much better for the Lord Christ to have done this before he entered the spiritual ministry and was anointed and called by the Holy Spirit to be a preacher.
(6) But this is an excellent and useful example, not only against the pope's error, which is dead and gone with us, praise God! but also against the future mobs, who consider it a great sanctity to leave the married state and other civil beings, and run away into the desert or wasteland, where one has better and quieter days than in the married state, where one has to quarrel, scold, and sometimes even beat one's wife, children, servants, maids, and evil neighbors. Therefore, the married state could be called a laborious state, since there is enough toil and work involved when you lose sight of God's creature, foundation, blessing and word.
want to put. On the other hand, the monks called their life a holy, perfect life. But, as seen before, it is truly a lazy, quiet, good, sweet and epicurean life, since they have had everything enough, and have left the poor people in the world, to whom their food has had to go sour, and have nevertheless had to guess at the name that they were in a blessed, good state.
(7) Although the example Christ has given us here is great and excellent, it has not helped the hopeless people. It may have been read in the church, but there was no one who could have seen this light and said, "If it is so good to go into the wilderness or run to the monastery, why did Christ go to the wedding? Is it so evil to live in the world and become married: why then does Christ honor the married state with his presence and with such a glorious miracle?
8 Now the hut would have had its opinion if such a monastic or hermit life had been set for two or three weeks, for one year or two. But that one not only flees marriage, but also conspires for eternity, that is, despises and dishonors the marital state to the highest degree, and instead of it seeks not a holy state, but rest and a quiet life, against God's command and order.
9 Therefore learn here that our Lord God honors the fourth commandment. For where there is marriage, that is, father and mother, there must be a household; there will be wife and child, menservants and maidservants, cattle, fields, crafts and food. All these things in particular the Lord has commanded us, as a holy life and blessed estate, that no one should despise him, but honor him and consider him great, as he honors him.
(10) Therefore this gospel is a good sermon for the young people, that they may learn how to serve our Lord God in the home, and that it is not necessary to do anything special, as the smeared and shorn multitude did. For a householder who rules his house in the fear of God, who trains his children and servants in the fear of God and in knowledge, in discipline and respectability, who
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is in a blessed, holy state. So a woman who waits on the children with food, drink, cleaning, bathing, may not ask for a holier, more holy state. Servants and maidservants in the house, too, when they do what their masters tell them to do, serve God; and if they believe in Christ, it pleases God much better if they also sweep the rooms or wipe the shoes, than all the monks pray, fast, say mass, and what more they boast of for high divine services.
(11) For this reason, one should by no means despise such domestic life in the married state, nor, as the monks have blasphemed, consider it a worldly, unholy state. For here we see that the Lord Christ himself goes to the wedding. This does not apply to the wedding alone, but to the entire household; God wants to honor this, as the fourth commandment, which is the highest in the other tablet, shows.
(12) Therefore, if you are a father and a mother, remain in that position, and learn that God is pleased with you when you do what you ought to do because of that position. If you are a servant or a maid, learn that God is pleased with your status. For God Himself blessed and honored the marriage state, honored the marriage with His presence and first miraculous work, when He was already a preacher. He might also have said, "I will not come, I will wait for my preaching; it is a worldly thing; I have been commanded a spiritual office, according to which I must keep myself.
- But he, as the highest bishop, does not let the office, since he had special command to it, err in such, does not despise the marriage, which is the beginning of stewardship, but honors, praises and extols the works in such a state, so that everyone should be willing and say: Because God has set and ordained me to serve as a maid, as a servant, as a child, as a husband, as a housemother, to the married state and to stewardship, I will gladly do it and serve my God in such a state with joy. For I see that the high preacher, my Lord and God, Christ JEsus, gives himself here, and comes on
the wedding, not only in honor of this state, but also to help and preserve it.
This teaching was necessary against the heretics and the pope, and is still necessary today against the red spirits, such as Anabaptists and the like, who come and say: There is nothing wrong with keeping house, things are going this way and that, now one has unfaithful servants, now one must quarrel with the neighbors, now one is entitled to another accident with wife, children, food; how can one think of God and serve God with so much unrest, of which there is neither measure nor end in married life? I did not want to look at it, I want to run away to a monastery, since I am discharged from such unrest 2c. So we went in the name of the devil, one to this order, the other to another order and state.
15 Let this be remembered, lest such mad spirits come again. For it is clearly stated here how the Lord Christ himself, coming to the wedding, did not separate the bride and bridegroom from each other, but left them with each other, and even helped to make the wedding more honest. With such a beautiful example he wanted to teach us that it should also please him where one faithfully helps and serves the household. For if there be any lack, let it not dismay thee: only see thou have Christ with thee, and be not ungodly: and he will make wine of water, and so bless thy estate, that thou shalt have enough; and at length whatsoever is needed shall be found, though it be lacking and straitened for a season.
This is also seen in experience. If husband and wife live together in a fine Christian way, our Lord God feeds them so easily that they get more than they think. And I believe that no craftsman who is otherwise diligently dedicated to his work and who fears God would be able to get so much money in one pile on a table, as much as he can earn in a whole year, if he dared to keep it. But God's blessing goes on secretly, so that today a penny is saved, tomorrow another penny, and one helps oneself in such a way that one must feel God's blessing in such quiet housekeeping. So that our dear Lord
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Christ will turn water into wine in my house and yours this very day (if we are godly and pious and let him take care). He makes one piece of bread become ten, and one skirt last as long as three. For this reason, if only we would open our eyes, we should say, "Lord, the works of stewardship belong to you, and you are served by them, for you have honored them and still honor them with your blessing. Therefore I will not despise them, but will diligently help them in my state.
The evangelist reports in particular how Jesus' mother was also there. She may have been the bride's mother at the wedding time. For she takes care of the affair as if she were particularly concerned about it, since she sees a lack. For it seems as if it had been a matrimonial wedding, at which nothing but wine and bread had been lacking. Now think, if God did not like the marriage state, should not Jesus have said to her: Mother, you are so glorious and great, you alone among all women are a virgin and a mother of the Son of God, therefore you alone should wait for the church and the service: so you go here to this work, how one performs the wedding well? And it is true, it is ridiculous that the holy mother should give herself to this little work, and be a maid at the wedding, and serve the people with cooking, sending, and other things. But all this is done, as I have often said, so that we may learn to recognize this state, which Christ and the Virgin Mary honor so highly.
18 Nevertheless, such an example has not helped in the papacy, nor does it help the disobedient, unfaithful household. For no one wants to believe or believe it to be true that it is serving God when one serves faithfully and diligently in the home. Otherwise, servant and maidservant, child and servant would be merry and happy to do all the work, and would make a paradise out of their domestic service, saying: I will do and leave whatever they want to please my lord and my wife. Whether I am sometimes scolded, what is the harm? for I truly know that my position is a blessing to our Lord.
For my Redeemer, Christ Himself, went to the wedding, and honored it with His presence and His mother Mary's services: should I now not gladly do and suffer something for the honor and service of such a state? But one finds very few of such wives *) or servants; most of them are so obdurate, even though they hear these stories, that they still do not want to think about it, nor do they want to be moved to have it in the house, so that they can serve God in the best way, more than any nun or monk in the monastery, even if it would be so sour for them. But no one takes it to heart, no one believes it. Therefore, everything happens with unwillingness and reluctance, and it is not possible that happiness or salvation can be with such unwilling servants.
(19) For should not a godly and pious maidservant in the house, who has to cook and do other things, take comfort and rejoice in this example of the Mother of God, and say: That I have to cook and do other things, that was just the service of the dear virgin Mary at the wedding; she also made herself busy and saw to it that everything was done well. And even though it is a small work that I do in the house, and has no reputation, I do it in honor of God, who has commanded it, and wants me to do such obedience and diligence, and I know where I will please the descendant. Let the world therefore respect such obedience, for what it will; but let them that will be Christians count it great, and a right service of God, and perform it with all their will. Thus a maid or servant in the house could take pleasure in his position and in his work and please God, saying: "I thank you, Lord, that you have placed me in this service, knowing that I serve you more than all monks and nuns who have no command of their service. But I have God's command, in the fourth commandment, to honor father and mother, to serve masters and wives with all diligence and fidelity, and to help with housekeeping; therefore, I will comply with it with pleasure and love.
*Ehehalt - spouse, servant. D. Red.
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(20) Whoever so engaged in the matter would do what he should do with joy and pleasure, and would already be here in paradise; and our Lord God would also be pleased with it, with all his angels. Likewise, Lord and Lady, who in turn would richly reward such faithfulness and willing service. For faithful, pious servants are held in high esteem everywhere.
(21) But it is seen that they do not follow this, and that everyone would rather consider it a service of God to go into a monastery than to serve masters and wives diligently for housekeeping. But because the fourth commandment has been so trampled upon and the married state so despised, God has done right in making them monks and nuns and bringing them into such a state that they have worn themselves out, and have done God the greatest disobedience and disobedience, for he has never commanded them, nor commanded them.
(22) Therefore let us learn well this example, that every man may willingly and gladly serve and help that estate which our Lord God Himself has highly exalted and honored, and has made a fountain and source of all other estates on earth. For stewardship, or the married state, must preserve all kings and princes: not only because kings and princes come from the married state, but also because there would be neither people nor interest if there were not married couples. For the steward must acquire it, by which all estates in the world, from the highest to the least, are preserved.
(23) Let this be learned, and be willing and obedient to it, that this estate also may be honored and promoted of us; that every husband or servant may learn to say, Lord, it is thy pleasure; thou thyself wast at the marriage of Cana, and thy mother, the most blessed of all women, didst that very thing at the marriage, which I do in my lord's house and service. If she was not ashamed of such little work, but offered herself to do it, why should I, poor maggot, think myself better, and be ashamed of such housework, since I am a mere blasphemer against the pure Virgin Mary?
24 In particular, if a husband and wife are devout and godly, they should take comfort in the fact that God will not abandon them, but will gladly add to them His blessings, and turn away all their deficiencies, as He does here. For there is no other way out, husbands and wives must have much food and other things. But if one has Christ at the wedding, that one is godly, then the blessing and the help should not remain outside. This you should learn and know today; for this is why it is preached that you should remain all the more willingly in the services ordered to stewardship, and not be deceived by those who come and say: Stewardship, becoming married, is a worldly thing; whoever wants to serve God must attack it differently, so that it becomes sour and hurts him.
(25) As the Anabaptists, the blind people, do at this time, they run away from their wives and children, boasting of a great cross and holiness, which is painful. But it is nothing but evil with the skulls. Cause, that does not hurt, what one takes for himself and puts out. That hurts much more; that is why people are afraid to stay with their wives and children, to suffer much from the servants and evil neighbors, because one is caught more than with twenty ropes. The naughty boys get rid of such ropes and live according to their own will. But this is not called hurting oneself. But it hurts that you must be bound by God's command to your wife, princes, neighbors, servants, since you have your hands full on all sides to prove Christian love and patience. For then you must hear, see, and suffer that you would rather have suffered; you must nevertheless remain, and not run away, but say: I will do it all gladly and suffer; for I know that God wants to be with the household with His graces. Yes, I thank God from the bottom of my heart, who has placed me in this blessed and pleasing state. If something is lacking, He can help. And prove it here at this wedding, that he will do it gladly and with pleasure.
(26) Learn these things from today's gospel, and call upon God for His grace, that we may keep them, and so send us on our way in a Christian way, amen.
164 L. 1, 169. i7o. On the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 379-382. 165
3.Sunday after Epiphany; Matth. 8, 1-13
On the third Sunday after Epiphany.*)
Matth. 8, 1-13.
And when he was come down from the mountain, much people followed him. And, behold, a leper came and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And JEsus put forth his hand, and touched him, and said: I will do it; be cleansed. And straightway he was cleansed from his leprosy. And JEsus said unto him, See thou tell no man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded, for a testimony against them. And when JEsus was come into Capernaum, a certain centurion came unto him, and besought him, saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home, sick of the palsy, and in great affliction. JEsus said unto him, I will come and heal him. And the centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man, and subject to the authorities, and have under me soldiers: but if I say to one, Go, he goeth; and to another, Come, he cometh: Come hither, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him: Verily I say unto you, I have not found such faith in Israel. But I say unto you, That many shall come from the morning and from the evening, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And JEsus said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and it shall be done unto thee according to thy faith. And his servant was healed at that very hour.
In today's Gospel, we are given two stories: the first about the leper whom the Lord made clean, and the second about a centurion who had a sick servant. The evangelist reports that Christ performed such miraculous signs soon after his long sermon on the mountain. For this is how it was to happen, that he first preached and then testified to his sermon with miracles, so that everyone could judge that the sermon was true and not false, and would believe sooner.
(2) We do not need miraculous signs, praise God, for the doctrine has already been testified to with miraculous signs, so that no one should doubt it. Nevertheless, it is especially necessary for those who speak the word not only to be able to speak as Christians, but also to live as Christians, and to bear witness with the work of doctrine and let their faith be seen. For the kingdom of God does not stand, as St. Paul says, in mere words, but in power. Where doctrine and work are in harmony, there it produces fruit. Since, on the other hand, everyone
*This sermon is taken from the interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew.
must fret when life is evil and does not rhyme with doctrine.
Now these two miraculous works are not only to be regarded as a testimony of doctrine (for because they are such works, which are beyond all human power and ability, reason must conclude for itself, as we hear in Nicodemo, John 3:2, that no one can do such signs, except God be with him), but are also to be regarded as examples of faith and love. For who does not see what a kind heart our dear Lord Christ has, that he allows himself to be raised up and helped with a word, when otherwise all the world cannot help? This is an indication that he does not mean any harm to the poor, afflicted, miserable people; otherwise he would do as we do, when we are unkind and angry, if someone comes and wants or desires something from us, we do not give anyone a good word. Christ does not do that. The leper has not yet opened his mouth, but soon Christ is there, touches him, and says that he will gladly help him; and he helps him.
4 Such goodwill should not only provoke us to seek help from him in our needs and hope that he will not abandon us, but should also make it clear to us that we can
166 2. i, i7o-i72. On the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. xni, 382-385. 167
We have also shown such love and kindness to our neighbor, and in such work, like Christ, see nothing but obedience to God and the neighbor's need and improvement. For Christ seeks neither honor nor good with such help; he only sees that the poor man needs such help, and that God's honor is thereby promoted and obedience is thus rendered to him.
(5) But by doing this, you do not serve God by doing something good for someone, so that he may serve you again and you may enjoy such good again, but you serve yourself with it. But he who wants to serve God and his neighbor rightly does not look at his benefit, but only at the need that exists, and that God wants it and has thus commanded that one should not leave one's neighbor in need, even if one should never enjoy it for a straw, nor even earn all ingratitude with it. As we see in another story, where Christ cleanses ten lepers, and only one comes back and thanks him for the benefit, the other nine would not have looked at him. It is not possible that Christ did not know of such ingratitude beforehand. But regardless of such ingratitude, since they ask him, he helps them and commands God to do the rest.
6 Likewise, one may say of love in the other miraculous sign with the centurion. Christ reckons all these things together so that God's grace and goodness may be praised and the poor people may be helped in their need. This means a true love that looks at nothing but God's word and command.
7 The example of faith is also exceedingly beautiful, that the leprous man, who otherwise by reason of the law may not go among the people, nor speak to them in their presence, nor do otherwise, comes to the Lord Christ without all fear, falls down before him, and asks, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst cleanse me. There one sees both: he believes firmly and undoubtedly that Christ is so kind and so all-powerful that he can help him in his illness, since otherwise it was impossible for all men to help him; yet he, the Lord Christ, like other men, walked along without any special pomp or appearance; nevertheless, whether he had been able to help him or not, he was able to help him.
If he firmly believes this, he sends such a request home to the Lord Christ, if he does not want to help him, that is, if it would be against God's honor and his blessedness, he will gladly tolerate and bear such misery.
(8) This means not only to believe rightly, but also to pray rightly; as it is always the case with one another: he who believes rightly prays rightly; he who does not believe rightly cannot pray rightly. For with prayer it must first be so that the heart is certain that God is so gracious and merciful that he will gladly turn our distress around and help us.
- but especially such trust should be firm and certain in the things that concern God's glory and our salvation, such as forgiveness of sins, salvation against the devil and death, that God will give His Holy Spirit into our hearts, keep us in His word, not let us fall into any temptation, and increase in faith and love all the days 2c. Such things serve primarily for the glory of God and our salvation. For this reason, the heart should never doubt when we ask God that He will gladly give it and not deny us such a request. For this we need God's help, and God has promised it to us in His Word.
10 But whoever would ask in such matters, as the leper does here: "Lord, if you are willing," forgive my sin, make me blessed 2c., prays wrongly. For we cannot doubt God's will that he will do this, since he has already revealed his will to us in his word, that he wants everyone to be saved, and for this reason he let his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, pay for all the sin of the world on the cross, and commanded that everyone should hear him, accept him and believe in him.
(11) Why does the leper make his request by adding this word, "If you are willing, you can cleanse me"? Here one must look at the trade, what it is about. Earlier I said that as far as our blessedness is concerned, and God's glory without means, prayer must not be put in doubt. For God's will is evidently that He wants His glory and our blessedness unhindered. But such an opinion has nothing to do with the temporal. One can
168 L. 1.N2-174. On the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. xni, 38S-387. 169
be poor, sick, miserable and despised, and yet be saved, as is the case with all Christians. Since happiness does not lie in such temporal lack, but such lack can often lead to something good, whoever asks for salvation and help should believe that God can and will help; but he should still put his will in God's will: if it does not serve God's glory, or if it is detrimental to our salvation, we would gladly bear such a cross longer.
(12) That is, to pray rightly in such matters, namely, to believe that God can help; and yet to set God neither time, measure, nor goal as to how and when He should help us. For it is common with us that we do not always know what and how we should ask, as St. Paul says in Romans 8:26. On the other hand, we must confess that God knows what is best for His glory and our salvation. Therefore, we should put our will in His and not doubt that if such a request is for His glory and our salvation, He will surely hear us.
(13) Therefore, we should keep this example in mind, so that we also learn to pray in this way, and have no doubt in our hearts that God is gracious to us, that He knows our needs and troubles, and that He wants our needs and troubles to be taken care of. We should firmly believe this, and yet throw ourselves down and say: Lord, you know the time and the hour, therefore do what is good for me and honest to your name. Just as the leper does here: that Christ can help him, he doubts nothing; that he will help him, he doubts nothing; for otherwise he would not have cried out to him, where he would have had a doubt about his will. But besides this, he must confess that it is not his place, hour, manner and way to determine when and how he is to be helped. Such faith and obedience are especially pleasing to the Lord Christ; therefore he helps the poor man at the hour, in the place and in the way he should not have desired.
14 Hence the beautiful sayings from the prophets, Ps. 27, 14: "Wait for the
My soul waits for the Lord, and I hope in his word; my soul waits for the Lord from dawn to dawn. My soul waiteth for the LORD from morning to morning"; Hab. 2:3: "Whether the promise be consumed, wait for it; it shall surely come, and not be pardoned." For this can be seen in all histories, that the help finally does not remain outside, even if it is delayed for a long time. God also has his special reckoning on this. For that is why He does not hear so soon, and delays the help, so that He may have cause to give more and more abundantly than we can pray for or understand, as St. Paul says Eph. 3:20.
(15) What does the Lord mean by this, that after he has cleansed the leper, he directs him to the priest, and commands him to offer the sacrifice, as Moses commanded? It is not wrong to say that in this case the Lord Christ has presented us with an example of love, because he, who had the power, does not want to deprive the priests of what was given and granted to them by God; that we should also let everyone retain his rights and not deprive anyone of what is due to him.
16 But the most important reason for this command is that the Lord wants his miraculous work to be publicly witnessed, even by his enemies. For the priest to accept the sacrifice from him, and to give him the testimony that he is pure, serves to show that he and all men should have accepted Christ and believed in him as the true Messiah. For there were prophecies that Christ would do such miraculous works when he came into the world. Therefore the Lord spoke these words, saying, "Offer the gifts which Moses commanded for a testimony against them. As if to say, "They will have to confess that you are pure and that you have been helped; but that they still do not believe in me and do not want to accept me as the Messiah, that is a pure and stubborn will, which must be smelled. Nevertheless such a testimony against them shall serve others, that they accept me and believe in me.
17 The pope wanted to establish the confession from this command, because the sin is not
170 L. i,i74-i76. On the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. xiii, 387-390. 171
Leprosy can be compared to showing oneself to the priest and thus being cleansed of sins. But it is a very lazy reason. For what do we care what God commanded the Jews for leprosy? We have no such priests. And if we did, it is certain that the priests did not make the lepers clean; but if they were clean, they gave them the testimony that they were clean. But how does this rhyme with confession, since it was thought to be for the forgiveness of sins? For the lepers did not show the priests the leprosy, but a beautiful clean body, when they came before the priest with the sacrifice.
18 But it is useless to refute such lazy jokes. Whoever wants to confess, let him do so. But we know of a right and necessary confession only when the heart rises up against God and confesses its sin. This is a confession of the heart, which does not lie, like the confession of the ears or mouth. Nevertheless, such confession made against God does not make one pure or pious; how could ear confession do so? But this makes one pure and pious, that one with faith clings to the Lord Jesus and his word, and believes in the name of Jesus forgiveness of sins, as the same is promised to us in the word. That is enough of the first example.
The other miracle with the sick servant is also a testimony of the teaching of Christ, that one must confess, because God holds thus with him with miracles, that his teaching is pure, right and good, and that he is the right Messiah or Christ.
20 But besides this, here is a fine example of a special, high and great faith in the centurion; as the Lord himself praises such faith to such an extent that he has not found anything like it in Israel or among the holy people.
21 Such faith is first seen in the fact that this centurion, though not a Jew but a Gentile, nevertheless sends to the Lord Christ with full confidence that he will not pay him anything, but as he is able, so will he help him. For where this confidence is not firmly established in his heart
If he had not been to JEsu, he would not, as Lucas writes, have bothered the elders of the Jews and sent them to JEsu. But that he sent them to him is an indication that he hopes to obtain something from him.
(22) With such trust and faith there is a peculiarly high and great humility that he does not consider himself worthy to go to Christ himself and ask him, but first sends the elders of the schools, and then, when he hears that the Lord is coming, he sends his friends to meet him, as St. Lucas says, and asks him not to bother, because he considers himself unworthy that the Lord should go after him. So he, the Lord, could do the thing for which he was asked with one word, even though he was not there personally. This centurion believes this so surely that he sets his own example, saying, "I am a man subject to the authorities, and I have soldiers under me, and I say to one, 'Go, and he will go;' and to the other, 'Come, and he will come: Come hither, and he shall come; and to my servant, Do this, and he shall do it." If then my word be so strong, who am a man; how much more must it be strong, saith he to Christ, when thou speakest a word! This means not only believing, but also preaching and teaching about faith and its nature in the best and most glorious way. Therefore it would be desirable that we could also believe in Christ, who dwells so richly with us through his word, even though we do not see his person.
(23) It is a very good example that this man can rest so surely and truly on the word of Christ. First of all, he makes sure of everything that is good for Christ; then he does not ask any more, because he is only supposed to say one word. He waits for this word with the highest confidence and joy, as for the only treasure, so that his servant will no longer lack anything, but will be fresh and healthy.
(24) Learn to follow him, you who already have the word. For there are the comforting promises that God will be gracious through Christ, and that through faith in Christ we shall have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. But we lack the heart that this centurion has here, who thinks, "If I have the word, I have it.
172 L. 1, 176-178. on the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 390-393. 173
everything, then what the word promises will follow immediately. We cannot do this; therefore it follows that we pay no attention to the word, and in the meantime gape at other things; although the word is all-powerful and, as this centurion here believes, cannot lie. What he promises will certainly happen and be done to us.
Now such faith is to be praised all the more because this centurion is a Gentile, who has no promise like the Jews, and therefore must not presume or boast of the honor that the Jews, as God's people, had. For this is the nature of faith, that it makes humble hearts, which do not think much of themselves, nor are hopeful, and therefore cling to the mere grace and mercy of God.
(26) We should also take comfort in this, so that when this thought comes into our hearts, that we must confess how we are poor, miserable sinners, and can boast of neither worthiness nor merit, we will not nevertheless despair, but cling to the promise of God and desire His grace. Such things are pleasing to God, and He wants them from us. Otherwise it would not be called grace if we did not come to the promise unworthily and undeservedly. Like this centurion: he cannot boast, like the Jews, that God owes him something; therefore he himself may not come before the Lord Christ, but thinks: "It is lost with me, I must enjoy other people; nevertheless he holds fast to this: The man is so kind and friendly, he will not let me.
(27) This is called and is right faith and right humility, to fear because of unworthiness, and yet not to despair. For God wants both from us: first, that we should not be proud; and second, that we should not despair, but wait for grace; as the 147th Psalm v. 11. says: "The Lord is well pleased with
To those who fear him and wait for his goodness."
28 The Jews did not do this, for they thought that God would be favorable to them and do all good, which He would do; for they kept His will, and deserved it for Him; they became proud and sure, and despised grace. Therefore the Lord passed such a heavy judgment on them, saying, "Many shall come from the morning and from the evening, and shall sit with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." This is what shameful unbelief does, that they are so hopeful and despise grace. Therefore, as little as it helps them that they are Abraham's seed, so little shall it hurt the Gentiles that they are not Abraham's children, if they only hold to Christ with firm faith and sigh for grace and mercy. For this is God's pleasure, that He may let those who are full go hungry, but He will satisfy those who are hungry, regardless of whether they are Gentiles or Jews. For neither Gentile nor Jew, neither circumcision nor foreskin is valid before God, but only faith in Christ, that one may throw oneself down in all humility and desire nothing but mercy.
(29) So this gospel, in addition to love, teaches very finely about faith, what kind it is, how it keeps to the word and waits for the grace of God in all humility. Whoever does this, it will be granted to him, as it was to the leper and afterwards to this fine centurion, that it will be done to him as he believes; that is, just as he alone has God's goodness and grace in his heart, desires it and relies on it, so God alone will deal with him according to grace, accept him and help him. May God grant us His Holy Spirit, who will also awaken such confidence in grace through Christ in our hearts and thus lead us to salvation, amen.
174 L. 1, 179.180. On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 408-412. 175
4.Sunday after Epiphany; Matth. 8, 23-27
*On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. )
Matth. 8, 23-27.
And he entered into the ship, and his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, so that the little ship also was covered with waves; and he slept. And the disciples came to him and woke him up, saying: Lord, help us, we are perishing. Then he said to them: Ye of little faith, why are ye so fearful? And he arose and rebuked the wind and the sea; and there was silence. But the people were astonished and said: What manner of man is this, that the wind and the sea obey him?
1 We see in today's gospel that such a history is held up to us in it, from which we do not learn what we should do; for nothing is said here about our works, but about what we should believe and how we should comfort ourselves in hardships and adversities. For this reason, one of the high sermons is about faith, which makes everyone think that he can do it well, as if it were a bad and mean thing.
2 Therefore we will divide it: first, we will speak of the cross and suffering; then of the Lord Christ and of faith in him, so that this alone, as the one and best consolation, is valid and helps; third, of the fruit and benefit that follows from faith after temptation. Such pieces will finely indicate how a comforting history the evangelist holds out to us in so few words, which we should not ever gladly concede.
The first part is that the Lord Jesus enters the ship with his disciples. There is no storm yet, but a fine, friendly, calm weather; so the sea is also gentle and calm. Otherwise the disciples would have been afraid not to enter the ship. But as soon as Christ sits in the ship with his disciples, and they push off from the land and come into the sea, such a great tempest arises that the little ship is covered with waves, as if it were about to sink.
4 Let us take note of this history and make a proverb out of it, saying, "This is how it is; when Christ comes into the world, he will be with us.
*) Held in church in 1533, according to Dietrich, or 1531, according to Röhrer. D. Red.
ship, it will not remain quiet for long; a storm and tempest will come. For it is certain, as Christ also says in Luc. 11, 21. 22, that the strong-armed man has his palace in peace and quiet until a stronger man comes; then the strife begins, and there is fighting and strife. Thus we see in the Gospel history that when all is quiet before, as soon as Christ is heard with a sermon and seen with a miracle, there is fire in all the streets. The Pharisees, scribes, and chief priests are in a frenzy and want him dead, and especially the devil begins to rage and rage. Christ says this long before, Matth. 10, v. 34-36: "You should not think that I have come to send peace on earth. I have not come to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to provoke a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the cord against her sister-in-law. And man's enemies shall be his own household."
(5) But all this is for the purpose that thou mayest first consider whether thou wilt be a Christian or not. For if you want to be a Christian, send yourself into this storm and this strife, for there is no other way out; he who wants to live godly in Christ, says St. Paul, must suffer persecution. Therefore Jesus also admonishes Sirach, Cap. 2, admonishes all believers, saying v. 1: "My son, if you want to be God's servant, send yourself to temptation, hold fast, and suffer yourself." As if to say, "If you do not want to be God's servant, always go, the devil will leave you satisfied until you reach him.
176 2-1, 180-182. fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. mi, 412-416. 177
ner time. But again, if you desire to serve God and to be a Christian, only give yourself willingly: the weather and persecution will not remain outside. Therefore, take courage that you will not be frightened by it, as by an unforeseen accident. Do not be afraid of such weather, but be afraid of God, so that you do not deviate from His word because of the world, and defiantly dare to say: It was not started for the sake of the world's favor; therefore do not refrain from anything because of its disfavor and wrath. This is what the evangelist wants to teach us when he says that the tempest rose first when Christ stepped into the ship and came out onto the sea from the land.
(6) But this also serves us to know how to answer the wicked useless blasphemers, who can do no more than blaspheme and speak the gospel: Before this doctrine arose, all was quiet and full; now there is so much misfortune that no one can tell of it, of the mobs, the war, the riots, the troubled times, the Turks, and all the miseries. Now whoever wants to stop such shameful blasphemers, let him speak to them: Dear, have you never read it in the Gospel, as soon as Christ comes into the ship and on the sea, that a tumult arises?
Now it is not the fault of the Lord Christ, but of the devil, who is hostile to him and does not want to suffer him. So he is also hostile to the gospel, and for this reason he would like to cause so much trouble and distress on earth that it would have to fall to the ground. But the blind, stubborn people do not want to see or notice this. They only stand on the trouble and lack, and blaspheme that it is the fault of the gospel. But what good comes from the gospel, how one can know God through it, come to the forgiveness of sins and become holy, they do not want to see.
(8) Just as the ungrateful, stubborn and unruly people, the Jews in the wilderness, did. When they were in Egypt, and there was work for two of them, they cried out to God to help them out of their misery, and they wanted to be righteous. But what happened? When God delivered them from such misery and they entered the desert, it was all forgotten. But that was the worst thing, that everything was forgotten.
They had forgotten what and how much they had had to work and suffer in Egypt. Only they remembered the flesh pots and the bread in Egypt. They also knew the Pabst's art and picked out the good things they had had, but what they had suffered in addition, they could keep silent. Therefore, when God gave them the bread of heaven, they also despised it and thought it was not as good as the meat in Egypt. Thus our nature and evil ways are corrupted by original sin; God may do with us as He pleases, but He cannot do right to us. Therefore, it requires great and divine patience that he can tolerate such wicked boys for so long.
(9) If anyone had asked us twenty years ago, whether we would rather have a year's drudgery, or let the monks and the priests always toil, toil, and toil us, as was the custom at that time, do you not think that everyone would have gladly chosen the drudgery, so that one could have gotten away from the hard, unmistakable, and, as it was to be seen, infinite drudgery? For there would have been the hope that what one year had not given, the other would; but that drudgery went on for and on, and from day to day increased the longer the more. We have so purely forgotten such and other nastiness, praise the peace and the former being, do not see what a terrible cliff is attached to it, that we have been deprived not only of money and goods in such peace, but also of body and soul, through false teachings and idolatry. And yet they could not have overcome it. For at the same time there have also been great times, pestilence, war and other plagues. Because such things are happening now, they blame it on the gospel.
(10) But how thinkest thou that such things shall please God, who hath no higher treasure than his word, and can neither help nor counsel us better or more from sin and death, than by the gospel: and yet it is so grievously dishonored and blasphemed in him that he is blamed for causing all mischief 2c? ? But what kind of punishment will follow such blasphemy? That God will blind the hearts and eyes of such blasphemers.
178 L. 1, 182-184. On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 416-420. 179
that they do not see the glorious, great benefits of God, and must thus become and remain hardened with the Jews, so that they can do no more than blaspheme God and finally go to the devil. Such a reward belongs to them, and will certainly befall them. Otherwise you will have to suffer, even though the gospel is not, so that not everyone will favor you and you will have enmity. So Rome had to suffer war and all kinds of misfortune before the gospel came.
(11) Therefore the gospel is not to blame for such things. All the blame is on the devil and our ingratitude. The devil does not like the gospel and would like to dampen it, therefore he causes all misfortune. And the more powerful the word is, the more angry and furious he becomes about it. If we are so ungrateful against such a great treasure, if we do not want to accept it or need it, or even hate and persecute it, God cannot tolerate it either; therefore he must come with all kinds of punishments and plagues to ward off ingratitude.
(12) This is the first thing that thou shalt learn, if thou wilt be a Christian, to send thyself into the storm. But if thou wilt not, go thy way; thou shalt know when thou shalt die what thou hast done.
The other piece is about the right kind of faith, which goes forth in such a battle and storm, and finds itself in Christ, and awakens him. Let this also be well remembered. For our opponents, the papists, consider faith a very small thing. On the other hand, they think much of free will. But I wish they were also in the ship, that they would try what free will can do in such fear and hardship.
The apostles have learned finely here. Their faith was as weak and small as they wished; nevertheless, if it had not been for such weak and small faith, they would have despaired of free will and sunk into the abyss of the sea. But because there is little faith, as Christ himself testifies when he says, "O you of little faith," they have a remedy so that they do not despair, and they run to Christ, wake him up and seek his help.
(15) If the small and weak faith does this, what should the strong and great faith do? As the example of the leper and the centurion of Capernaum showed eight days ago. Therefore, free will is nothing; it loses itself and cannot stand when the trains come here and it comes to the meeting. For there our thoughts are nothing else but that we scream and wish ourselves a hundred miles away. That is, free will does not comfort the heart, but only makes it more and more despondent, so that it fears even a rustling leaf.
(16) But faith, though small and weak, still stands and is not frightened to death. As can be seen here in the disciples. Death was before their eyes, for the waves were crashing with such force that they covered the little ship. Who would not pale in such distress and danger of death? But faith, however weak it is, still holds like a wall, and, like little David against Goliath, that is, against death, sin and all danger, does not despair, but seeks help where it is to be sought, namely, from the Lord Christ, wakes him up, cries out to him, "Oh Lord, help us, we are perishing."
(17) So faith, though destruction is before the eyes, makes one wait for help, and pray, as the Psalm says, "I believe, therefore I speak. For no one can pray unless he believes. Nor can free will, for it looks only at the present need and danger, but it does not see the person who can help in such need and danger; and therefore, because of free will, man must die in his sins. But it is faith, even if it is small and weak, that takes hold of this person, the Lord Christ, and obtains help.
018 Now if such faith had been strong and steadfast, as that of Jonas the prophet, which abode in the whale unto the third day, they might have said unto the sea and waves, Smite always; ye shall not be so strong as to overthrow the ship: and though ye finish it, yet will we find a vault in the midst of the sea, where we shall sit dry, and not be drowned. For we have
180 L. 1, 184-187. On the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 420-425. 181
a God who can sustain us, not only on the sea, but in and under the sea.
19 This is true faith, which does not, like free will, look only at the present, and because of this is frightened and despondent, but it looks to the future and to the contradiction. Therefore, even if he is stuck in the jaws of death, he still takes courage and holds on to this consolation that he can be helped, as we see here in the weak faith of the disciples. Therefore, faith is not a small art, nor a bad thing; it is a divine power that does not come from free will, but is given to us by the Holy Spirit through the Word.
20 Our adversaries, the papists, do not know this; otherwise they would not fight it so hard when we speak: Faith alone makes blessed, that is, faith alone finds consolation when sin, death and eternal damnation come along and want to push us to the ground. That is why they are seen to be bold and proud as long as the sea is calm and the weather is fair. But when the storm rises and evil wants to happen, all courage and comfort fall away. For there is no faith, but the powerless, desolate free will, which forgets God and his word, and nowhere knows where from.
Now here it is a special misfortune that Christ is resting in such distress of death, and sleeps of a right, natural, strong sleep, which perhaps came to him from the fact that he had worked and preached himself tired during the day, or had prayed during the night and had his temptation. For I believe that he suffered a great deal of temptation from the devil during the night, as he complains in the 88th Psalm, v. 16: Pauper sum ego, et in laboribus a juventute mea. "From my youth I have been wretched, and have suffered much; I suffer thy terrors, that I almost despair." Therefore he was seldom cheerful, always walking in heavy thoughts, when he was full of sorrow and grief; as the same Psalm indicates before, v. 4: "My soul is full of sorrow, and my life is near hell." And yet, though such sleep is right and natural,
yet he had to serve for the faith of his disciples, as all his works do.
22 This is still happening today, that the Lord is standing against his Christians as if he did not see us, or had even ignored us; as he is doing here in the ship, lying and sleeping, he does not care about the weather, neither for his disciples, nor for the ship. But he is still in the ship, even though he is asleep.
(23) These are the temptations that always strike, that our Lord Christ causes the waves to fall over the little ship; that is, he causes the devil and the world to rage against the Christians, so that one must fear, as it is also before one's eyes today, that it will completely go to the bottom. The pope and his crowd are hostile to the word, always inciting the great potentates against us. So the devil does not let the Turk celebrate either. There we sit in the ship, and have weather and wind, that it would be better. Nevertheless, the Lord should sit quietly and not let it be known that he wants to help us. This is his sleep, which he does in the ship.
(24) But then we must take courage, and think that there is no need yet. For he is the Lord, and is also with us in the ship. Even though he stands as if he does not see us, we must stand as if we do see him and believe him to be able to calm the sea, no matter how much it rages.
(25) So shall we also do in private trials, in our own danger and temptation, which are particular to each one. When the devil comes, reproaches you with your sin, and frightens you with the wrath of God, threatening eternal damnation; think and doubt not: My Lord Christ is not far off, but he sleeps. Then it is necessary that I find my way to him through earnest prayer and wake him up, as the disciples do here. They are more interested in their own destruction than in the Lord's sleep; therefore they think, "In short, we must have an awake Christ now, otherwise we are finished; for this reason they give him no rest and wake him up. So learn thou also to do; for both must be done. If you want to work with
182 2.i,i87-i8g. On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 425-^31. 183
Christ into the ship, the weather will not remain outside, and Christ will want to sleep, so that we may feel the challenge properly. Otherwise, if he were not asleep and would fight the weather as soon as it came, we would never know what it would be like for a Christian, and we would still think that we were doing it out of our own strength. But here faith is strengthened by temptation, so that one must speak: No human power could have helped; only God and his dear Word did it.
(26) Besides this beautiful and comforting teaching, the Lord Christ is also presented to us here as a right, natural man, having body and soul, and therefore needing to eat, drink, sleep, and other natural works done without sin, as we do: lest we fall into the Manichaean error, who took Christ for a ghost, not for a right man.
- Just as natural sleep is a certain indication that the Lord Christ is a true, natural man, so he proves his omnipotent divinity by calming the sea with a word and causing the wind to cease, which is not the work of man; it takes divine power to ward off the tempest of the sea with a word.
28 Therefore, this miraculous work should be all the more pleasing to us, so that we may see how God and man are one person in Christ. For this reason he is able and willing to help all who seek help from him in all troubles and temptations. Whether we have to suffer and dare something about it, if it cannot be otherwise, what is the point? The wicked must also bear their suffering and cross, yet have an evil conscience and finally await eternal damnation.
29 The third part is about the fruit of such faith, namely, that others also perceive such miracles, and say: "What kind of man is this, that the wind and the sea obey him? Until now, they may have considered him a bad man and not known or believed that one could seek and find help from him in mortal distress.
should. But now they learn to recognize him, that he is the highest and best emergency helper, since no one else can help.
(30) Thus it is that the more severe the challenge, the greater the fruit and benefit it produces. The world is hard on us now, so that we always think that we must endure, that the sea and the storm will overgrow us and tear us to pieces. But let us hold fast to our word and faith. What does it matter, there shall follow a beautiful, glorious fruit, at which we shall laugh and be glad. The bitter hatred that is in the Pope and the Turks against the church, about which we, as a woman in childish distress, are afraid and have to shriek and groan, shall, if God wills, bring something with it. Every person should hope for the same for his own person, if the challenge seizes him, that it will not go away without fruit.
(31) Alphonsus, behold your love, how this gospel is very comforting, and teaches us a good and beautiful lesson, that if we would be Christians, we must enter into the ship with the Lord Christ, and there wait for the weather and tempests. If this is the case, then we should hold fast to the faith and the word, and hope that we will not only be saved from the weather or the tempest, but that a certain fruit and benefit will follow from it; that we should not wish otherwise than we have tried, and have learned strength and virtue through our own experience of the word and faith. Who would complain about the cross, because certain help and fruit should follow? But it hurts the old Adam, who rebels at such bitter and sour drink, and would rather be overridden. For this reason it is necessary that we remember such examples often and much, and handle the word diligently, so that when the challenge comes, we are prepared, and find ourselves in Christ, who sleeps with us and pretends not to take care of us, and seek help and salvation from him through diligent prayer.
- May our dear Father in heaven, for Christ's sake, grant us all these things through his Holy Spirit, amen.
184 L. 1, IM. 190. fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 431-^34. 185
5.Sunday after Epiphany; Matth. 13, 24-30
On the fifth Sunday after Epiphany.
Matth. 13, 24-30.
He set before them another similitude, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that sowed good seed in his field. But while the people slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went away. Now when the herb grew and bore fruit, the tares were also found. Then the servants came to the father of the house and said: Lord, did you not sow good seed in your field? where did the weeds come from? He said to them: The enemy has done this. Then said the servants: Do you want us to go and weed it out? And he said, Nay; lest, when ye sow the tares, ye pluck up the wheat at the same time. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to be burned; but gather me the wheat into my sheaves.
1 This gospel seems to be easy and to be understood well, because the Lord himself interprets it, what the field, the good seed and the tares are. But there are so many different interpretations in the teachers that it is necessary to be careful how to arrive at the right opinion.
(2) For some interpret the weeds as heresies, and conclude from this gospel that it is not fitting for secular authorities to strangle heretics, because it says here that they should not be weeded out. And Augustine himself confesses that he was also of such an opinion, but afterwards was forced by example and irrefutable cause to drop such an opinion.
- some make no distinction between secular authorities and the servants of this householder, and point the weed to the public aversions, and conclude that Christian authorities should not possess an embarrassing court.
4 Some, as the pope and his crowd, regardless of the fact that the Lord forbids to root out the tares, because they judge and condemn the teaching of the holy gospel as tares, they do not leave it at that, but cannot rage against it enough and rage with murders and all kinds of horrible tyranny. Since there are so many opinions, let us first see the correct interpretation, and then we will give our opinion on the question of how to deal with heretics.
5 So this is the opinion that Christ does not speak here of the heretics in particular, but sets before us a likeness of the kingdom of heaven, that is, of the whole Christian church as it is here on earth and will remain until the end of the world, namely, that the Christian church will be like a field sown with good seed. But there the devil finds himself, and sows tares in the night, before men are aware of it. So that good seed and tares grow together in the church, that is, good and evil are among each other; this will never be prevented here in this life. But in that life there, the pious and the wicked shall be distinguished and separated, as the Lord says he will command his servants in the time of harvest.
(6) That this gospel goes especially against the Donatists, Novatians, Anabaptists, and such like groups, who have dealt with it, and still how they could establish a church, where there would be no trouble at all, but only pure saints. Therefore, if a case of weakness or otherwise happened to a Christian, they immediately threw him out of the church and no longer wanted to consider him a brother. Yet the command of Christ is clear and plain, that men should be converted and repent, and that the ministers of the church should especially labor that men continue not in sins, but by right repentance depart therefrom.
186L. 1, 190-192. On the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 434-436. 187
007 That it is so, the examples also prove. David's fall was very grievous and terrible, but because he was sorry and desired mercy again, he was granted mercy. Peter also fell hard, but he was granted mercy again because he confessed his sin, wept bitterly over it, and desired mercy. Also, just before his fall, the Lord says: "I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail" 2c. And Matt. 18, when he asks if he should forgive seven times his brother who sins against him, Christ answers him v. 22: "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven."
These are clear and certain indications that the Christians here on earth will not be so pure, they will sometimes stumble and fall. Whoever now deals with how he can make a church, where there is no sin nor fall within, will condemn all such weak Christians, even the strong ones (for none of them is so strong, he sometimes stumbles), as unchristians and will have to exclude them from the church.
(9) Therefore the Christian church is of such an opinion that not only are there many hypocrites and false Christians in it, and yet they have the name as if they were Christians, but even the true Christians themselves will never be so pure and holy, the old Adam will be tempted and sometimes stumble. What need would Christians have of the petition in the Lord's Prayer, since they pray it every day? Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us? item: Do not lead us into temptation? Such a request is a certain indication that honest Christians can fall and fall into temptation at any hour. Whoever would exclude such people and not allow them to be Christians would lose the Christian church altogether and would not find any Christians anywhere.
10 But it does not have this opinion. Right Christians, as I said, are weak and often fall; but they rise again from sins through repentance and faith in Christ. Nevertheless, among the same Christians who are the right good seed, but still weak, are found the shameful weeds, the false Christians, who nevertheless bear the Christian name and make a fuss about the good field.
men. One must be accustomed to this and suffer it, and know that one cannot root out such weeds, nor make the church of all things pure of them.
Now Christ not only teaches us these things, but also shows us the cause where such evil comes from, that in the church, where the right seed is sown, that is, the word of God is preached purely and loudly, there are nevertheless so many shameful weeds, so many hypocrites and false Christians. But he shows such a cause to warn us against the trouble that otherwise all the world is in, saying, Nothing good comes from the preaching of the gospel 2c., lest we also fall into the wrong thought, since otherwise all the world is in.
(12) We can boast today, praise God, that we have the true gospel, and we can truthfully convict our adversaries that they have false and unfounded doctrine. But because the tares are also found among us in heaps, that many an offence is caused by the unbelievers among us; for avarice, usury, fornication, boasting, cursing, lying and deceiving are going on with all their might, yes, more than in former times under the papacy: such desolate nature brings the gospel and the preachers almost everyone into disrepute, so that one says: If this doctrine were right, people would be more pious. But Christ here excuses both the doctrine and the teachers, and says that among the multitude that has the right doctrine and is the good field, there are nevertheless many tares and bad boys. This is not the fault of the doctrine, which is pure and wholesome; nor is it the fault of the preachers, who like to see it well, and use all diligence to see that the people become more pious: but it is the fault of the enemy, the devil, who acts like a wicked farmer or neighbor: if one sleeps and does no harm, he does not sleep, but comes and sows tares in the good field. This is how it stands in the likeness before this: He captures the hearts so that they do not heed the word, and so from day to day the longer the further they get away from it, and let the devil lead and drive them as he wants, into all kinds of sin and shame.
188L. 1, 193-198. on the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 436-439. 189
Thirteen: But see thou whether it be not a poor trade and an abominable blasphemy, that men should blame and lay to the charge of Christ and his gospel that which the devil himself alone doeth; and yet almost the whole world walketh in such blasphemy this day. For whatever misfortune arises, soon one is there and cries out about the gospel, as if it were the fault of the doctrine and the good seed; when the good seed by its nature can bring forth nothing but good fruit; but where it does not bring forth good fruit, there must be a wicked land and a hopeless cursed ground.
14 For this reason, it is this opinion that every Christian, and especially every preacher, should despair and despair of the fact that he will never be able to have saints in his church. For the devil does not leave it, he throws his seed in with it; which is only realized when it shoots forth and grows up. This is what happened to the dear apostles, Paul, John and others; hoping to have pious Christians and faithful workers in the gospel, they were the worst husks and bitterest enemies. It is the same with us: those who think they are pious and righteous do us the greatest harm and cause the most trouble, because we are asleep and do not worry about any misfortune.
(15) This is the only consolation, that Christ himself says it will be so. For this reason St. John comforts himself in his epistle against such trouble, saying, 1 Epistle, chap. 2, 19: "They went out from us, but they were not of us. For it happens that what should be the best becomes the worst and turns out the worst. The angels have become devils. One of the apostles betrayed Christ. Christians have become heretics. God's people have become such boys, who bring Christ to the cross. This is the way it is and no other way. Therefore we should be undaunted and not abandon our ministry when we see weeds growing up among the wheat, but only then stop confidently to admonish the people so that they do not get angry. For the tares will not and cannot alone
grow in a bad soil, but also under the wheat and in a good field.
16 For the devil, as it says in the Gospel, cannot dwell in desolate, dry places; he wants to sit in heaven. He also likes to eat good, sweet morsels; and he likes to eat pure fruit, because he considers his filth to be musk and balm. The pure little fruit wants to live among the roses, that is, he wants to be, sit and rule in the church. We have to live and suffer this until that day, when it will be different.
17 Although it is very painful to remain among such evil men and have to tolerate and suffer everything, we can take comfort in the fact that the guilt is not ours. That is why God does not want to repay us. If only we keep the word faithfully and diligently, it shall bring forth eternal fruit. On the other hand, the wicked, who cause all kinds of trouble and do not want to act like Christians, shall find their punishment, not only here on earth, but also in the life to come, as the Lord says here: "Those who do wrong will be thrown into the furnace of fire, with weeping and gnashing of teeth. But the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom." The godly should look forward to this hour and not let the trouble they cannot avoid bother them. If most of them do not want to do right, let them. We may thank God that some nevertheless accept the word, follow it and become more pious.
18 So this is the sum of today's gospel, that even among the right Christians, since the right, good seed, the word of God, lies in a good field or field, there will always be evil, bad boys and unbelievers. And no one shall presume to change this. For the wicked will remain mixed with the pious, says Christ, until the last day. Then they shall be separated from them by angels; but from us men it shall not be. But whosoever shall be subject thereto shall make evil worse, and shall either pluck up the tares, or tread down the good wheat with the tares.
- Here they have two questions. The first:
190 L. 1, 195-197. on the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 439-442. 191
Whether the church may need its power, and exclude from the church those who lie in public aggravation? The other: Whether secular authorities should defend heretics with the sword?
(20) This is the answer to the first question: The church is not forbidden in this gospel to banish or exclude sinners. For the Lord speaks of such a casting out, which is done with the sword, as taking the life of the wicked. Now the church or the ministry does not use the sword, but what it does, it does only with the word. Therefore, although sinners are banished and excluded from the church, the church accepts them again if they convert and desire mercy. That is why the old teachers say that if Matthew, when he was still a tax collector, and Paul, when he persecuted the Christians, and the thief on the cross, had been judged and strangled soon after the fact, as bad boys, as they were in truth, then the wheat that grew from them afterwards, when they converted, would have been uprooted with them. But it should not have such an opinion that the church should strangle the wicked. It should banish and exclude them, like pagans, so that they may come to the knowledge of their sin and amend themselves, and so that others may then take their example as an example and beware of sinning.
(21) Yea, sayest thou, why are not thieves, and murderers, and others, dealt with in this manner, that they may be condemned, and not be punished with the executioner? Then some could be preserved who die in their sins without faith? Answer: Here you must realize that the Lord speaks of the kingdom of God. There it should be so, that one does not need a sword; otherwise one would want to pull out the wheat with the weeds. But in the kingdom of the world, God has given another command, which is called: "Whoever takes the sword shall be judged with the sword. Christ does not speak of such a world kingdom here. Therefore one must not mix it, but let it go in the kingdom of heaven, what should go there. But the worldly authorities should be diligent and
that the condemned people may be taught rightly, so that, because the body must bear its punishment, the spirit may nevertheless be preserved, until in that life the body also rises in honor, which here is so shamefully executed.
22 From this it is good to hear whether the secular authorities may also defend the heretics with the sword, because Christ says here: One should not pull up the tares, but save such judgment until the last day. For this gospel can do no more than that this master's servants should not pull up the tares. But these are servants, as reported before, not in the kingdom of the world, but in the kingdom of heaven. They do not need the sword, for God has not given it to them. But if they take it, as the pope did, they do no good, and do only harm. But the secular authorities have the sword with the command that they are to prevent all trouble, so that it does not break in and do harm. But the most dangerous and terrible trouble is when false doctrine and unrighteous worship break in. Therefore, a Christian authority should be most concerned about such trouble, since it always brings disruption of the regiments and all kinds of punishment and misfortune, as can be seen in all histories.
Therefore it is very true what St. Augustine says to Vincentium: Serviant reges Christo leges ferendo pro Christo. The kings should serve the Lord Christ in such a way that they should help with laws so that his honor is promoted. Et ad Parmenionem: Non dormiat severitas disciplinae, quando crimen cujusque notum, et omnibus execrabile apparet**.** Serious punishment shall not sleep when sin is in the daytime, and everyone sees that it is an abominable thing. The sin, he says, should be in the daytime and obvious, that is, one should not hurry with the punishment, but inquire well about all things beforehand. For one may sometimes think something is heresy, but if one judges rightly according to God's word, then it is the right, honest truth. That is why the papists are disagreeable, disgraceful tyrants, whom no one can bring to any discussion and disputation, yet they always continue with murders and
192' i. in. i98. On the Sunday of Septuagesimä. W. xm, 442,443,462-465. 193
all kinds of tyranny. Judgment shall precede punishment. But he who would judge heresy must seek such judgment nowhere but in the Scriptures.
(24) Where secular authorities find shameful error, thereby blaspheming the glory of the Lord Christ and hindering the salvation of men, and division arises among the people, where something bad tends to follow, as we have now experienced more than one 2c.Where such false teachers will not be rebuked and will not desist from preaching, the secular authorities should confidently defend themselves and know that, for the sake of their office, it is not their place to do otherwise than to turn the sword and all authority to this end, so that the doctrine may be pure and the people may be saved.
The church service must be pure and unadulterated, and peace and unity must be maintained. So that one may give a hand to the other: those in the spiritual regime with the word and ban; but the authorities with the sword and force, so that the people remain united in doctrine and all trouble and evil is prevented. So things are going well, and God wants to give prosperity to both regiments. But whatever wicked boys remain, who ask nothing of the Word and are not punished by the worldly authorities, they will find their judgment on that day. May God graciously protect us from this, and keep us in the good word, without all vexation, until the end, and make us blessed, amen.
Septuagesima
Septuagint; Matth. 20, 1-16
*On the Sunday of Septuagint. )
Matth. 20, 1-16.
The kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day's wages, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said unto them: Go ye also into the vineyard, and I will give you that which is right. And they went. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and said unto them: Why do you stand idle here all day? They said to him, "No one has given us anything to do. He said to them: Go ye also into the vineyard, and that which is right shall be done unto you. And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard said unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their wages, and lift up the last unto the first. And when they were come to the eleventh hour, they received every man his penny. But when the first came, they thought they would receive more; and they also received every man his penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the master of the house, saying: These last have labored but one hour, and thou hast made them like unto us, who have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered and said to one of them: My friend, I am not doing you wrong. Have you not become one with me for a penny? Take what is yours and go. But I will give to this last as to thee. Or have I not power to do what I will with mine own? Do you look askance because I am so kind? So the last shall be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.
(1) This is a sharp gospel, from which young people and bad people cannot learn much. Nevertheless, because it is read on today's Sunday, we want to say a little about it.
Your love stops in this likeness,
*) Held in Haufe, 1534.
as the father of the house goes out early in the morning, and appoints laborers to his vineyard, who work twelve hours; after that, others who work nine; item again, others who work only six and three; last, those who work only one hour. The work is very unequal, and yet the wages are equal. For the householder does not make an agreement with anyone, except with the first.
194 2 .1, 198-200. On Sunday Septuagesimä. W. xin, iss-E 195
But to the last, who work only one hour, just as much as to the first, with whom he became one for a penny to the daily wage. This would be useless in the eyes of the world, nor would it be right; there is a measure and a rule: he who works much is paid much; he who works little is paid little. But therefore, where one has his conditional wages, he should not and must not interfere with the master, even if he gives something to another out of goodwill. But of course it is wrong to give equal wages, because there is unequal work.
3 Now the Lord makes this likeness to separate his kingdom from the kingdom of the world, and to teach us that things are much different in his kingdom than in the kingdom of the world, since they cannot be equal because the persons are unequal. For the fact that inequality is also found in the world, that the master has more goods in the house than his servant, and yet the servant has to work more than the master, has its own special meaning; for this reason it does not belong to this equality, in which the Lord abolishes all inequality, and wants to teach us that in his kingdom everything is equal, and one should have and be worth as much as the other.
4 But in the outward, worldly life, there shall remain inequality; as then the estates are unequal. A peasant leads a different life and status than a citizen; a prince a different status than a nobleman. There all is unequal, and shall remain unequal. But in the kingdom of Christ, whether it be a king, a prince, a lord, a servant, a woman, a maid, or whatsoever they may be called, they are all equal. For no one has a different baptism, gospel, faith, sacrament, Christ and God than the other. For there one goes to the sermon at the same time, and a servant, a citizen, a farmer hears the very word that the greatest lord hears. So the baptism that I have, every little child receives it, no matter what. The faith that St. Peter and St. Paul have, the Magdalene and the thief on the cross also have. I and you, if we are Christians, have it too. The same God and Christ that John the Baptist has, all sinners have when they convert. There
All things are equal, whether one is superior or inferior to another by virtue of his status, office, or gifts.
(5) Now this is the most important part of this gospel, that we should take comfort from the fact that we Christians are all equal in Christ. In the sight of the world the inequality must remain, that the Father is more than the Son; the Lord more than the servant; that a king and prince is more than his subjects. This is what God wants, and this is how he ordered and created the ranks. Whoever wanted to make equality, that the servant should count as much as his lord, the maid as much as her wife, a peasant as much as his lord, would create a very praiseworthy regime; as has been seen in the rebellious peasants. Now let the world be as unequal as it can be, but let us comfort ourselves, no matter how high or low we are, that we all have one Christ, one baptism, one gospel, one Spirit; that no one has no better gospel, no better baptism, no other Christ, than the least maid and the least servant. For though another has more money, goods, and other things than you, yet he has not another or better God.
(6) Let this be learned and diligently remembered, that every man in his state may serve God with heart and desire, and say: I am not an emperor, not a king, I do not have cities and castles like the great princes; but I nevertheless have just as holy a baptism, the very Christ who died for me and purchased eternal life for me, which the emperor has. Such great possessions, which we have through our Lord Jesus, should make us hopeful that we will learn to despise worldly glory, and that we will have our defiance and comfort only in the fact that we have been baptized in the name of Jesus, and that he died for us and ascended into heaven, where he sits at the right hand of God, so that he may also help us from sin, death and all misfortune.
7 Whoever then has these things, and knows that we are all equal in Christ, goes about his work with joy, and is not troubled, though he be here on earth, by this short time.
196 L. 1, 200-202. on the Sunday of Septuagint. W. xm, 4"8-47i. 197
The first is inferior in nature and status to the second. For it shall be so, that in the outward life there shall be inequality, and one shall have much, and another little; one shall be master, and another servant. A Christian does not allow himself to be challenged, but says: "In the name of God, on earth it should be no different; even though I have a heavier status than lord and wife in the house; even though I am not as powerful as a prince, king or emperor: I will not grumble about it, but will gladly and willingly remain in my position until God does it differently with me and also makes me lord or wife, and in the meantime comfort myself that I know that neither emperor nor king has another Christ or more of Christ than I do. But if they want to have more, I know that they will find no place in this kingdom, for there it will all be the same, since we are all pleasing to God only because Christ Jesus suffered for us and cleansed us all, one as much as the other, from our sins with his blood. I have this treasure completely and perfectly. Therefore it shall not grieve me if I have any lack in things outward or temporal; if only here is no lack, and in eternal goods I shall be equal with all the saints.
(8) Let this then be our consolation, that we know that in the kingdom of Christ there is no inequality; let us therefore go willingly in such Christian hope, and do what we ought; so that every one may be glad in his state, and devout in it. For everything must go off with joy when a Christian can say from the heart: What shall I murmur for the sake of my estate? For it is a good estate, though it be lowly and laborious. For though it be not a princely estate, yet is it a Christian estate; what more shall I have or desire?
(9) These first ones do not do this, who grumble and look askance because they do not receive more than the others (2c). Neither do our clergymen. They want our Lord God to reward them according to their works, to see how much more they have done than others, to set them higher in heaven for this reason, and to give them a reward.
They taught that when a priest stands over the altar, he does such a work that he can share it with others and help them to heaven. For thus they have taught that when a priest stands over the altar, he does such a work as to be able to communicate it to others, and thereby also to help them to heaven, as being better and having a better standing in the kingdom of Christ than the laity. These grumble about such equality, which is in the kingdom of Christ, and want to bring it to an inequality, as it is in worldly classes. They have also taught that a virgin in a convent is better for the faith than a wife. And whoever still teaches otherwise today, they condemn as a heretic. That is why the first murmur here and want to have more than the others. They tell our Lord God how long they have worked and how sour it has become for them. But what does he say? Because of the outward life you are unequal; one may be more diligent and work more than the other, but no one has a better baptism and a better Christ than the other. Neither shall any man preach any other or better gospel than another.
(10) For monks and nuns to boast that husbands and wives have only the common gospel and commandment, but they have the high gospel, and keep more than Christians are commanded to keep in the common estate, is not true, and is altogether contrary to the gospel; for they would make inequality of the gospel, when Christ makes all things equal, and teaches especially in the present gospel, that in his kingdom one shall be counted as much as another. In itself it is not evil, nor does anyone forbid that a virgin remain who has grace to do so. But to boast of it before our Lord God, and therefore to be better than others, and to expect more reward, that is the offence and the vexation, when the pope takes offence, and therefore accuses us of forbidding good works. But he does us violence and injustice, for we do not forbid good works. But we say that in the kingdom of Christ all things are equal, because God does not want to deal with all of us according to merit, but only according to grace and mercy, for the sake of His Son Christ Jesus.
198 L. i, 202-204. On Sunday Septuagesimä. W. xni, 471-474. 199
- After this we say, if thou hast such equality in Christ, then, being a schoolmaster or a preacher, a master or a mistress, a servant or a maid, work, and do as much as thou canst in thy profession, and abide in such inequality. But in Christ we are not to be unequal, but equal. The world, and the Jews in particular, are offended at this, and want to be mad and maddened by it, when they hear that we Gentiles are to be saved just as much, who are not circumcised and do not keep the Sabbath and other burdens of the law, as they, who carry such burdens with such great effort that they sweat over them; as the Lord in the parable finely puts it, and says: The first thought they would receive more, and murmured therefore, when every man received his penny, even as they which had wrought but one hour.
12 But Christ will not suffer inequality at all. "Friend," he says, "I do you no wrong; take what is yours and go;" that is, you already have your reward, the land of Canaan; but now I will set up another and new kingdom, where all shall be equal within. For the goods are mine; therefore I may do with them as I will, but ye shall not teach me how I should keep my servants. So the Jews are angry with eternal life and do not want to be equal with us Gentiles; they accuse our Lord God of this, as if he were doing them wrong, so that he must answer for it, and say: "The property is mine, not yours; therefore it is none of your business how I deal with what is mine. The pope and his crowd do the same, do not want to enter the kingdom, where everything should be the same inside, but want to be and have something special, and rather delay eternal life.
(13) Therefore, this distinction between the worldly life and the Christian life, or between the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of Christ, should be carefully and diligently noted. For in the kingdom of Christ all things should be equal, since we all have only one God, Christ, Holy Spirit, Gospel, baptism, sacrament, faith. Because of this equality, one is just as good, pious and holy as the other.
- when we have these things, then we shall
Thanking God for such gifts, and rightly recognizing and praising them, and saying: "I am looked upon for what I will, I am respected for how little I will be looked upon; yet I have as much as all emperors and kings, yes, than all the saints and angels in heaven. By what? Through Christ. Therefore I will go and be a housemother, a householder, a servant, or a maid, and will do with joy, with pleasure, and with love all that my state requires, because I have such great treasure in my Lord Christ.
(15) This is the lesson of today's gospel, that we remain unequal here on earth, just as persons are unequal. A prince is a different person from a preacher; a maid is a different person from her wife; a schoolmaster is a different person from a mayor. Therefore they should not or cannot lead the same way or being. Such inequality must remain. But there in the kingdom of Christ it is said: I will give to one as much as to another; because the kingdom of heaven, the redemption from death and sins, no one has earned for me; therefore I owe it to no one; but give it by grace to whom I will. Over such things we should be careful not to grumble, but to thank God for them, and to draw out such comfort in all the danger, toil, and labor that we bear in outward inequality; so it will all become gentle and easy for us.
(16) From the last saying, "Many are called, but few are chosen," the crafty minds draw all kinds of unrighteous and ungodly thoughts, thinking thus: "Whom God has chosen shall be saved without means; but again, whom He has not chosen, let him do what he will, be pious and devout as he will, yet it is ordained for him that he must fall, and cannot be saved: therefore I will let it go as it may. If I am to be saved, it will be by my doing or without my doing; if not, all that I do and undertake will be in vain. What naughty, safe people grow out of such ungodly thoughts, everyone can soon see for himself.
(17) Now in the day of the wise men, when we have heard the saying of Micah the prophet, it is sufficiently evident that one must beware of such things.
200 L i, 204-206. On Sunday Septuagesimä. W. xin, 474-477. 201
The only way to study and think about God's will is to beware of the devil, and to choose a different way; namely, to leave God in His majesty and content with the providence, for there He is incomprehensible. And it is not possible that a person should not be angered by such thoughts, and either fall into despair, or even become godless and reckless.
- But whoever wants to know God and His will rightly, he should go the right way, so he will not be angered, but improved. But the right way is the Lord Christ, as he says: "No one comes to the Father except through me. Whoever wants to know the Father and come to Him, must first come to Christ and learn to know Him, namely: Christ is the Son of God and the almighty, eternal God. What does the Son of God do? He becomes man for our sake, he gives himself under the law, so that he may redeem us from the law, he lets himself be crucified and dies on the cross, so that he may pay for our sin; and he rises again from the dead, so that he may make the entrance to eternal life for us through his resurrection, and help us against eternal death; And sitteth at the right hand of God, to represent us, and to give us the Holy Ghost, and by the same to rule and guide, and to keep his faithful from all temptation and invective of the devil. This is what it means to know Christ.
19 If this knowledge is fine and firm in your heart, then begin and go up to heaven and make your calculation: Because the Son of God has done this for the sake of men, as God's heart is against us men, since His Son does this by the Father's will and command. Isn't it true that your own reason will force you to say: Because God gave His only begotten Son for our sake and did not spare His Son for our sake, He must not mean any harm to us humans. He does not want us to be lost, because he seeks and needs the highest means to help us to live. This is the right way to come to God; as Christ Himself preaches, John 3:16: "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son to be our Lord.
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. But if one holds these thoughts against those that grow out of the foregoing opinion, one will find that those thoughts are the thoughts of the wicked devil, since a man must be vexed, and either despair, or become reckless and ungodly; for he cannot provide himself with anything good to God.
20 Some have other thoughts, and interpret the words thus: "Many are called", that is, God offers His grace to many; but "few are chosen", that is, He allows such grace to happen to few; for few are saved. This is, first of all, an ungodly mind; for how can it be possible, if one thinks nothing else of God and believes that he should not become hostile to God for this reason, because of whose will alone it is lacking that we do not all become blessed? But hold this opinion against the one that is found where one first learns to recognize the Lord Christ, and you will find that it is all devilish blasphemy.
21 Therefore there is a far different opinion with this saying: "Many are called" 2c. For the preaching of the Gospel is common and public, whoever will hear and accept it; and God allows it to be preached in such a common and public way, that everyone should hear, believe and accept it, and be saved. But how does it work? As follows in the Gospel: "Few are chosen," that is, few hold to the gospel in such a way that God is pleased with them. For some hear and pay no attention; some hear and do not hold fast to it, nor do they want to add to it or suffer from it; some hear, but are more concerned about money and goods and worldly pleasures. But this does not please God, and does not like such people. This is what Christ means by "not being chosen," that is, not keeping themselves in such a way that God would be pleased with them. But these are chosen people who are pleasing to God, who hear the gospel diligently, believe in Christ, prove their faith with good fruits, and suffer what they should suffer.
This mind is the right mind,
202 L. i, 206-208. On Sunday Sexagesimä. W. xm, 477-479. 203
who can offend no one, but corrects people so that they think, "Well, if I am to please God and be chosen, I will not suffer myself to live in an evil conscience, to sin against God's commandment, and not to resist sin; but I must go to the sermon, ask God for His Holy Spirit, not let the Word leave my heart, resist the devil and his intervention, and ask for protection, patience, and help; then fine Christians will be made. On the other hand, those who believe that God does not grant salvation to everyone are either desperate or certain, godless people.
who live like cattle, thinking, "It is already decreed whether I am to be saved or not; why should I almost hurt myself? No, not so; you are commanded to hear God's word and believe in Christ, that he is your Savior and has paid for your sin. Remember the command and obey it. If you find yourself unbelieving or weak, ask God for His Holy Spirit, and do not doubt that Christ is your Savior, and that through Him, if you believe in Him, that is, if you take comfort in Him, you will be saved. May our dear Lord Jesus Christ grant this to us all, amen.
Sexagesima; Luc. 8, 4-15
*On Sexagesimä Sunday. )
Luc. 8, 4-15.
And when there were many people together, and they hasted to him out of the cities, he said by a parable, There went out a sower to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and were taken up, and the fowls of the air did eat them up. And some fell on the rock; and when it went out, it withered, because it had no sap. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns came up with it, and choked it. And some fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. When he had said this, he cried out, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What is this like? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto others in parables, that they should not see, though they see; neither understand, though they hear. But this is the same: The seed is the word of God. But those who are in the way are the ones who hear it; then the devil comes and takes the word from their hearts. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. But those who are on the rock are those who, when they hear it, receive the word with joy; and they have no root; for a time they believe, and in the time of temptation they fall away. But that which fell among thorns are they which hear it, and go away among the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life, and choke, and bring no fruit. But that in the good land, find they which hear the word, and keep it in a fine good heart, and bring forth fruit in patience.
Your beloved hear in today's gospel that there are four kinds of disciples who hear the pure word of God, and yet only the last keep it and bring forth fruit; so that each one may look around and diligently search out among which multitude he is, and so learn to send himself, that he may one day also come to those who are a good country and where the word brings forth fruit.
*) Held in the house 1533 according to ck, 1534 according to a b c and according to Röhrer's information. D. Red.
(2) The first, saith the Lord, are the seed that falleth by the way side; which fructifieth not, because it is either trodden down, or the birds eat it up. The others, hearing it, and beginning not only to speak of it, but also to believe, grow fine, as the grain falling on a stony field. But as soon as a little hot summer day comes to it, it begins to dry up, for it has neither root nor sap. So when persecution and temptation come, such people fall away before the right fruit comes.
204 L. i, 2N8-sio. On the Sunday of Sexagesimä. W. xm, 479-482. 205
of faith through patience. The third are the most recognizable here; they are Christians, like the grain among the thorns, which, though it grows up, cannot bear fruit, but must be choked, for the thorns overgrow it. But the fourth are the pious disciples, where the word falls into a good heart, and remains in it until it bears fruit through patience; for they suffer over the word what comes to them to suffer, and exercise themselves in love and obedience to God, and bear some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold fruit. These are the four kinds of disciples.
(3) Therefore let every man enter into his heart, and consider among what multitude he is. The first three parts are of no avail; but especially the first are the most grievous that hear the word, and when they hear it, saith the Lord, the devil cometh and taketh away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. Mark this diligently.
(4) So I should never have thought nor judged that the hearts should be possessed with the devil, who hear the word, and yet pay no attention to it, forget it and never remember it. Methinks it is without danger to hear the word of God and yet not remember it; and those who do so are bad careless people, and it is natural that they hear the sermon and yet forget it. But Christ judges differently here, and says: The devil takes the word out of people's hearts.
5 Then you see what is to be thought of people, children and servants, when they hear a sermon, and go away carelessly, as if they had not heard it, and did not even think of it. These cannot boast of the Holy Spirit, for the devil is so close to them that he reaches into their hearts and takes the word out of them. Therefore other bad habits must follow, that they are disobedient, unfaithful, obstinate, selfish, proud, unforgiving; for if the word remained in the heart and they heard it diligently, it would make fine, obedient, willing, faithful, humble, mild hearts.
(6) These are the first and most grievous; and such naughtiness grieveth the Lord very much, neither reproacheth any company so much as this.
For he says: "The devils, who hover in the air, take the word out of their hearts, so that they do not accept the word, and think there is no danger in letting the sermon go in one ear and out the other. But if you want to know how great the danger is, listen to what Christ says, who really knows better than all the world, saying, "The devil does this.
(7) Therefore, if you see a man speaking and preaching into himself as into a log, as our miserly citizens and peasants do, and especially as our counterpart, the papists, do; what is preached, sung, and said to them is all as if one were striking into water: think no other than that the devil has sat in their hearts, and is snatching away the seed, the word of God, so that they will not believe and be saved. For if the devil were not there, or if this were a natural, innate forgetfulness, as one man is always more learned than another, there would still be a desire for a man to think, "Oh, God, that I cannot remember anything! Give me also your grace, and open my heart, that I may pay attention to and keep what I hear in the sermon! With such people, who have a desire for the word and would like to keep it, the devil has no place nor room; otherwise such desire would remain behind. But they do not care; indeed, they make believe that if they should miss a penny or a farthing, or something even less, because of a sermon, it would be a great pity. There is certainly the devil in it, and only think no one else.
008 Now this is the greatest multitude that hear the word, and regard it not: for the devil plucketh it out of their hearts.
(9) The other two groups are not so wicked, but they are weak, they lift up a little, and they notice something, and they put up with it. Therefore the Lord does not give them to the devil as much as the first, although the fruit does not follow with them either. Now these are they who do not persevere in persecution, nor remain constant; but like the wormy fruit on the tree, they remain hanging, because they are still,
206 L. i, 2io-2i2. On Sunday Sexagesimä. W. xin, 482-48p. 207
But as soon as a wind comes to them, it falls off in heaps: so are they also: "For a time," says the Lord, "they believe"; but as soon as the cross comes, they are frightened, will not and cannot suffer anything. The fruit of eternal life must remain outside, along with other good fruits that grow from the word and faith.
(10) The third company are those who, because of avarice, care, and the pleasure of this life, do not heed the word. For he who is occupied with temporal cares, scratching and scraping, and only wants to think how he will become high and rich, weighs down the heart, as Christ says Luc. 21:34, so that the right fruit is choked, like the grain among the thorns. Work should be done, and each one should be most diligent and diligent in his work; this is not forbidden but commanded. But to strive and think only of temporal things, of thalers and florins; these are the thorns that choke the word of God in the heart, so that it cannot grow above itself nor bear fruit, because it is not thought of, and other things are more important.
(11) With these three heaps, the word is in vain and in vain. Now this is not a small, but a great and grievous harm, which a human heart can do. Therefore the Lord diligently exhorts us all, saying, "Take heed therefore how ye hearken: for to him that hath shall be given; but from him that hath not shall be taken away, even that he thinketh he hath." With such words he gives enough to understand that he does not speak of bad things; for it is not to be joked about here that one would want to think: "Oh, I will go on like this for a while, take care and do what I have to take care of, yet I still want to hear God's word and believe, when I once become more idle and have first gathered what is necessary for me.
See to it that you do not deceive yourself. Who knows how long you will live? How long you will hear the word? Or how God will attack and afflict you? You alone can deceive and deceive; you will not deceive Christ, who admonishes you diligently and earnestly enough, saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." He does not want you to
You should postpone it until another time, as we usually do. Now," he says, "when you hear it, accept it, otherwise it will go badly with you.
(13) Therefore let us be diligent that we may be found among the little fourth company; therefore also pray earnestly that we may have good hearts, receive and keep the word of God, and bring forth good fruit.
(14) Now the multitude are the dear saints; but not the pope's saints, who wear caps and plates, say mass, fast, have special clothes and the like; but those who hear God's word, which the pope and his saints, as you can see, are the worst enemies and fiercest persecutors. But those who hear the word bear fruit a hundredfold, that is, much, innumerable fruit. Or, as Matthew divides it, some bear fruit a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold. For as the outward offices are unequal, so also are the fruits unequal. A preacher serves the church more than a craftsman, who only presides over his own house; and yet both are Christians, redeemed by Christ from sins and death, and heirs of eternal life. Let us also come among this small group, which is the smallest.
15 But a fine, pure heart is needed, as Christ says, that is, such a heart, which first of all is not careless, but is serious about the word of God. Such a heart must be there first of all, otherwise the devil will not come and snatch away the word. Secondly, the heart must be sure and steadfast, not soft or cowardly, so as to be seduced or frightened, and to dispute the favor or disfavor of men. For if we do not fear and love God above all things, the word will not remain long, for it will not remain unchallenged in the world, for the devil cannot tolerate or suffer it. He is an idle lord, who drives his servants on and on and does not let them celebrate; as we see in the papists, and are learning even more every day. Thirdly, it must also be purified and swept out so that there are no thorns in it; that is, we must no longer love to burden ourselves with goods, money, honor and pleasure, because the word of God and the devil are not to be tolerated.
208 1, 212-214. On Sunday Sexagesimä. W. XIII, 485-488. 209
We should not be more concerned with other worldly matters than with the word of God, as Christ says: "Seek first the kingdom of God" 2c.
(16) Wherefore if the heart be attentive, sure of the matter, constant, and refined, it is a pure and refined heart, where fruit shall surely follow: but yet in patience; for without cross and temptation, without adversity and offence, there is no escape; as Paul saith, "All they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. Let us then prepare ourselves, and, as Christ says, "hold our souls with patience," and do not forget to pray; for it does not fail, as we ourselves must confess, that unfortunately we are everywhere offended and do not want to go anywhere, and of course it happens that we cannot despise the temporal here on earth. So the devil does not celebrate either, but tries in every way whether he can take the word from us, and on the other hand weigh down the heart with worry, avarice, hopefulness, anger and all kinds of naughtiness. As we can see, there would be much finer people, if greed, honor, fornication and other things did not overtake them and keep them from the word.
(17) It is necessary that we have good regard for such deficiencies and infirmities of our nature, not to continue in security, but to ask God for His Holy Spirit (as we have a clear, comforting promise, Luc. 11:13).: "The Father will give His Holy Spirit to those who ask Him"), that He may clear away such sticks and blocks, sweep out such thorns and thistles from the heart, so that we may hear and keep God's word, and bring forth the right fruit, faith in Christ; by which faith we not only live in the obedience of God, but also become God's children and heirs; for this is the noblest cause that this seed should be sown, that is, that the holy gospel should be preached in all the world, that it should create and work such fruit in us as will last forever.
18 This likeness also serves us not to be surprised, although the word does not bear fruit everywhere; for here we hear that the Lord himself divides it thus, and speaks of four heaps, since only the one and the smallest is righteous. The
The other three great multitudes are of no use at all; let them go, and be not offended at them. For where the gospel is preached, let it be so, that these three unfit disciples are found; and yet it is the fault neither of the word, nor of him that leadeth or preacheth it: as the blind papists always, like mad, raving men, cry out, let it be thought that they cannot make our gospel more abominable, nor more ugly, than by bringing forth the offences which the devil hath excited since the gospel was preached.
(19) But if it be so, tell me, when Christ himself preached with John and his apostles, were there not also great vexations, and the greatest sins committed? When John the Baptist stood up and preached, everyone ran to hear his sermons and saw that he was a holy man; nor did he hear that he was possessed and had the devil. And King Herod, who, as the Gospels testify, heard him much and gladly, finally had him strangled. Yes, they heard Christ, the Son of God, themselves, and saw him raise the dead and perform great miracles; nevertheless, they crucified him. Why don't you also say: "John, Christ, the apostles were not true preachers, otherwise the people should not have been so wicked, and they should have changed to the right doctrine? But they must keep their mouths shut; otherwise one would feel by their judgment that they are enemies and blasphemers of Christ. But they make themselves believe that they have a better right to reproach us and our teachings.
20 Now, we will leave it with our doctrine and not say now what we think it is and why we do not want to be aborted by it. Just look at the words of our Lord Jesus, who says: The seed is the word. Now no pope will ever be so foolish as to say that the word Christ speaks of here is an evil word or false doctrine. But what does Christ say about such seed, which is righteous and good? How does it come to be? Namely, that only the fourth part of it is clothed and bears fruit. Now who can deny that the world does not remain evil, even though the word
210 A. i, 214-216. On Sunday Sexagesimä. W. xm, 488-M. 211
and the sermon is right, pure, good, and fruitful in itself?
(21) Now I have said that we will not yet speak of our doctrine, for which we hold it. But the papists must confess this, and have no thanks, that although the preaching is right and the preacher pious, yet the world remains wicked and does not improve on the word; for there is not only this preaching of Christ, that only the fourth part of the seed brings forth fruit, but also his own example (let John and the apostles be silent), that he cannot make any man believe and accept the word. Most of it is and remains evil and without fruit; the least and smallest part improves and believes.
(22) If this happened to Christ, the Son of God and the highest preacher, what wonder that it happened to John, the Baptist, the apostles, and to us today? Do we therefore want to punish the doctrine and say that it is wrong? Let it also be said that the seed which falls on the way, on the rocks, and among thorns, is not righteous. But one should turn it around and not blaspheme God. His word is the seed that is sown; the same word is righteous and good, and by its nature cannot but bear fruit. But if it does not bear fruit everywhere, do not blame God and His word for that, but blame the land, which is not good, and because of that such seed must perish in it and remain without fruit.
23 Therefore let not the papists reprove our doctrine, nor call it unrighteous, because much offence is found in it; but let them reprove themselves, and all other men that have not a fine and pure heart. For the fault is not of words, but of hearts; they are unclean and unfit. To them the devil comes, inciting and driving them against God's word, as the Lord says in the other parable, Matt. 13, of the good field sown with good seed, yet weeds grow in it. Do you ask,
where the weeds come from? Then hear and learn it from Christ. The devil, he says, sows among the wheat; he cannot suffer it to be all pure. And though he cannot root out all, yet he sows the tares among them. But who will blame the word of God for this, and say that it is the cause of such troubles?
(24) Now let every man learn here that the gospel will never be otherwise than the Lord shows by the likeness, namely, that some are reformed and become more godly; but there are always three times as many who are offended. This is also the reason why the Lord concludes in the next Gospel that many are called, but few are chosen; for because they do not have a pure, fine heart, but give room to the devil and let the word go, it is not possible for God to be pleased with them. Because of this, not only do outward sins and offences follow, but, as the Lord says here, such naughtiness is punished with blindness, so that they see nothing with their seeing eyes, and what they hear they cannot understand, nor send themselves into it.
(25) Therefore let no man offend, neither let him blaspheme the gospel, though many an offence be found in it: for the fault is not of the word, but of evil, wicked, possessed hearts. Just as it is not the seed's fault that it does not bear fruit by the way, on the rocks and among the thorns. Therefore, let no one be offended by such aversions, but work so that he may have this seed, and ask God for grace to open his heart through his Holy Spirit and make it pure; so that when we hear the Word, it may remain in our hearts and bear fruit in patience, and we may be saved through faith in Christ, which the Holy Spirit plants in us through the Word and holy sacraments. May our dear Lord Jesus Christ grant the same to us all, Amen.
2121.216.217. On the day of the Purification of the Virgin Mary. W. XIII, 491-494. 213
February 2; Luc. 2, 22-32
*On the day of the Purification of Mary. )
Luc. 2, 22-32.
And when the days of their purification came according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him unto the LORD: as it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that first breaketh the mother shall be called holy unto the LORD. And that they should offer the sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the LORD, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And, behold, there was a man at Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was devout, and feared God, and waited for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him. And an answer was given him of the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, because he had first seen the Christ of the Lord. And by inspiration of the Spirit he came into the temple. And when the parents had brought the child Jesus into the temple, to do for him according to the law, he took him up in his arms, and praised God, saying, Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace, as thou hast said: for mine eyes have seen thy Saviour, whom thou hast prepared before all nations to be a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and for the praise of thy people Israel.
1 In today's Gospel, your beloved hear the story of how the infant Jesus, when he was six weeks old, was brought into the temple. And the evangelist calls such six weeks, according to the law, the days of their purification; for Moses also calls it so. Now this was not a natural law; therefore the Gentiles did not keep it: but God took hold of his people in this way, and laid such a commandment upon them, that they kept it so, that every mother, when she had given birth, after six weeks, if it was a son, and after twelve weeks, if it was a daughter, must go into the temple, and present herself with an offering.
(2) Such a commandment the pope also laid upon our childbed women, that after the childbed they should be blessed before the church, as if they were unclean, and otherwise should not go into the church or among the people. But it is wrong, because the uncleanness, which was assigned to the puerperal women in the law, is not a natural uncleanness, but an imposed uncleanness, which is not valid apart from the law, and therefore should not be imposed on anyone.
003 And this also was specially commanded in the law, that the firstborn, after the six weeks, should be presented unto the LORD, and given for his own: for so it is written in Moses,
*) Held in the house, 1534.
Levit. 12): "Every male that first breaks his mother shall be called holy unto the Lord", not only men, but also cattle, cows, oxen, sheep, 2c., all of which should be called and be of our Lord God. Therefore the firstborn son also had his special glory, that he was the lord of the house, king and pope, father of the house and priest among the other brothers. But because this would be too much among such a great people, that the firstborn should always remain in the temple and be the Lord's own, God gave the parents this freedom, that they could redeem the child for half a florin, or a quarter of a florin, and a year-old lamb, or a pair of turtle-doves, according to whether one was poor or rich; so they took their son again, and yet he was called the son of our Lord God.
It seems that the Virgin Mary was not one but a fortune, because she only offers the sacrifice that poor people used to offer, a pair of turtledoves. With such a sacrifice she redeemed her son, and confessed whether she was the right mother, but that the son was not hers, but God's son and his own, because he was the firstborn.
5 For this reason, our Lord God has decreed among the Jews that the first and second
*) 2 Mos. 13, 2. D. Red.
214 L.i, 2i7-220. .On the day of the purification of Mary. W.xm, 494-497. 215
They wanted to have the firstborn male as their own, as a testimony and memorial, so that they would know they had such a God who redeemed them from Egypt and strangled all the firstborn in all of Egypt in one night. As a sign of this redemption, he ordered the firstborn male, among cattle and men, to be sacrificed and presented in the temple. This has now been abolished and does not bind us Christians any more than other ceremonies and laws given to the Jews alone.
(6) Now here is nothing special for us to learn without seeing how Christ submits to the law when he was not guilty. On the feast of the circumcision of Christ, your love heard of what we should comfort ourselves with.
(7) For this reason we want to draw such obedience down now, so that, just as it serves us there for faith, it also serves us here for outward life and good works. For here the obedience of the infant Jesus and his dear mother is praised and held up to our shame, since God cannot bring it about with us that we do only half of what we owe to do, with the loss of our blessedness and forfeiture of eternal damnation and hellish fire.
8 Such disobedience and abominable naughtiness rhymes very badly with this example, that the infant Jesus, who is lord over the law and everything, and since Moses is a man, nevertheless humbles himself in this way, and does what Moses, his servant, called other children to do, who were unclean and sinners. The virgin Mary also does this; she knew well that she was still a virgin and therefore owed nothing to the law (for Moses speaks of such women who become pregnant in a common way); nevertheless she goes, does not want to need such freedom, because it might be annoying to others, who knew nothing about such trade, to do what other women were obliged to do according to the law.
(9) These two examples of the infant Jesus and Mary, his mother, should make us red with shame, and are written and preached so that we may blush for the sake of the Lord,
We have everything, yet we do not do what we are obligated to do; yet he does it for our sake, which his servant Moses calls him, and by right he is not obligated to do. Whoever then has the color to turn red should spit on himself and say, "I am not worthy to have the sun shine on me, since my Lord and Savior thus throws himself under the law and sets his own example of our iniquity. Because my Lord and Savior throws himself so low under the law, and with his own example condemns our disobedience so high that he could not be more shamefully disgraced; for that he throws himself so low and makes such superfluous obedience, with the same he scorns and disgraces us who are not obedient to the Lord, who after all can cast us into hell or give us heaven.
10 So the obedience of Christ disgraces our disobedience, that we should be ashamed in our hearts and say: I poor maggot, what am I doing? will I not also be obedient to the Lord, and follow his example, who for my sake became man, and was laid in the cradle, and carried to Jerusalem, and obeyed his servant Moses, to whom he owed no obedience? For he himself is the LORD; but Moses is hardly worthy to be called his servant: nevertheless he doeth that which he is not bound to do. Again, I do not do that which I owe and am commanded to do in my condemnation. This is the first simple teaching of children, that we should be ashamed for the sake of the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ, that we are so wicked and disobedient.
The other teaching is about the glory of the first son, that God holds him so high that he is called God's own and His son. This was a very great glory and freedom, which the Jews also took upon themselves, and others took their brothers for it, as if God did not respect them, they alone being the dear children. As the examples show, in which it can be seen that the firstborn have generally done the worst and behaved most shamefully, for they were overcome by hope and considered themselves the sole sanctuary of our Lord God, despising all others. And if it is still
216 L. 1, 220-222. on the day of the purification of Mary. W. xm, 497-sov. 217
If we were proud monks, we would also want to be proud noblemen for the sake of such fame; as one may feel in the monks. If they could lead the fame and say: I am God's holy child, there is his word and order; how do you think they would boast, because the lousy cap makes them so hopeful?
(12) Now this hope has dealt a blow to the firstborn, so that they have fallen, like Lucifer, the highest angel. Cain was the first son, and there was a wonderful thing about him, that Eve gave him the name, as if he should be the right man to crush the serpent's head, when she said: "I have the man, the Lord. But as the angel Lucifer became a devil, so Cain became an arch-villain and fratricide.
13 Ishmael was also Abraham's firstborn son; therefore, says the Scripture, Genesis 21:9, he was a scoffer who despised Isaac, his younger brother, and held him in low esteem, as if he were the heir, not Isaac. So they all went away in hope that they alone were the sanctuary of our Lord God and no one else; therefore God had to overthrow them. Esau also thinks that he could not fail to be the ruler, but our Lord God does otherwise. For since he let himself think that he was the firstborn, that he should be worthy of hope, that he should oppress and despise his brother, God made it so that he had to go behind the blessing, just as Cain and Ishmael did.
(14) It is the same with the Jews. They would be the firstborn son in the kingdom of God and Christianity, and we Gentiles the other son. But since they wanted to be proud, our Lord God said, "No, you shall not be, for I did not sanctify you as a people to be proud and to despise others, but that you should be all the more grateful and obedient to me. But because ye will not do these things, control yourselves, and let the heathen come unto me, and they shall have the preference; and ye shall follow behind, ye shall even be excluded.
015 So David also did: he took away the right of the first birth from all the eldest sons, and set Solomon the youngest son,
to the king; for our Lord God wanted it so, since he could not otherwise control the court.
16 And so it was with David himself. When the Lord sent Samuel the prophet to anoint the son of Jesse as king in Saul's stead, the eldest came forward first; he was a brave person and a proud fellow, as you can see, 1 Sam. 17:28, that he attacked David hard in the camp as if he were his servant, but the Lord said, "He is not;" until the sons of Jesse all seven passed by, and the prophet had to ask, "Have you no more son than these?" Then answered Jesse his father, "Yea, there is yet a younger one without, waiting of the cattle." For Jesse could not think that God would make something special of the youngest. But it was he who pleased God. The eldest and firstborn did not please God, as he said to Samuel: "I judge differently from men, for I look at the heart.
(17) But why does God not keep His own law and make David a king who was the youngest son, when according to God's word and order the firstborn should be king? That is why He does not want to celebrate anyone, nor does He want His law, blessings and gifts to be bestowed upon us, so that we may become proud and exalt ourselves. He wants to have humble, not proud children. But he that will be proud, though he set him high, may very well cast him down, and set him lower. Because Cain, Ishmael, Esau, Eliab, the Jews, and the angels themselves were proud, and wanted to have their advantage, which was given to them by grace, for a right, and to despise and insist on others for it, they had to go to the devil into the abyss of hell, regardless of their first birth; as the 113th Psalm also says v. 5-7: "Who is like the Lord our God, who has set himself so high, and looks on the lowly in heaven and on earth? Who lifts up the lowly from the dust, and exalts the poor from the dung ?" And the Virgin Mary in her song: "He pushes down the mighty from the throne, and lifts up the lowly."
18 Therefore it is the way and work of our Lord God that he overthrows the hopeful, 2c. for he does not want to suffer pride or defiance,
218 D. 1, 222-224. On the Day of the Purification of Mary. W. XIII, 500-603. 219
He does not give his gifts for us to consider as if we had them from ourselves. For this reason, he often pulls out a poor man's child, lifts him up, and on the other hand throws a king from the chair, to death and all misfortune.
19 Thus among the Jews the firstborn was highly honored. For the rule in worldly and spiritual affairs was due to the firstborn sons, according to the word and order of God. But because they wanted to abuse such honor for their own pride and preservation, God broke such law and order for them. Reuben was also the first son, but Jacob left the curse behind him that he should remain neither kingdom nor priesthood, both of which were due to him by birth. Abraham, as it is believed, was also the youngest son, but God gives him the right that was given to the eldest and firstborn.
20 So it is quite a common example that the first sons are seldom well turned out. This has done nothing but the great hope that they thought: I am the first son, therefore I am lord of the house. I am our Lord God's sanctuary, and his own; my brothers are nothing, God does not look at them. Our Lord God cannot stand such pride; therefore He resists the proud and throws them to the ground, and gives grace to the humble.
For this reason, no one should be overburdened with graces or gifts. If you are learned and able to do more than another, use such gifts to honor God and to benefit your neighbor. But if thou exalt thyself, thou shalt incur the displeasure of God. So, if you are holy, beautiful, rich, in sum, let the gifts be what they will, beware of pride; for God proved in the first and highest patriarchs that he would not suffer pride or pride; for this reason almost all are disgraces. John the Baptist was well advised, but he is almost alone. Christ must have been right, for there was no sin in him.
(22) The other firstborns in common have all abused such glory, fallen from it because of pride and arrogance, until at last all Judaism has fallen, and the Gentiles, who consider it an abomination, have been destroyed.
have taken their place. For Christianity is now our Lord God's own, and his first birth: not because of outward power or splendor, as the pope boasts; but because of the Word and holy Sacrament. For though we are unequal one to another according to outward birth, yet we are all equal because of baptism; for we are all born of the Christian Church, which is a pure virgin in the Spirit; which has the pure Word of God and the holy sacraments, from which she conceives and ever gives birth to Christians; who are the true firstfruits, and our Lord God's own, I as well as you, you as well as me. There it goes right in the work, which was there only in the image and figure.
(23) But if God had done something special, baptized me and you specially, given me and you a special word and sacraments of our own, we would also have gone to the devil for hope's sake. But because God does not make anything special for any of us, we must all say and confess: We have the same baptism, the same mother, the Christian church, the same faith, word and sacrament; so no one can despise the other, you must let me be a firstborn son as well as you, and I you as well as me. So they are all at the same time, one as well as the other, kings and priests, but only according to the spirit; for in the outward being a difference must remain.
24 But that the pope, according to the spiritual rule, considers himself better than others, he has no command; therefore no one but the wretched devil has called it for him. For among true Christians it should and must be so that no one is better than another. But the fact that preachers, pastors and other church servants must be, does not make them children of God; but baptism, the word and faith in the word must do it, so that we become children of God and firstborn.
(25) Now let everyone learn that those in the Old Testament were an example in which our Lord God made us see that He cannot suffer pride, but overthrows everything that wants to go up, unless someone humbles himself and puts himself down.
220 L. 1, 224-226. On the day of the Purification of Mary. W. xm, 503-506. 221
The world does not want to believe this and still abuses the bad, small gifts for hope. For this reason God overthrows one after the other, so that they tumble down like Lucifer and his angels from heaven.
(26) This is one part of today's Gospel, as far as the history of the revelation in the temple is concerned. After that, the evangelist reports what happened in the temple.
when the infant Jesus, as the firstborn son, was presented to the Lord in the temple and redeemed with a sacrifice. We will speak about this in the following sermon, now asking God for His grace, that He may protect us from all hope, and through His Holy Spirit awaken our hearts to right and earnest obedience and graciously keep them therein until the end, amen.
On the day of the Purification of Mary.
Second Sermon.
From the old Simeon in the temple.
This is a very good history together with a beautiful sermon and prophecy, which the old father Simeon publicly gave about the child Jesus in the temple. It is one of the other revelations by which this child was made known to the world, and especially to his people.
The first revelation was made to the virgins of Mary by the angel Gabriel, Luke 1, and to Joseph by the angel, Matthew 1. The third revelation was made to Elizabeth, the mother of Saint John the Baptist, Luke 1, when she conceived the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of the Lord, and the child leapt in her womb. The fourth revelation was through Zachariam, the father of John, Luc. 1. For although he does not indicate the person, he clearly testifies that Christ the Lord is present, and that God has remembered and fulfilled His covenant.
(3) These revelations, which took place before the birth of Christ, were followed by others after he was born. First, the angel to the shepherds in the field; which shepherds did not keep silent, but, as Lucas reports, spread the angel's sermon everywhere, Luc. 2. Then the revelation through the star in the Gentiles, Matth. 2. and
Finally these two with the old father Simeon and the prophetess Hannah, who both preached freely and publicly about this child JEsu in the temple, that he was the comfort of Israel, who should help all the world from sins and against death.
4 Now there is a very wonderful deal with Simeon. The evangelist testifies that he was pious and godly, and waited for the consolation of Israel; that is, all his hope was that God would soon fulfill his promise and send the Lord Jesus Christ; he also had a firm trust that he would not die, because he had experienced it and seen the Lord Jesus Christ. This was not a mere thought, as we often have mere thoughts about a thing and it turns out that way; but the Holy Spirit stirred his heart, no doubt by the word of God, which he read in the prophecy of the holy patriarch Jacob, Genesis 49, how Christ should come when the scepter had fallen from Judah and had come upon a foreign people; item, that he took the account of Daniel with the weeks before him. Such prophecies gave the old pious man so much guidance that he was able to think that it must now be the time to
222 L. 1, 226-228. On the Day of the Purification of Mary. W. XIII, 506-509. 223
that Christ should be born. But above this the Holy Spirit brought him even further, so that he certainly thought he would still experience it, and see the Lord Christ with his eyes and take him into his arms.
5 Therefore, at the very hour when Mary and Joseph, according to the custom of the law, go to the temple to present the child to the Lord and to redeem it with a sacrifice, old Simeon also comes to the temple, not by chance or as he used to do, but because he has foreknowledge in his heart through the Holy Spirit, and thinks, "Now is the hour when God has put me off; now I will find in the temple what I have never found in it, but for so long have waited for with great desire. He soon approaches the child, takes it from its mother's arms with a happy heart, hugs and kisses it, and preaches a short but very beautiful sermon to everyone about what he thinks of this child.
(6) This will have been a very strange sermon to the people, but especially the priests will have thought old Simeon a fool. For the infant Jesus was a six-week-old child, like any other; and there was still the vexation of being of poor people, who had no reputation. But Simeon is not mistaken, and says freely: "The child is the only one we must enjoy, if we want to be saved in any other way, not only we Jews, but also the Gentiles and all the world. Dear old Simeon, how do you know this? How do you see it in him? Is it a child like any other child? Many such children are brought into the temple all the year round, and they are great lords, because they have a special splendor with them. Who told you that this child is the Savior?
This is the true miracle and revelation of the Holy Spirit, which Joseph and Mary must marvel at and conclude that the Holy Spirit is in the old man and speaks from him. Otherwise it was impossible that Simeon should know what they both, Mary and Joseph, had heard and learned from the angel alone.
- from this you can see what a
Church, and how the Holy Spirit enlightened and governed them. In Jerusalem were the chief priests, Herod, the scribes, the Levites and the Pharisees, who cared neither for the Scriptures nor for the Messiah, but only that they might live in great honor, power and splendor. On the other hand, there was a poor, small, little group, Mary and Joseph, Zacharias and Elizabeth, the shepherds, Simeon and Hannah the prophetess, who had their hope and comfort not in worldly things, but in the promise of Christ; they waited for it, they rejoiced in it, and it was granted to them. But the chief priests had to go behind.
9 So it is still today: the true church is a poor, small, miserable, despised little group, which has its comfort in God and his word, there it deals with; otherwise it cares for nothing. On the other hand, the pope and his crowd, who have the name as if they were the church, know nothing about God, about Christ and his word; they should also know nothing about it, since they only care about the temporal, and therefore want to be praised as Christians, that they have more power, authority, money and goods, than other common Christians.
(10) There is no need to be angry with either part. The high priests have office, and sit in it, but are not the true church. Just as the pope and bishops also have the office, they are neither church nor Christians; otherwise they would not persecute the word, but accept and promote it. Mary and Joseph, Simeon and Hannah, on the other hand, are bad, simple folk whom no one respects. But they alone have Christ and know Him, with whom the Holy Spirit dwells, guiding and leading them so that they may know Christ and be saved.
I say that one should not be angry with either part. Let no one think that because the pope and his company sit in a great office and power, they cannot be wrong, they must be God's people. No, such is missing here, as you see, since Christ was born. On the other hand, one should not despise the poor little crowd, nor should one think, "What should these people know that is special? For God
224 L. 1, 228-230. on the day of the purification of Mary. W. XIII, 50S-511. 225
He leads his kingdom on earth in such a way that the wise and intelligent do not desire it, but the poor and miserable will rejoice in it, for they have and know no consolation: whereas those take comfort in their power, authority, riches and other things. That is enough of the first part of this story, that the old Simeon recognizes the child Jesus through the Holy Spirit, that he is the right Christian.
(12) Now let us also take his sermon before us, in which he teaches us how he will comfort this little child and how he will enjoy it. According to this, what it will do for others in the whole world, so that we may also learn to know the Lord Christ and be saved. Earlier the evangelist said that an answer had been given to the old man Simeon by the Holy Spirit, "that he should not see death, because he had seen the Christ of the Lord before. When this was fulfilled in the temple, and he saw the child Jesus with his eyes and took him in his arms, he was happy and of good cheer, and said:
O Lord, now let your servant go in peace, as you have said.
13 That is, now I will gladly die without fear and terror, yes, with all joy. This is a wonderful and strange speech. For the way the world tends to behave when it comes to the trains and death approaches is before our eyes. There is no joy, but only unrest, anxiety, distress, fear, terror, weeping and crying. And it is impossible for nature to do otherwise; as can be seen in the unreasonable animals, since it is only a natural death.
(14) But we men have a death, that is, the death of sins; for it is because of sins that he is laid out for us. But what a timid heart sin makes us, we all experience. Therefore our death is innumerably more severe and terrible than the death of other creatures, for we must fear God's wrath and judgment, which follows death and lasts forever. If this were not the case, a person would not take so much pleasure in death. It also hurts to lose one's wife and child, good friends, beautiful houses and other things that one loves from earth,
But it is still nothing compared to the misery of knowing that we are sinners and have God's judgment before us and are not safe from death for a moment, can neither protect us from it nor save us.
Therefore the world turns back the song of dear Simeon and sings when the hour comes: O God, I have not been your servant and now I am going away in discord; my heart is anxious and sorrowful, I do not know where to go or where not to go. What I suffer here on earth I know well, but what I will get there I cannot know, and I still have to worry about God's wrath, punishment and eternal damnation. So are the hearts of all men, when it comes to this hour, that they should depart from here. And it is impossible for reason to take comfort here or to think other thoughts; it must be despondent and fearful and afraid.
Therefore it is an art above all art, if we could only learn and form in ourselves that Simeon has such different thoughts. He is old, sees death before him, yes, he feels it in his whole body, in all his limbs, since it approaches from day to day, the longer, the closer; just as old people decrease daily. But he does not allow himself to be challenged, wishes that it will happen soon, says that he is undaunted and does not care at all that he is to die, yes, death is welcome to him because he has seen the Savior; for if that were not the case, there could be no joy or glad heart in dying.
(17) Now what does such a heart do? He was also a human being, did not always do what he should have done, and therefore must also admit his guilt before God, that he is a poor sinner. But how do sin and peace go together? Sin and strife, that is, an evil conscience, rhyme with each other; but peace cannot suffer sin. Nevertheless, as Simeon does not let death make him despondent nor frighten him, so he does not let sin take away peace in his heart. Let this be a high, excellent, supernatural art, which we should gladly learn and be able to do; for we
226 8.1, 230-232. On the day of the Purification of Mary. W. mi, sn-si4. 227
will also have to face such hardship and peril one day. Dear Simeon is not envious, and will gladly share this excellent art with us, and says where such a peaceful heart comes from:
**For (**he says) my eyes have seen your Savior.
18 He speaks of the child Jesus and gives him the name and calls him a savior. Whether he asked the mother beforehand what the child's name was, or not, as it is well to be believed, he nevertheless gives the name correctly and finely, and baptizes the child just as the angel did, that he is a Savior, and such a Savior who is called the Savior of God, that is, whom God Himself has appointed and ordained as a Savior. Your love heard of this name at Christmas and on New Year's Day.
God has already ordained saviors in worldly matters, such as: worldly authorities in government, father and mother in the home, physicians in sickness, lawyers in legal matters. Therefore, we should not think that such a savior is the infant Jesus, because Simeon would be helped against death and sin just as little as by the authorities, by father and mother, who are sinners themselves and cannot protect themselves against death. Since Simeon freely confesses that he is departing from this life in peace, because he has seen this Savior, it must follow that this child is a Savior against sin, death and hell; otherwise he would not be comforted. Mark this well; for it can be spoken soon, but it comprehends exceedingly much. For first of all this is true, it is only this one child to whom Simeon gives this name. From this it must follow that whatever is apart from this child, it may be called and appear as it pleases, and it may be taken for whatever it pleases, it cannot be a savior who can help against sin and death; but whoever takes it for a savior must be deceived and remain in sin and death.
20 Therefore Simeon soon attacks the Law of Mosiah and the whole priesthood with the sacrifice and other worship with this name in the mouth, wants to protect everyone from it.
He warns that no one should accept or consider it a savior: whoever has nothing more than the law, sacrifices and his good works, must go to the devil with it, because nothing will help. For the fact that he alone calls the infant a savior, it follows that nothing else but this infant can help against sin and death. What do the Jews, who accept and boast of their sacrifice and Ten Commandments as a Savior, boast about? What do the unholy pope and his mob, who make the mass, pilgrimages, indulgences and other works into a savior, boast about? For it is decided that this name belongs to this child alone, and to no other work or creature in heaven and earth.
(21) Therefore Simeon has actually set his words, saying, "My eyes have seen your Savior," "your Savior," whom you, Father in heaven, have ordained and made a Savior. For the world cannot leave it alone, it also wants to set and make saviors against death and sin. A Jew thinks, if he does not eat pork, keeps the Sabbath, is circumcised 2c., it shall be helpful to him to obtain grace with God. A monk thinks that if he vows himself to a monastery for the rest of his life, it will help him. The monk will hold on to this saint, the other one to another saint, so that he can pray for him and be his savior. And especially there was neither measure nor end of foolish works and idolatrous worship in the priesthood. The pious Simeon wanted to warn everyone and bring us there, because we must confess that we need a savior, that we should take this one, whom we did not create, but God Himself ordained; because we cannot lack, we must be helped; because that is why this child is here, God, His heavenly Father, has prepared it for us, so that it should help us.
(22) Therefore, whoever has this Savior, who is God's Savior, can have a peaceful, quiet heart; for be death so terrible, sin so powerful, the devil so wicked and poisonous always, we have God's Savior, that is, an almighty eternal Savior; who is strong enough to rescue us from the
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Death into life, from sin into righteousness.
(23) Everything depends on us opening our eyes with the dear old father Simeon, and looking at this child, taking him into our arms, loving him and kissing him, that is, that we place our joy, trust, comfort and heart in him. For if it is firm and certain in our hearts that this infant is God's Savior, through whom God wants to help us against sin and death, then it must follow that we are satisfied and let neither sin nor death frighten us, for we have a Savior against them.
24 But how does this child help? Not in any other way, for as the Baptist John says, he is God's lamb, and takes our sin upon himself, and sacrifices himself for it on the cross. That the infant Jesus is the only, righteous Savior, who redeems from sin and death, without any action on our part, only through his death and resurrection. For the fact that a Christian should be pious and keep himself in God's will does not earn him heaven, nor does he thereby obtain forgiveness of sins; but it is an obedience that God wants. But the one who does not want to obey God becomes disobedient to God and remains in sin. That therefore this is the right, certain and definite art: Whoever wants to escape from death and be free from sins, let him come to this Savior, whom God Himself has ordained to take our sins upon Himself, to pay for them, and thus to redeem us. Whoever does this will be able to say with Simeon, "Let death come," or any other trouble, as they wish: "Lord, now let your servant go in peace. But he who sets his heart and trust on something else will have no peace, but a fearful, despondent heart; for he has no Savior, and therefore must remain in death and condemnation.
(25) Now we should not think that Simeon had any advantage over us because he saw the infant Jesus with his own eyes and took him into his arms, for such bodily seeing did not help him. The other Jews also saw him, but they still went to the devil. But this helps Simeon, even though he is with the
He could not see with his eyes more than a baby, as other six-week-old babies were, that he nevertheless believed that this baby was the Savior. He could not see this with his eyes, but had to believe with his heart. Do likewise, and Simeon will have little or no advantage. For though he sees what you do not see with your eyes, you believe what he believes, and such faith helps you from sins and death, as it helped him. What more could you wish for? And this is the reason that Simeon continues to preach about this child, and not only wants to enjoy his company, but also takes others into such company, and says:
Which you have prepared before all peoples.
This child is a savior against death and sin. And Simeon consoles himself. But he says, "God was not concerned with me alone; there are more of them in this gracious company. For God has prepared this Savior before all nations, that he should be the Savior of all the world, and not of me alone, nor of his mother alone.
(27) Again, learn that Simeon makes no distinction at all between Jews and Gentiles, though there was a great difference between them in worship and other things. But he does not care about that; he sees that if one is to speak of sins and eternal death, there is no difference. Jews as well as Gentiles are sinners and guilty of eternal death, and it does not help them at all that they are circumcised, called God's people, have the law and keep it; this does not absolve them of sins and death. But if they are to be made free, it must be through this Savior alone. Therefore he throws everything into one lump and says: "God has provided and prepared this Savior for all peoples. Just as the promise made to Abraham also says that through his seed all the families of the earth will be blessed. He who calls all the families of the earth, or, as Simeon says here, all the nations, excludes neither Jews nor Gentiles. But if all generations are to be blessed, then it follows that all generations under
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are under the curse and wrath of God. So, if this Savior is prepared for all nations, it follows that all nations are without help and Savior, if they do not have this Savior. This is one thing, that Simeon makes all things equal and says: Jews and Gentiles are damned sinners; but if they want to be saved, it must be through this Savior alone.
Secondly, pay careful attention to these words, and think about what good comfort they bring. All our troubles, worries and cares are because we cannot deny our sins, that we must fear God if we are to die today or tomorrow, that he will deal with us according to our merits and punish us for our sins. We cannot believe that He will be merciful, forgive sins and make us blessed for nothing. But what are such thoughts basically other than as if God were an unpleasant God, a serious judge who overlooks nothing but wants to let the sharpness go and use it? Thus our hearts judge God, are therefore afraid, fall into despair, know neither counsel nor help to stand before God's judgment. But what does Simeon say here? He portrays God far differently than you think in your heart. For if it were God's opinion to punish sinners and not show them mercy, what would it take for Him to give us Christ, who would be our Redeemer? But now Simeon says that God has prepared such a Savior, set him apart, and ordained that all nations should enjoy him and be saved through him.
Therefore, it must be God's will and mind, as Paul also says in 1 Timothy 2:4, that all men shall be saved through Christ the Savior, not temporally, but against sin and death; for this Savior belongs to it, whom God has prepared for all peoples. Who then will fear or be afraid of such God, who would like it to be well with us in eternity, and himself decrees and creates everything that belongs to it?
(30) Now that some, and even most, are condemned and not saved, it is not really God's will that they should be so.
and grant the people such a great accident; but that the people do not comply with such a gracious will of God, nor do they want to accept this Savior, whom God has ordained to help all. If a rich man wanted to give enough to all the beggars in a city, but some would not go to him and take money from him, what would be the fault that such beggars remained beggars and did not also become rich? Not really the rich man's fault, but their own, because they are such lazy rascals, and do not want to find themselves where they are destined. The same is true of the world. Simeon, the pious arch-father, does not lie. God has prepared this Savior so that all nations may have him, enjoy him and be saved through him.
31 If then the Jews are in despair, and will not be; neither will the pope, nor the Turks, nor the Gentiles be; neither wilt thou be: how shall he be dealt with? So you may always go and look for other saviors, and see how you will fare. God will not do anything special for you. If you want to be helped, accept this child. If you believe that God will be merciful to you for his sake, forgive your sin and make you blessed, you will certainly be saved, for he is the Savior against sin and death. But if thou wilt not be helped, that is, if thou wilt not accept him, then abide in God's wrath and condemnation, and thank no one for it, but thyself, and thy abominable, terrible unbelief and stubbornness.
32 Therefore there is no lack of God, he has prepared the Savior; this is an indication that he will not be ungracious and let us perish without help. Yes, that is more, he has prepared him for all nations, so that everyone may enjoy him: not only Simeon, Mary, Peter, Paul, but all nations, no one excluded. Whoever needs help against sin and death shall find it, for God, as a gracious Father, has decreed it. Therefore, beware that you do not exclude yourself through your unbelief and deny yourself this help, which God has not only promised you, but has also provided most faithfully, as Simeon preaches here. For that one does not
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might think it has a different opinion with these words, he adds finely rounded, how and for what God has prepared this Savior, and speaks:
A light to enlighten the Gentiles, and for the praise of your people Israel.
(33) The opinion is clearly stated, first, what it means, "all nations," that is, the Jews and the Gentiles; and second, for what purpose such a Savior is prepared. The Gentiles are in deep darkness. Because they have no word of God, they cannot know anything about God. The devil and God are one to them, for they fear God as well as the devil; indeed, they often seek and hope for help from the devil rather than from God, as is evident. Therefore, all kinds of sins follow, where the knowledge of God is not, such as idolatry, blasphemy, and all kinds of naughtiness and bad behavior. These are the pagans.
And God prepares this Savior also for the Gentiles, as the words clearly indicate. But for what purpose? That he would leave them in such darkness, that he would condemn them? No, do not blame God for such things, otherwise you would do Him the greatest injustice; but for this purpose He is preparing this Savior, that He should enlighten the Gentiles, that is, bring them to the Word and knowledge of God and thus make them blessed. This is what Christ is to do to the Gentiles, the great desperate sinners; and he is to do it out of God the Father's order, who wills it so.
(35) Surely this must be a gracious God, since there is no gall, no wrath, nor unkindness, but only grace, favor, love and kindness, as the Lord Christ 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. For this reason we cannot put any higher dishonor on God, because we would think of Him that because we are sinners, He would therefore make us enemies and let us perish in sins. And yet we feel how such things are so deeply ingrained in our hearts; otherwise we would have more courage and a glad heart, and not be so timid and fearful.
Here again we see how St. Simeon studied diligently in the prophets. For he did not learn such an art from himself, but just as he learned from the prophecy of Jacob and Daniel the time when Christ was to come, and just as he learned from the prophecy of Abraham that this Savior belonged to all peoples or nations on earth, so that they might be redeemed from the curse and helped against sin and death, so he also studied and learned from the prophet Isaiah that this little child should be a light to the Gentiles. For thus says God, Isa. 49, 6: "It is a small thing that you" (he speaks with Christ) "are my servant to raise up the generations of Jacob, and to bring again that which is neglected in Israel; but I have made you a light of the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation to the end of the world." Simeon must have studied and taken in this saying, otherwise he would not have put it so artfully into this short sermon or song. So now the Gentiles shall enjoy the infant Jesus, that he may be their light, give them the gospel, and bring them to the knowledge of God and into everlasting joy; for this he is prepared.
(37) The Jews have not passed away in such dreadful darkness as the Gentiles; for they have had the word of God, and are called the people of God; therefore there shineth unto them a glorious light, which the Gentiles have not. What then is Christ to do among the Jews? Or what has God prepared him to do among the Jews? He is to be their "prize." For although God had highly adorned this people with His word, worship and all kinds of gifts, our disgrace still clung to them, that they lay in sins and under death, they could not help themselves. Such shame was far more and greater than his outward honor. Therefore Simeon says: "The Jews have had an honor in the world before all the Gentiles, but it is a small honor compared to the damage that still lies on them. But now they shall come to glory, so that they shall not only be God's people on earth for a time, but also in heaven forever through this Savior. This means
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Isaiah also says that Christ is to raise up Jacob and bring Israel back.
38 This is the beautiful, glorious sermon of Christ, what he teaches, how we should all enjoy his salvation, and through him, as our one and only Savior, be saved, and therefore have a peaceful, joyful heart in death, dying, and all kinds of misfortune and temptation. This should be preached today, because especially the history of this feast and the dear old father Simeon with his prophecy give reason for it.
But what is happening? The pope has a lot of other things to do today. First of all, he must consecrate wax and candles, which is very important. For how else could a Christian die if a consecrated burning light were held before him? Nor would it be for the poor child-worshippers; for where they did not make little crosses of such consecrated candles and stick them on the walls, the devil would lead them away. O shameful, wicked papists: since you should take the infant Jesus in your arms with the pious Simeon, and consecrate both the dying and the mourners to him, as to the only consolation, you want to perform such a great work with a wax candle; this shall drive away the devil and ward off eternal death.
After that, they held a procession, each carrying a burning light in his hands. This is today's glorious service in the Pabst's churches; and such candle-carrying is supposed to signify the procession when Joseph and Mary went into the church with the infant. After that, there are many interpretations of what the candles mean. If you ask where such a manner and service came from, they themselves, the papists, answer that it was a pagan custom to walk around the towns and villages with lighted candles on the first day of the feast; this was changed by Pope Sergius, who ordered it to be a proper service. But what do you think of this pope and all papists, that they learn from the pagans how and what kind of worship should be performed in the Christian church? Such blindness is a vain reward, and comes from the fact that this glorious sermon of the infant Jesus was left lying around and nothing was asked about it.
41 Therefore we should thank God diligently for this grace, that we have been delivered from such blindness and now see the beautiful blessed light that Simeon preaches about here. May our dear Father in heaven graciously preserve such light, enlighten us with it, comfort us, make us happy and blessed, amen.
Sunday before Lent
*On Sunday Estomihi. )
Luc. 18:31-43.
And he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of man. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles; and he shall be mocked, and reviled, and spit upon; and they shall scourge him, and kill him; and the third day he shall rise again. But they heard none of these things, and the words were hid from them, neither knew they what they spake. Now it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Jericho, that a blind man sat by the way side begging. When he heard the people passing by, he inquired what it was. Then they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, JEsu, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. But they that went on before afflicted him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried much more, Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus held his peace, and commanded him to be brought unto him. And when they had brought him nigh unto him, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said unto him, Be thou seen; thy faith hath helped thee. And straightway he saw, and followed him, and glorified GOD. And all the people who saw these things praised God.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
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(1) In today's Gospel there are two parts. The first is the prophecy in which the Lord tells the twelve apostles about his suffering. And these are the words which the angels on Easter Day hold out to the women at the tomb, saying, Luc. 24:6, 7: "Remember how he said unto you, while he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinners, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." For the Lord Jesus is now on his way from Galilee to Jerusalem, where he stayed and was crucified. The other is the miracle of the blind man.
(2) Of this prophecy the evangelist tells us three times that the disciples did not understand. For they thought he spoke strange words, having a peculiar understanding. For this reason it was as if they heard a strange, unknown language, of which they could not understand a word. And that was because their hearts were so set that they thought: This man performs so many miraculous signs, he raises the dead, he gives sight to the blind, 2c. that we must see and grasp that God is with him. Therefore, he must become a great lord in time, and we, his servants, will also be princes and great lords. For who would want to harm such a mighty man, who can heal and drive out death and all plagues with a word? Therefore their heart was thus: God is too good in him, he will not let him suffer anything; but that his words are as if he were speaking how he should suffer and die, that will actually have another interpretation. This was the simplicity of the apostles.
(3) This shows that all the works of God are of this kind: if they are spoken of before they are done, they cannot be understood; but when they are done, they are understood and stand. So John reports several times that Christ's disciples only understood afterwards what he had spoken to them. Therefore, God's word and faith belong together. For when God speaks, he cannot speak otherwise than of things which are far beyond reason, and which we naturally cannot understand nor comprehend; therefore it is to be believed. Now when one has believed it, than
then one should also know that it is true and understand it correctly.
- as if to give an example: God's word teaches us about the resurrection of the dead, which reason does not understand. Therefore it can be seen that worldly people, and above all the scholars, mock us and take us for fools, that we believe it, and let ourselves be persuaded that there is life after this life. So that God became man and was born of a virgin into the world, this also reason does not understand; therefore it must be believed until we come there and see it, and say: Now I understand it, yes, I also see that it is true what I believed before. So that one should obtain God's grace and mercy through water baptism without all merit, and receive forgiveness of sin through absolution, is also very false in the sight of reason; therefore it considers Christians foolish and foolish to believe such things. For it thinks: If one is to reconcile God, something higher and better is needed, namely good works, which make us sour and hurt. As we have the example of Pope Paul before our eyes, who points people to their own merit through his preaching.
5 For reason will not accept that it should believe that through baptism and faith in Christ alone all that belongs to salvation should be accomplished; for it sees that the word is a small thing; he who leads it is also a poor, frail sinner. That a man should stake his life and limb for eternity on such words is ridiculous. Therefore, even if God's word is spoken to people so clearly and plainly, reason still does not understand it, it still does not believe it. For this reason, the gospel must have and keep its name before the world as heresy and a doctrine of the devil, since people are seduced with it and taught that they should do no good; reason cannot judge otherwise.
(6) Therefore, learn to believe the word of God with simplicity, and say in your hearts, "Well, if I do not see, grasp or feel that it is so, then I hear that God says it. He is so powerful that he can make it true, so that in his time and in that life I will grasp it and understand it, even see it.
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and grab if I don't understand it right now.
(7) This is also seen in examples. Before David attacks Goliath, he thinks he will strike and kill him, as he says to Saul: "The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from this Philistine. 17, 36. 37. Item, to the Philistine himself he says v. 46: "This day the LORD will deliver thee into mine hand, that I may smite thee, and take thy head from thee." Everyone has heard these words from the mouth of David, but they have considered them a lie and a mockery. And it is true that if it had been David's word alone, and not God's, it would have been nothing. But they are God's words, and David believes them before he hears them. That is why it comes out this way, and it does not matter if it was disgraceful to others, and they could not believe that it would happen this way and come true. For it was unbelievable to reason that David, who was considered a small person compared to Goliath, should throw down and cut down such a great, strong giant with one stone. But David believed and did it. Then one could see, yes, grasp that it was true and not a lie.
8 But before, when only the word was there that David said, "The Lord will deliver you into my hand today," it was the greatest lie, yes, an impossible thing. For reason makes its calculation, as Saul did in 1 Sam. 17: David is a boy, a shepherd, who has not been in any war, and comes with a stick and a sling, as if he wanted to fight off a dog; as Goliath scornfully reproaches him and says: "Am I a dog, that you come to me with a stick?" But the giant comes with his armor and great spear. Is not this a likeness of armor, and a ridiculous thing to behold, that the little young archer David should do such a thing, which no man in all the camp may be afraid to do? Well, David didn't see it himself, but he believes it, that God has blasphemed the
would punish his enemy and help him; and it came to pass thus.
9 Thus it goes through and through: God's word and work is always considered impossible before it happens. Nevertheless, it happens, and is exceedingly easy and small when it comes to pass. But before it comes to pass, it is not to be known or understood, but to be believed. For how sin is washed away by baptism, and how we shall rise from the dead on the last day, is something that reason will never understand; especially because it is seen that many a holy man is eaten by birds, torn to pieces by dogs and wolves; some are burned to ashes, and the ashes are thrown into running water: as the pope did to St. John Hus at Costnitz. So reason thinks: Where will our Lord God take the body again? Well, says God, I say it, it is my word. Therefore, it is not only unbelievable, but also impossible to see. But if you believe it, it shall come true; for I am almighty and can make all things out of nothing.
What were we a hundred years ago? No more than the child that will be born twenty, thirty, forty years after us. Since God is able to make all things out of nothing, He will also be able to make something out of that which was something. Therefore, one should not look at whether a thing is possible, but one should say: God has said it; therefore it will happen, if it would otherwise be impossible. For even though I cannot see or grasp it, He is the Lord who can make an impossible thing into a possible thing, and out of nothing into everything.
(11) Therefore they are exceedingly grievous fools, who would measure our Lord GOD's word and work according to their reason. For since I cannot bring a dead man to life, should God not be able to do so either? Therefore, let everyone beware that he does not measure God's word and work according to his own sense and ability. For if our reason could grasp and comprehend everything, our Lord God could have kept his mouth shut. But because He speaks, it is a
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Sign that our reason does not know nor understand everything, and that God's word is above and against all reason; as can be seen in experience.
- I proclaim the forgiveness of sins, and absolve or release you from the command of Christ. Then you hear the word, and when you have heard it and are absolved from sins, you still do not feel that God and His angels are smiling at you. You know nothing of such joy, of which the Lord says, "The angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner who converts."
13 So when you are baptized, you have the skin and the flesh after baptism, which you had before baptism. But shall both absolution and baptism be nothing? Oh no. Therefore learn to say: God baptized me. God has absolved me from sins through His Word. Therefore I firmly believe, even though I do not see or feel it, that God looks upon me and calls me His Son; and Christ, my Lord, calls me His brother; and the dear angels have a special great joy over me. These things, I say, I believe, and have no doubt at all. If the pope does not believe it, it does not matter; I will believe it, for God will not lie to me in His word.
(14) The disciples here could not do this art; otherwise they would not have discussed it long, or wondered; they would have decided: Just as he speaks, so shall it be done; for the man cannot lie, let it be done when or how he wills. But the blind man, as the evangelist reports, can do such art exceedingly well. His eyes are so blind that he cannot see a thing with them, but as soon as he hears the word, "Behold," he believes. That is why it happens to him as he believes. Such a word, while it is still alone, speaks of a thing that is not there. For the blind man's eyes are still closed; but soon after the word, because he believes, the work follows, just as he believed. So the disciples also should have done. Even though they did not see as they could, they still believed because they had his word. For nothing belongs to the word but faith.
This is the first thing we should learn from today's Gospel, namely, to believe the Word of God with all our heart, without wavering. The pope knows nothing about such faith, nor does he teach anything about it. But you should know and be able to know that there is a Christian heart that not only hears God's word of forgiveness of sins, but also firmly believes it, and does not doubt it, even if it does not feel or see anything about it. For this is to be found and followed only afterwards. When we have firmly believed, the experience will also be found that we will say: Oh, I am glad that I have believed. But the others, as, Papists, Turks, Jews, who have not believed God, will stand and cry out: Woe is me, that we have not believed! Who would have thought of that? So they will have to believe in the end. But it will be lost, and they will not be able to help, it has lasted too long.
(16) This is the first thing, that we should not be offended at the word of God, even though it be wonderful, false and impossible; but stand firm on it: If God has spoken it, then it must be done. For no one should ask whether it is possible, but only see whether God has spoken it. If God has spoken it, He is so powerful and true that He can do it. Therefore it should be believed; but he who does not want to believe it blasphemes God to the highest degree. We should diligently guard against such sin, so that we do not doubt God's word, let God make it sound as false as it ever can. For what God speaks will certainly be true. So we have God's word in baptism, in the Lord's Supper, in absolution and in the sermon; God Himself speaks to us, absolves us of sins. We should believe this and consider it true, and not doubt it. This is the first part.
17 In the other piece, about the blind man, the evangelist teaches us a real begging art, that one should learn to be horny before God, be insolent, and always stop. For he who is stupid soon lets himself be rejected and is not fit for begging. One must take off one's little cap of shame and think that our Lord God wants us to be horny and to beg.
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should stop. For it is his pleasure and honor that he wants to give much, and it pleases him well that one should do much good to him. Therefore, one should do it as unashamedly as he likes. For he who wants to wait until he is worthy of God's giving him something will certainly never ask for anything. Therefore, it is best to take off one's cap of shame and open one's mouth quickly and say: "Lord, I am in great trouble and distress here and there, both in body and soul, and therefore need your help and comfort; you will not deny me this, but will certainly grant it, according to your gracious promise.
The beggars in the streets and alleys know this art well, but people do not like it, get tired of it, and reject such beggars with bad words. But our Lord God likes such beggars, who stop confidently and do not want to be turned away. As we see here in this blind man, he would have liked to have healthy eyes. Therefore, when he hears the noise passing by, he first asks what it is. When he hears of Jesus, he begins to cry out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Those who go before him threaten him to be silent, but he does not turn back; indeed, the more he is resisted, the more confidently he cries out.
(19) This is a true lecher and a fine beggar, such as our Lord God loves. Therefore we should take good note of this example, and also come before the Lord Christ and ask him: "O Lord, I am a poor sinner; grant that your kingdom may come to me also, and forgive me my sin. Help here, help there 2c. He who thus begs and impudently entreats does right, and our Lord God is pleased; for he is not so disgusting as we men. We can be made weary, unamused and unwilling with lust; but it is a great honor to him that he should be thought a great lord, and not desist, but say, "O Lord, it is your honor to be glorified by my begging of you. Therefore, dear Lord, see not that I am unworthy, but that I am in need of thy help, and that thou art the only right helper of all sinners. Therefore it is in your honor that I call upon you, so that I cannot escape your help. 2c.
(20) Such insolent prayer, which perseveres and is not deterred, is pleasing to God. As we see here with the blind man; as soon as he begins to ask, the Lord immediately calls him to Himself, and everyone has to get out of the way. And he, the blind man, is not ashamed of anything and lets himself be led to him. Immediately the Lord asks him: "What do you want me to do to you? You can see how the Lord's hands are open. As if to say, "Ask what you will, and it shall be done to you. The blind man does not tarry long, and says, "I pray that I may see. The Lord answered, "Yes, you shall see. This is what it means to ask insolently, but to be answered very graciously. This is what we should learn to do for the blind man, and so we should lead him out with our prayers and present our need to Christ, believing for sure that he will hear us and grant us.
(21) In the priesthood we ourselves despised our prayers and thought: If others do not pray for us, we will get nothing. But no Christian should do such a thing; but, as soon as the need comes, run into the chamber and fall on his knees, saying, "Lord, here I come, needing this and that, though I am unworthy. But see my need and my sorrow, and help for your glory's sake. So learn to pray unashamedly, and do not doubt that God will give you what is good and useful to you for the sake of Christ. For the promise is clear and certain: "Whatever you ask in the name of Jesus shall be done for you. But see to it that you do not grow weary, but persevere. The more you do it, the better the Lord likes it; he will not let you tire of your prayers. Yes, your prayer would be so strong and earnest, he should give you the same hour, what you desire, which otherwise he would not yet do and would delay for a long time; but he hears and grants you for the sake of anxious prayer. How I hope that the last day will not be so long in coming, but will come sooner than we can think through the anxious groaning of Christians. As the Lord Luc. 18. gives a similitude of the widow, who would not relent, when the judge, who asked neither God nor man, said, "I can no longer suffer the widow to persecute me.
244L. i, 24s. 2P. On the Sunday of Invocavit. W. xm, 538-540. 245
so deceive; I will help her, that I may depart from her, and be henceforth delivered from the running. "But should not GOD," saith Christ, "also save his elect, which cry unto him day and night, and should have patience over them? I tell you, he will save them in a short time." As if he wanted to say: Prayer makes God hurry, otherwise he would not hurry so.
(22) Therefore prayer serves that we may obtain a thing the sooner, which otherwise would be longer delayed; yea, since nothing would come of it at all. So that this example serves that we should be impudent beggars and learn to pray, and not let ourselves be weary, but say, "Lord, it is true that I am a poor, unworthy sinner.
I do, but nevertheless I must have this or that; give it to me. For here it is not a question of whether I am pious or not; a few things are enough, that I am needy, and that thou wilt gladly give what is useful to me for body and soul.
(23) So if you pray and hold fast, he will surely say to you, as to this blind man, "What do you want me to do? Be thou sighted; thy faith hath helped thee." For to pray and not to believe is to mock our Lord God. But faith alone is based on the fact that God, for the sake of Christ, His Son and our Lord, will be merciful to us, hear us, protect us, save us and make us blessed. May our dear Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, help us to do this, Amen.
Lent
1.Sunday in Lent
*On Sunday Invocavit. )
Matth. 4, 1-11.
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, that he might be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he hungered. And the tempter came unto him, and said, If thou be the Son of GOD, let these stones become bread. And he answered and said, It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil brought him with him into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, let thyself down: for it is written: He shall command his angels concerning thee, and they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Then said JEsus unto him, Again, it is also written: Thou shalt not tempt thy Lord God. Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. And said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then said JEsus unto him, Remove thyself from me, Satan: for it is written: Thou shalt worship GOD thy LORD, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left him; and behold, the angels came to him and ministered to him.
In this gospel you hear how the Lord Jesus was tempted three times after his baptism, after he had been forty days and forty nights in the wilderness and had eaten nothing; or as Lucas says, these three temptations lasted the whole forty days, so that he went about with one many days, and perhaps not according to the order as Matthew tells here.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
Now this is a broad gospel, especially if one wants to apply it to the whole of Christendom, which is also tempted by famine and persecution, by heresy, and finally with the empire of the world; as the histories, whoever has respect for them, finely show. But we do not want to go so far this time, but stick to the common doctrine. And first of all, let us take this example of our dear Lord Christ before us, in which we see that every Christian is a Christian,
246 D. 4, 250-252. On the Sunday of Invocavit. W. XIII, 540-544. 247
As soon as he is baptized, he is ordered into the army against the evil devil, who is charged against him and persecutes him because he is alive. If then the poisonous enemy cannot, by his temptation, bring about the fall of the Christians and prevail against them, he does as he did with Christ, and sees that he hangs them on the cross and kills them.
(3) All Christians are in such a position. For this is to be well reckoned, because he has not spared the Lord Christ himself, but has set himself up against him so well, he will spare us much less, since he knows that we are much weaker and less equipped. Therefore we may send ourselves out of such a journey, and learn from the Lord Christ here how we may also meet such an enemy, so that he must desist from us. But this happens only through faith in God and His Word. Whoever has such armor and needs it rightly will remain safe from the devil. But whoever does not have it or needs it wrongly can neither be advised nor helped against the poisonous enemy.
For this reason, every Christian should diligently attend to preaching and to the Word of God, learning it diligently and practicing it; besides this, he should always be in God's ears through earnest prayer, that he may bring his kingdom to us and not lead us into temptation, but graciously protect us from all evil.
Now it says here that the Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, that is, the Holy Spirit called him into the wilderness. This is what the evangelist especially wanted to report, that one should beware of his own devotion; since Christ himself did not go into the wilderness out of his own devotion, nor did he wrestle with the devil there; as many do, and undertake many things without God's word, out of their own devotion. But it shall by no means be. No one shall begin anything or run to serve God, unless he knows that God has commanded him to do so, either by His word or by men who have power over us in God's stead. For whoever does something without such a profession, as monks and nuns have run into the monasteries, does not only do no service to God, but also does no harm to God.
service, but does against the obedience of God.
(6) Therefore this example of Christ is good for us to consider, that he did not run into the wilderness of his own accord, but was commanded by the Holy Spirit; that we also may do these things, and not undertake anything of our own devotion, but may boast and say in all that we do: Let it be done in obedience and commandment of the word. You have often heard this teaching, that one should take special care to be sure that God has commanded it, and not do anything apart from His word.
(7) There is no need for a new commandment concerning the common customs and works of love, for these are already commanded in the Ten Commandments. Our Lord God commands everyone to hear God's word, to love God, to call upon God, to be obedient to father and mother, not to kill anyone, not to commit fornication, but to become married. All this is God's creature and command; therefore, one must not ask the Holy Spirit to call you or me specially to be married, to be father and mother 2c. Such a command is there before. But to start something special, to run into a monastery, and to serve God there, item, not to eat meat, eggs, butter during the fast, not to sing Hallelujah during the fast, there is no command nor word of God about it; therefore it is a stinking dirt before God and no service of God.
8 Now let us also consider the temptations one by one. The first is that the devil says to the Lord JEsu, seeing that he hungers: "If thou be the Son of God, say that these stones become bread. This does not seem to be such a hard challenge. For we think: What harm could it have done Christ? He could easily have made stones into bread. If he had done more and greater things! But he does not want to do it, because he understands the devil very well in his language, who is not primarily looking for Christ to do a miracle; but, as one can clearly see from Christ's answer, he would like to take away his faith and trust in God's mercy, and put the thought into his heart: God has forgotten you, he does not want to take care of you, he wants to let you die of hunger,
2482.1, 252 -254'. On the Sunday of Invocavit. W. XIII, 544-547. 249
and will not allow you a piece of bread. Therefore the Lord answers, "Devil, not so; man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. So this is the devil's suggestion, that he should think only of bread, and pay no attention to God's word, unless he has bread.
9 Such temptation still goes on today, that the devil puts such thoughts into people's hearts: If you are God's son, God cannot be angry with you. Therefore, now, be confident, be stingy, and be generous in the world's trade; it will do you no harm, you cannot sin. For if God should not want to grant you food and bread, he would have to be a bad God and a merciless father. With such thoughts he turns citizens and peasants into scoundrels, so that they continue to scrape and sting, and think that God will not be angry because it is only a matter of daily bread and food. I must, everyone thinks, take care of my wife and child and provide enough for them 2c. So the devil puts a lid on sin with the word, saying: You are the son of God. As if he wants to say: You cannot sin or do wrong. As it is seen everywhere in the world, that no one is conscience-stricken because he asked little of the word, and asks only for bread or food. Therefore this temptation still goes on in the world, that the devil makes light of the word, and drives people not to care so much for the word as for the bread.
(10) Then must one learn and resist such temptation, saying, Devil, thou wouldst gladly take me from the word; no, thou shalt not succeed. For before I would lack the word of God, I would rather lack bread and die of hunger. For it is ever better that the body should perish, than that it should be preserved by food, and that the soul should die and be lost forever. 2c. The devil does not like us to think such thoughts, and therefore always gets in the way with temptation, and works so that we only look at the fullness of our stomachs and despise God's word, thinking
I do not need it, God is my Father, should He not grant me bread and food?
(11) If any man would save himself from such temptation, let him learn here from Christ that a man hath two kinds of bread. The first and best bread, which comes from heaven, is the word of God. The other and lesser is the temporal bread that grows out of the earth. If then I have the first and best bread from heaven, and am not brought by it, then that temporal bread shall not be lacking, nor shall it remain outside: rather the stones should become bread. But the others, who leave the heavenly bread and take only the temporal, when they have such a full belly, they lie down and die. They cannot even eat the good, but must leave it behind and die there eternally hungry. But it shall not be so. Therefore, if the devil tempts you with persecution, lack, hunger and sorrow, suffer and fast with Christ, because the Spirit is driving you in this way, and do not abandon your trust in God's grace. Then the dear angels will come and become your table servants, as the evangelist says here at the end of Christ.
(12) This is the first part of the first challenge, that we should learn to hold God's word in high esteem and believe it, and not let any lack or misfortune move us to conclude that God is ungracious to us, that He does not want to help us, that He has forgotten us. There is no one to comfort us against such temptation but the Word of God. This is such bread and meat: he who eats of it, that is, he who believes the word, has eternal life. Mark this well. Again, temporal bread, which all the world hungers for, lasts only until the hour comes, then it is finished, and after that we must die of hunger for eternity.
The other temptation is that the devil brings the Lord Jesus into the holy city of Jerusalem and sets him on top of the temple, saying, "Let him be brought down, and he will not be harmed, for he is the Son of God; therefore all the angels must wait for him before he should strike a stone. 2c.
250 8.1, 254-25". On Sunday Invocavit. W. xiu, 547-54". 251
This is a severe and spiritual challenge to faith, since faith is also challenged on the other side, just as it is challenged above with sin and the wrath of God. For where the devil cannot make us despair of God, he tries on the other hand to make us presumptuous and hopeful and too bold. As if the devil wanted to say: "Do you want to argue with me from God's word; stop, I can do it too. Then you have God's word: "He will command His angels over you, and they must build you a stairway and carry you on their hands. Now jump down, let's see if you also believe such a promise of God.
(15) Christ must be understood and regarded as a man who has hidden the divinity in his humanity. Just as on the cross he presents himself as a pure and honest man, lamenting and crying for help and salvation, so here he also presents himself as a pure and honest man. That is why the devil thinks he wants to get him to tempt God with an unnecessary miraculous sign. For this reason, he introduces the 91st Psalm as a testimony; however, he leaves out the necessary part: in viis tuis, the Lord will keep you "on your way". With such a saying, the prankster wants to tear out of the eyes of the Lord Christ what he was commanded to do, and lead him in a way that he was not commanded to do. For Christ is now in the wilderness, not because he is to perform miracles, but because he is to suffer, he is to be a suffering man: so the devil wants to lead him out of the way, where God has ordered him to be, and persuade him to perform an unnecessary miraculous work.
16 But Christ drives him back, saying, "It is written: Thou shalt not tempt God." For there is a stairway or staircase; therefore it is unnecessary for me to go down. Because I can go down the stairs without going, it would be wrong for me to go down without need and without God's command.
17 This is also a necessary and useful lesson, that it is called tempting God, where someone wants to step away from the ordinary command and do something new and special without God's word. As monks and
Nuns do this, who, out of their own devotion, take on a special life; afterwards they say that Christ has commanded it, since he says: "Leave everything and follow me. There is not only reason, but also Scripture. But here you see that the devil can also lead scripture and deceive people with it. But he has the defect that he does not lead the Scriptures completely, but takes only so much as serves his cause; what does not serve him, he omits and is silent about it.
(18) The Anabaptists also do this, writing a great deal about how no creature should be trusted or relied upon. After this they say: Baptism is also a creature, for it is nothing but water; therefore one should neither trust nor rely on baptism. They do not want to believe in God's grace at baptism, but grope with their hands. They do not lack the Scriptures, but they lack that they do not guide the Scriptures correctly. For if God's word were not written, "Unless one is born again through water and the Spirit, he will not see the kingdom of heaven," it would be wrong to seek God's grace in baptism or water. But there God's word stands firm, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." For faith and baptism, word and water, must be together; this the blind people do not want to see.
So Christ also contradicts the devil and answers: If I walk in my ways which God has commanded me, I know well that the angels are with me, and must watch over me and keep me. So when a child walks in his filial obedience, father and mother, servants and maids go in their office and occupation, as accident befits them, then God will save and help through His angels. But if they go out of the way, the angels shall not be there; then the devil can break their necks every hour, as he often does out of God's decree, and it hardly serves them right, for they should not make new or different ways, for that is still tempting God.
020 Now this is a temptation which no man understandeth, except he have tried it. For just as the first drives one to despair, so
252L. 1, 256-258. On the Sunday of Invocavit. W. xm, 549-553. 253
drives them to presumption and to such works that do not have God's word and command. A Christian should take the middle road, so that he neither despairs nor is presumptuous, but remains simple with the word in right trust and faith. This is how the dear angels should be with us and not otherwise.
The third temptation is only traditio humana; it is very gross, that the devil, through honor and violence, subjects us to idolatry, contrary to God's word. It helps a great deal that the outward holiness has such a great appearance before reason, and glitters far more beautifully than all obedience to the Word of God. For the pope does not consider the married state to be a holy life, item, nourishing and teaching children, being industrious, obedient and faithful in the house, as much as he considers it a holy and great thing, where one goes, puts on a gray skirt or cap, does not keep himself like other people, does not eat meat on Friday, fasts, goes on pilgrimages 2c. This makes such an appearance that king and emperor bow down before it.
(22) With such devotion and self-invented spirituality the pope arose, that he and his company did not want to do what other people do, because the same would be too small. But this has a special reputation, if one runs into a monastery, becomes a monk and our Lord God's (as they boast) own servant, since one seeks neither money nor goods and even forgives the world. For this is how the monastic life has been praised; although it has had a different opinion, as everyone knows well. But summa summarum, this is a real diabolical challenge. For it is an unbidden holiness, and is not called serving God, whom, as Christ says here, one should serve alone. But if one does not serve God alone, then one certainly serves the devil. He also rewards, as he promises Christ here, and gives good life, fine sinecures and great dominions as wages.
- But he who wants to serve God, let him do what God has commanded in His word. If you are a child, honor your father and mother. If you are a maid or a servant, be obedient and faithful. If you are a master and a wife, do not offend your servants with words or deeds, but do what is good for you,
and also keep them in the fear of God. That is then serving God and His word, and not the person. For there is his word, which commands and wants such things. Now call it what you will in the sight of the world, that it may serve masters or wives, fathers or mothers, neighbors or children, but it is a true service of God. For God has ever written his word over my neighbor's head, saying: You shall love your neighbor and serve him.
(24) That the pope does not respect this command and makes a special holiness out of it, where one puts on a gray cap and eats neither butter nor meat, but oil and herring during fasting, that is just a devil's specter. For God's command and word is not there. That is why it rhymes with piety, which is valid before God, just as it rhymes with stone buildings, when children make little houses out of sheets of cards. Cause, you cannot serve God, unless you have His word and command. If his word and command are not there, you do not serve God, but your own will. So then our Lord God says: "Whom you serve, let him also reward you; which devil has called you? I command you to serve your father and mother, to serve your authorities and your neighbor; you let that stand, and in the meantime you do what I have not commanded; shall I put up with that? No, nothing will come of it.
(25) Thus the pope and his company are pure idolaters and servants of the devil. For he not only despises the word, but also persecutes it; nevertheless he wants to be holy for the sake of this outward worship, which he has done with caps and plates, with fasting, eating fish. Reading mass, and what is more like that; no one can make him stop. Why? Because the devil has shown and promised him the kingdom of the world. This makes him mock our preaching and worship. For we are beggars in this, and must suffer much. But his worship he lifts up to heaven; for there he has money and goods, honor and power from, and is a greater lord than emperor and king can be. There you can see how the devil is so powerfully seated with him with this challenge. But we are to give the
254 L. i, 258-2so. On the Sunday of Reminiscere. W. xm, 553-555. 255
To face the devil and say to him, as Christ says: "Devil, get thee away from me, for it is written: "Thou shalt serve God thy Lord alone", that is, to look to God's word alone and follow it, and not to worship outside of it. We must await the challenge of all three because we are alive. Therefore, we are to learn here how to protect ourselves with God's word and to endure it, so that we may take the middle road; and
Therefore, do not let us be deprived of faith, so that we have stone and not bread when we hunger, nor become presumptuous in faith, or finally fall away from the right worship of God for the sake of money and goods; but at the same time remain steadfast in faith and the fear of God. Our dear Lord Christ, who overcame this temptation too well for us, give us also strength, that we may overcome it through him and be saved, amen.
*On the Sunday Reminiscere. )
Matth. 15, 21-28.
And JEsus went out from thence, and escaped into the region of Tyro and Sidon. And, behold, a Canaanite woman went out of that border, and cried after him, saying, Lord, thou Son of David, have mercy on me: my daughter is evil afflicted with the devil. And he answered her not a word. Then came his disciples unto him, and besought him, saying: Let her go from you, for she is crying out to us. But he answered and said: I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And she came and fell down before him, and said, Lord, help me. And he answered and said, It is not good to take the children's bread, and to cast it to the dogs. And she said, Yea, Lord; but yet the dogs eat of the little bread that falleth from their masters' tables. And Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, thy faith is great: let it be done unto thee according to thy will. And her daughter was healed that very hour.
1 This is a high gospel. But it was put on this Sunday, just like others, that it also says about the exorcism of the devil; thus they wanted to indicate that one should become pious and confess. But it is a bad and right papal piety that lets itself be saved for a whole year until this time. And it is done with miserable fasting and unwilling confession, since one has no command to do so.
2 Therefore we must first know that this gospel does not speak of such child's play and puppet work; but it is a high and difficult teaching, of the right struggle and fear of death in faith before God, from which we are to learn that no thing should deter us from calling and praying to God, even if He Himself says no to it.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
speaks. As one learns in mortal distress, the devil pushes and stirs up thoughts everywhere, so that our Lord God cannot be seen in any other way than as if he did not want us. It is terrible when the black, thick clouds dim and cover the bright sun; there is trouble above all trouble.
This battle is presented to us here in the woman, since not only the person, but all other circumstances are so evil that they cannot be more evil. First of all, she is a Gentile woman, which is the first circumstantia that makes the matter difficult, that she is not a child of Abraha, nor of Abraham's seed; therefore she has no right to ask anything here, because she is a stranger. The same should have pushed her so before the head that she should have said: What shall I ask? it is lost. Cause, I am a pagan, foreigner
256 L. 1, 260-262. On Sunday Reminiscere. W. XIII, 555-558. 257
Female; but he is a Jew and sent to the Jews 2c.
(4) If we should feel such a violent shock in our hearts, we would soon lie down and let go of prayer. For it is no joke when the conscience stands there and says: Ah, you are not one who should pray, you do not belong to Christ; let Paulum, Petrum pray, our Lord God does not hear you; you have no faith, perhaps you are not chosen, you are not worthy nor sufficient for such high work that you should stand before God and ask him for something. With such thoughts the devil can bring us to despair; for it is a very great blow.
(5) Now look here at this woman, and learn how to behave in such a case as she behaves. She goes and does not see this, but is blind in spirit, so that she forgets the play and cannot remember that she is a Gentile and he is a Jew. For her trust and heart in Christ is so great that she thinks: He will not let me go. With such faith she erases the fact that she is a Gentile. Another would not have done this without faith, but would have thought: You are of the devil, it is in vain that you pray; let his people ask, with you it will do nothing; would therefore never have asked. For he who does not believe cannot pray. But the woman does not let herself be challenged, does not dispute with herself: You do not belong in the house, you are an excluded pagan, and not worthy to be carried by the earth.
(6) Such is a hard and evil temptation, when the devil thus poureth in the heart, saying, Why long wilt thou pray, thou art mine; lift up for it, and curse God, it is just as much; thou shalt not be saved. Such devilish thoughts can prevent an untrained heart from praying at all and falling into despair.
(7) Therefore this history is written for our sake, that we may not be offended at it, if the evil enemy should reproach us, saying, Thou art not a Christian, thy prayers do nothing. No, by all means do not turn to it, but say thus: Let me be who I will, and I will ask nothing of it. For whether I
Even though I am a sinner, I know that my Lord Christ is not a sinner, but remains righteous and merciful. Therefore I will confidently call and cry out to him, and turn to nothing else; for I have no time now to dispute whether I am saved or not. But this I feel, that I need help; come therefore, and seek it in all humility 2c.
(8) This is called following this example. For the woman was a heathen, and therefore she could not, indeed she must not, conclude that she was not saved; nevertheless she swallows such a hard and large morsel, and goes before the Lord Jesus, and does not let such thoughts hinder her in prayer. So do thou also, and say, Lord, I come now, and must have this and other things; where else will I take or seek, but with thee in heaven, through thy Son, my Saviour Christ Jesus? This is a battle piece and a very great miracle in the heathen damsel.
9 Now the text says that she cries out, "Ah, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me," and complains of her distress, "My daughter is tormented by the devil. Christ hears such a cry, but he does not answer her a word. This is the other shock, that our Lord faces God just as she was. She is a pagan, who does not belong to the inheritance, nor should she enjoy the benefits. Therefore, when she runs after Christ and asks him, he remains silent as if he had nothing to do with her. From such two cartouches an iron wall should fall down. For she should ever have thought: Where is now the man, who is so praised to me by everyone, how he is merciful, hear soon and help gladly? But as I see and experience, he hears when he wants to and not when we need it. But the poor woman is not yet frightened. But what else does she encounter?
(10) Thirdly, the disciples are tired of crying out and are more pious in their mind than Christ himself. For they think he is too hard and unkind; therefore they go to him and pray for the woman: Ah, Lord, give and help her, for otherwise she will not let go. 2c. This is a delicious example that one should not let up in prayer.
2582.1, 262-264. On the Sunday of Reminiscere. W. XIII, S58-S61. 259
Taulerus writes an example in one place that one should desist. But it is wrong to preach in this way. For we find the refraining all too early among us. So this example also shows sufficiently that one should by no means desist, but should always pray, and say with the woman here: I cannot now dispute whether I am pious or wicked, worthy or unworthy, I cannot wait now; I have something else and more necessary to do. "My daughter is badly afflicted by the devil," I must have advice and help for that. You can see that such hard blows give the one who feels his need only the more earnestly to plead and beg that he be helped, regardless of how evil and unworthy of help he is. 2c.
(12) Here is the third challenge, or thrust, that Christ says, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He also strikes the disciples on the head, and neither the woman nor they who pray for them will listen.
13 Then she should have thought: Surely this must be a hard man who will not listen to other people who ask of themselves and unasked. And the truth is, Christ is nowhere painted so harshly in the whole gospel as here. Nevertheless, it does not desist, but lusts for and for, has devoured three great cartouches.
14 Since her cries and other intercessions do not help, she also enters the house, as Marcus says. This may well be called half an impudent woman. She ran after him in the street with a shout; now that Christ is going into the house to get rid of her, she runs after him and falls down before him. But these things are prescribed for our learning and comfort, that we may learn how heartily Christ is pleased when a man thus leaseth and continueth.
(15) Yet the Lord is not yet to be found, as she would have him. For listen, what does he say to this woman? "It is not good to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs. If he had said such a word to me, I would have been
I would have run away in disgust, thinking, "What you are doing is in vain; there is nothing to be gained. For it is an exceeding hard word, that the Lord should thus cast her at his feet, not leaving it that she is not a child or a heathen, but calling her a dog. This is worse than if he had called her a heathen. Yes, it is just as much said as if he said: You are of the devil, as you walk and stand, just always troll yourself, you have no business here. That means highly tempted. If St. Peter or Paul said such a word to me, I would be scared to death. But what should it be now, since Christ himself says it to this woman?
(16) Therefore this is a great and excellent example, by which one sees how powerful faith is: it takes Christ by his words when he is most angry, and turns a harsh word into a comforting dialectic, as we see here. You say, she says, I am a dog: I let it happen, gladly want to be a dog, only keep me like a dog. Give your children the bread, put them at the table, I do not desire such things; only let me pick up the small pieces of bread from under the table, and allow me that, without which the children would not enjoy, but would go for nothing; I will be content with the same. So catches the Lord Christ with his own words. Yes, that is even more, with the right of the dog it wins the right of the child. For where does he want to go, dear Jesus? he has caught himself and must now leave. But if only he could, he would gladly let himself be caught like that.
(17) Now this is the right masterpiece, a peculiar and strange example, which therefore is prescribed for us, that we should learn it, and not be turned away from the man, God granting that he call us dogs or heathen. For the dogs must also have masters and food. So the Gentiles must also have a God.
(18) With such hard holding and firm faith the Lord is caught, and answers, "O woman," if thou canst suffer and endure these blows in thy heart, "let it be done unto thee according as thou believest." For it is a strange judgment. He saw that the other Jews were soon
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They were annoyed by one word, because he says: They must eat his flesh. But this woman always holds on to the hope that he will help and will not let go of him.
(19) Here we see why the Lord was so hard on her and refused her help, namely, that he did not show his unkindness because he did not want to help, but so that her faith would be revealed, and the Jews, who were heirs to his kingdom and children, would learn from the Gentile woman, who was neither heir nor child, how they should believe in Christ and put all their trust in him. For this is what Christ wants, and it pleases him so much that he can no longer conceal his goodness and kindness, saying, "Go, be it done to you as you wish." So he gives her the right of the dog, and not only makes the daughter well, but offers to give what she desires and wants, and sets her among Abraham's seed. Faith brings her to such grace that she is no longer called a dog or a pagan, but a beloved daughter and a truly holy woman.
20 Such an example serves to show us whether our Lord God is keeping us a long time, so that we should not let up, but firmly believe that he will finally say yes to it; and whether he is not already saying loudly and publicly that he is secretly in his heart, until the time comes that you must experience and see it, if only you do not let up with praying and stopping, nor are you lazy. As can be seen in other examples. Joseph cried out and continued to pray for thirteen years, asking God to help him. But the longer he prayed, the worse he became. The more he prayed, the worse he got. This is still the case today with Christians: when they have cried out and cried to God for a long time, they do not feel any improvement, but the longer it goes on, the worse it gets, just like Joseph. If God had redeemed Joseph sooner, Jacob, his father, would have been happy. But Joseph would have had to remain a shepherd. But since it took so long, he became a ruler over all of Egypt, and God accomplished much good through him, not only during the seven years of the rebellion, but also in other areas of world and church government.
Egypt alone, but also the surrounding countries have been improved 2c.
God still wants to do this with us. If he has long denied us our request, and has always given us the no, but we hold fast to the yes, then it shall finally be yes and not no. For his word will not lie: "Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you."
But our reason is highly annoyed by such delay and would like God to hear us as soon as possible. It is necessary not to be angry. Let our Lord God say no, and hold out the request for a year, two years, three years, or even longer, and only beware that we do not let hope and faith in His promise be torn from our hearts: then in the end something will have to come of it, that He will give far more than you have asked to give. As it happens to this woman, if she had desired and wanted more, he would have given it to her.
23 Therefore our Lord God will teach us that it is not always good to hear soon. In great distresses it does; as when you fall into water or are at war, it does not take long to wait when the distress is so near and great. But if the delay and the waiting can be endured, then one should learn that he is glad to forgive, but still, as the prophet Habakkuk says (2:3): "If the promise be consumed, wait for it; it will surely come, and will not be forgiven.
(24) So he now also departs and lets the pope and the Turks rage against us. We cry out and do miserable things, but he does not hear and acts as if he does not know us, and makes us suffer as miserably as if we had no God. But it will not always remain so. Therefore let us have no doubt about it; we have the word of consent in heaven, which is certainly in the heart of the Lord Christ and God his Father, even if he builds four or five iron walls in front of it and the devil shoots a vain no to it. But he learns to say: I believe that God will be merciful to his church and save it when it cries for help. The word of yes is in his heart, according to the promise of Christ: "What you ask the Father in my
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name, which he will give you." Therefore I will not dispute whether I am qualified and worthy to pray, but that the word of yes will surely be there if I only pray and hold fast.
(25) So this history is a particularly beautiful example of a right faith, that it wants to be practiced, and that it shall finally overcome and attain everything, if we follow this woman; she also does not want to let the word of the Lord Christ Himself be taken out of her heart, that He will be kind and help.
26 But we are especially comforted by this history against the common temptation to which we are exposed.
For the rest of our lives, we must not allow our faith and trust to fall away when we think of our unworthiness and sinful lives. For if Christ wanted to look more at our worthiness and merit than at his mercy and our need, he would not have helped this young lady. But he will be merciful and gladly help, if only we continue to trust and pray. May our dear Lord God help us, so that we may also come hereafter, and with firm faith rely on His word and promise with all our heart, and through Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit, become eternally blessed, amen.
*On Sunday Oculi. )
Luc. 11, 14-28.
And he cast out a devil, which was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was cast out, that the dumb man spake. And the people marveled. But some of them said: He casts out devils through Beelzebub, the chief of the devils. But the others tempted him, and desired a sign from him out of heaven. But he heard their thoughts and said to them: Every kingdom, if it be divided against itself, shall be desolate, and one house shall fall upon another. If Satan also be at variance with himself, how shall his kingdom stand? Because you say that I cast out devils by Beelzebub. But if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do they cast out your children? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the finger of God, the kingdom of God will come to you. If a strong man keeps his palace, his own remains in peace. But if a stronger man comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him his hardness, on which he relied, and divides the spoil. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. When the unclean spirit departs from a man, it wanders through dry places, seeking rest, and does not find it; so it says: I will return to my house from whence I came. And when he cometh, he findeth him clothed and adorned with besomes. Then he goes and takes to himself seven spirits worse than himself, and when they come in, they dwell there; and afterward he becomes worse with the same man than before. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the people lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou hast sucked. And he said, Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
1 Today's Gospel, as you have heard, is about the casting out of the devil. And is just the opinion (like the one eight days ago) placed on this time, that one through repentance, penance and confession has reformed and cast out the devil.
*) Held publicly in the castle church before the "Churfürsten, in the year 1534.
to cast out. But if you read this gospel today or tomorrow, in summer or in Lent, it is very rich, in which the work of our dear Lord Christ is held up to us, which not only took place at that time, but will remain until the end of the world and as long as his kingdom remains on earth. Of such a work the gospel has eight today
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Days also acted. But here it is written how it has been interpreted by people in many ways. This also gives a fine, useful teaching, as you will hear. But first we want to say about the work of Christ.
(2) That our dear Lord Jesus here casts out a devil is written for our special comfort, that we may learn and know that he is Lord over the devil and his kingdom, and that such a work as was then begun in the flesh shall not cease, but shall remain in Christendom until the last day. For for such work Christ hath left behind him his instrument, holy baptism, the reverend sacrament, the word and absolution, and other things that pertain unto the ministry of preaching, that the devil's kingdom should be destroyed therewith, and that he should be taken from among them, and cast out of them 2c. For thus it is written: Verbum meum non redibit vacuum: Just as the rain that falls on a dry land does not go away without fruit, it greens afterwards and everything comes to life; so also God's word certainly always produces fruit in some. For the Holy Spirit will always be with the Word, enlightening, setting on fire and purifying hearts, and thus redeeming them from the tyranny and power of the devil.
(3) Whether therefore this shall not appear in the sight of the world, nor be seen with the eyes of the flesh, as it was when it was bodily done by Christ, there is no power in it: for the world is not worthy without this, that it should see one little spark of divine power: but it shall be blind, reproachful, reviling, and blaspheming; as we see it doing to the Lord Christ here. But we, who have and accept the word, shall see and know it, and comfort ourselves with all our heart that God has left us the power here on earth, that we can, yes, should and must cast out devils without ceasing.
For every child that is born is born into the kingdom of the devil, where he reigns as a lord and exercises all the tyranny of sins. But if it is brought here for blessed baptism according to Christ's command, by which it is born again into the kingdom of God, as Christ says in John 3, the devil must depart and go out. For then the child is born again by God through Christ.
God's grace is promised, because it is baptized into the death of Christ. So a poor, afflicted conscience, which the devil has precipitated with a heavy fall, or otherwise afflicted by temptation, comes to me, laments its distress, and desires comfort and instruction. Then I have orders, and every Christian, that I should comfort and strengthen my brother, and promise him God's grace through the merit of Christ. Then the devil must also give way: not to me, who am a poor sinner and wretched man; but to the word which our dear Lord Christ has left us on earth. So if you have a stupid, frightened conscience, and cannot grasp firmly enough the consolation that God will be merciful to you and forgive your sin, our dear Lord Jesus has ordained his supper as a certain consolation, so that because his body and blood are given to you as food and drink, you may have no cause to doubt that his body was given for your sin and his blood poured out for your sin. But where there is such faith and trust, it is impossible that the devil should keep his seat longer and not leave the inn.
5 So this work must go on for and for in Christianity, which must bite itself with the serpent, and must always forcefully oppose and fight against the devil's kingdom, as it does, and more than Christ himself; as he 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 greater works than these shall he do: for I go unto the Father."
6th Cause, the Christian church carries on its ministry much further than Christ: he did it only in the small corner of the Jewish country and converted few people; for he preached only until the fourth year. On the other hand, the Christian church, through the help of its Head and Lord Christ, who sits at the right hand of God, carries out this ministry for and for, that it preaches, distributes the sacraments and punishes the devil in his ungodly nature forever, and casts him out today in one place and tomorrow in another, even from itself. For we are not yet completely rid of all things, and must defend ourselves against him and beware of him at all times.
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(7) Such things grieve the devil very much; therefore, just as we drive him out by the preaching ministry and the holy sacraments, so he tries us again, if he cannot sit with us again, that he may drive us out into the world by persecution. This is how it has always been and will be until the end of the world, as Christ himself encountered. For he would not suffer the devil, but cast him out whithersoever he was desired; neither would the devil suffer him, and brought him by the Jews to the cross, and cast him out into the world. But it did not go well with him.
For Christ not only cast out the devil from the poor man of whom this gospel speaks, but he appeared, as it is written in 1 John 3:8, to destroy the works of the devil, so that the devil has no power over all who believe in him. But those who do not receive him remain under the power of the devil and must finally perish, like the Jews. The believers, however, will be safe from this; indeed, they cast out the devil through the word, and on that day they and Christ will be judges over the devils and all the ungodly.
In the papacy, as you know, the devil has brought his kingdom and power very high, so that although the holy sacraments and the word remained out of God's mercy and grace, there was no right understanding of either sacrament or word, as everyone must confess. Nevertheless, even in the papacy the devil had to give way to the Word and leave through holy baptism. For God's promise cannot withstand anything. Thus, the Holy Spirit does not want to let his effect be interrupted, although the person who leads the Word and administers the Sacrament is not pious, but godless.
(10) Therefore, we should thank God for such abundant grace from the bottom of our hearts and not complain about it, even though the devil harasses and sometimes torments us because of it. For it grieves him exceedingly that we poor sinners should cast him out, such a hopeful, powerful spirit, by the word alone, and that he must go out against his thanks and will. Therefore he remembers
He is determined to take revenge on us and shoots at us with persecution and other temptations. We shall gladly suffer this for the hope that we know that we shall not cast him out here alone, but on the last day, as I said, he will be judged and condemned for eternity and into the abyss of hell.
(11) We should learn from this work that we should not think so little of the word of God and the holy sacraments, nor speak shamefully of them, as is commonly done, especially by worldly men. It is true that the sacraments are evil outward works, as the eyes judge; so also the word is an outward thing, which may be grasped with the ears and read with the eyes; just as Christians are also bodily men. But to hold it in low esteem, and therefore to despise it, is of no avail. When a Christian walks along and speaks according to the command of Christ, the devil must flee and cannot stand against it.
(12) That the Word and the Sacraments are held in such low esteem should not provoke us to despise the Word and the Sacraments, but to heartfelt thanksgiving, that we may say: Thanks be to our dear Lord God, that he has placed the highest power in such a small, weak vessel. For we humans are like a straw against the devil, that where he should or could exercise his power against us, he should not let us live for a moment. But what does our Lord God do? He lights the poor little straw by his word, the heavenly fire, and makes such a light and brightness in the world that the devil does not know where to stay; and must flee there today, tomorrow in another place and go out. Therefore, St. Paul calls the gospel a power of God through which men are saved. This is such power and strength, which is called God's strength, and brings man from sin to righteousness, from death to life, from hell to heaven, and from the devil's kingdom to God's kingdom.
- we Christians should learn these things, and
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We should thank God for it, and esteem His word and holy sacraments glorious and great, yes, as our highest treasure. But the unbelievers are not worthy to see such glorious majesty and power of the Word of God, according to the saying: Tollatur impius, ne videat gloriam Dei: "The wicked must depart, lest he see the glory of God". And as Isaiah says of the Jews, "With your ears you will hear, and will not understand; with your eyes that see, you will see, and will not hear," chap. 6:9, 10. But we should thank God that we have known and experienced such great majesty and power of the Word; and we should rejoice and take comfort in it, even though we are poor beggars and sinners, that we have the power with us, from which even the devil must be terrified and flee.
14 So the work is still going on among Christians, that is, casting out devils, making the dumb speak and the deaf hear, though it is not done bodily. For it is much greater and more to cast the devil out of the heart than to cast him out of the body. For he is much more firmly seated in the heart. But Christ also casts him out bodily, so that we may see his power with our eyes, and believe all the sooner that he will also cast him out where he is most firmly seated, and by such a small thing, namely by the word, absolution, baptism, the reverend sacrament 2c.
- God has given us such a gift and grace, for which we should thank Him diligently, and confidently use it against the devil and cast him out of men spiritually, regardless of the fact that he will cast us out of the world physically here for it. But when the last day comes, then he shall be cast out forever for this. This is the first thing for which we should thank God and rejoice.
- further follows in the gospel, what the pious, the virgin world says about it. Here we find three kinds of disciples. The first are the most pious, namely, the people who marvel at such work of Christ, and no doubt thank God for it. These are the small group of people who have their eyes opened and see the glory and divine power of Christ.
The power of the word is such a gloriously great thing before them that they cannot marvel enough that the word should convert so many people so lightly and easily, and cast out the devil with power, and therefore cannot get enough of it.
17 But there are two other multitudes whose hearts are so hardened that even with seeing eyes they do not see that there must be a great divine power to make a dumb and deaf man speak and hear as easily as another man, and to make him quiet and sensible, who before was furious and impetuous. So there are a number of such disciples who see the work of Christ with their eyes, but find it so blind, mad and foolish that they take the contradiction out of such miraculous work and attribute it to the devil.
18 If only they would say thus: He casts out devils, therefore perhaps he will have a special art or grace from God. They do not do this, but say boldly: It goes against God, the devil is in him, it is nothing but a deception and a ghost. As if they wanted to say: Should it be a miraculous sign? Yes, it is a pure devil's work. So they have blind eyes, and such a muddied, hardened heart, that they do not see God's miraculous work, but even turn it around and say: It is a devil's ghost, as the jugglers juggle. Moreover, they are so sure of such sin and atrocious blasphemy that they give the devil a very contemptible name, calling him Beelzebub, which in German is a bumblebee or large mosquito. This is to highly despise the devil, as if they were great saints and full of the Holy Spirit, against whom the devil would be like a bumblebee. Paul, the great apostle, does not despise him in this way, but calls him a prince and god of the world. But these great saints think that the more they can despise the devil, the less art it is in the Lord Christ to cast out devils. What, they say, should this be for a special miracle or high work? It is a bad art to the devil that he casts out another devil.
19 So, even though they cannot go against the truth, they knowingly blaspheme and do not
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They do not see that they themselves are possessed by a thousand devils, because they are full of blasphemy, murderers, liars, deceivers, and do the devil's highest will, because they go along as if the devil did not concern them at all.
20 The same thing is happening today. The dear Gospel is preached, praise be to God forever, purely and loudly, in all discipline and silence; we should certainly take comfort in the fact that some pious people accept such preaching with all their hearts, become happy about it, and marvel at such grace and good deeds, thanking God for them from the bottom of their hearts. Again, there is no shortage of those who do not know how to blaspheme sufficiently. Our opposite confesses that it is founded in Holy Scripture that one should take the Sacrament under both forms (as they call it), and that Christ has forbidden neither marriage nor food: yet they condemn such and other articles as heresy. It would be no wonder that before such sin the sun would turn black, and such blasphemers would devour the earth. But they are so safe, careless and without any concern, as if they were sitting in the lap of our Lord God; I will not say that they should be afraid of the devil, as Christians are afraid.
21 They learn by experience that the devil can also bring down the righteous and drive back God's work (where it is imposed on him). Therefore they do not call him Beelzebub or Hummel, but, like Paul, a prince and God of the world. For we see how strong he is, and feel it, where he once seizes someone and leads him into error or heresy, he holds so strongly that one can hardly bring him out and right again with much and long teaching and admonishing. So, if he throws a man into fornication or adultery, into avarice, anger, hatred, envy, or other vices, I mean, he holds fast. If a rope or a chain does not help, he takes a hundred of them, so that one should not wind himself out of it.
22 Therefore, Christians do not despise the devil as the works saints do, calling him not a bumblebee, but a mighty lord, prince, and God of the world, who has
People can strangle, lead into sin, in despair, heartache, fear, worry, sorrow and all kinds of distress, where God does not intervene. But the pope and his crowd do not know and do not believe such things, even though they see and experience them.
23 Therefore, because the Pharisees blaspheme Christ and his work so abominably, it is easy to suppose that, though they are not possessed bodily, as the poor man here is, yet they are seven times more violently and dangerously possessed spiritually; because they (like our papists) not only do not understand the word, but so blasphemously profane it besides; and are so sure of it, as if they were well pleased.
24 This is written for our comfort, if we want to cast out devils and preach God's word, that we also wait for what is written here, that some are surprised; but others think that our doctrine is false and seductive, which does great harm and only drives people away from God; for this reason they blaspheme it as heresy and the doctrine of devils. This shall not vex us nor make us weary. It is true that it is very painful that the papists blaspheme shamefully and are so sure of it that they are no more afraid of the devil than of a bumblebee. But it happened to the Lord himself in the great miraculous work, when he cast out devils by the finger of God; then they blasphemed that it would be as bad a thing to cast out devils as to cast out a bumblebee swarming around one's head; for that the devil would have helped him. This is one group of wicked, evil disciples who see such work, but do not thank God for it, but still blaspheme.
(25) The third disciples are almost as bad as the others, without saying it so crudely, pretending to believe if they had a sign, as they like it. These do not lack that they do not see the sign. They do see it, but they think it is an earthly sign and not a real sign, and they would suffer if he, the Lord, wanted them to think that he made a sign in the sky, a new moon, new stars, or something like that. These are very wise people who teach our Lord God thus
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They wanted to know what signs he should do. They wanted him to put on a jester's cap like a juggler, to appear before them and to show them what they wanted. Just as if our Lord God had nothing else to do, but to atone for their presumption.
26 Today you will also find such disciples in the world, and there are only so many of them, and most of all among the great lords, you will have different respect for them. For what is now the common speech among worldly wise, powerful people everywhere, but this, that they say: What? should I believe the sermon, which has now come among the people from poor beggars, as, runaway monks and perjured priests? I would believe it if the pope, emperor, king and princes preached it or accepted it. These also show our Lord God how he should become wise, the pious man, and attack things more wisely, and send them such a sermon as they would like. Yes, let them order you, dear noblemen.
27 And with us, who pretend to be good evangelicals, it is almost the same. You can see both in the courts of the lords and in cities, where everyone is subject to rule the preachers, that they should preach as and what pleases the lords. But where a preacher, in accordance with his office, punishes the vices that are so publicly practiced that one can easily know the persons, even if one does not name them, then the cry goes up in a heap that it serves for sedition and is therefore not to be suffered by the authorities. One could well preach the gospel otherwise, so that one does not disgrace and disgrace the people so publicly. So the authorities must be called disgraced and reviled if one speaks the truth. But how do you feel about such pious people? Do you not think that they are somewhat like and related to those who see the glorious miraculous sign here, but do not want to think it is a miracle, because he is fooling them with what they would like? So they want to be lords, not only over their country, people and community, but also over the word and the church. They may be pious children, because God should have air on.
28 But it does not have the opinion, if one says, worldly authority should be honored.
Do not reproach them, nor speak evil of them, as if they were to have worldly authority over God and His word; but let them be under God and His word as well as their subjects, and obey Him. If they do not do so, they shall be washed, and their mouths shall be opened, and they shall say what they do not like to hear, and they shall not ask anything, whether they are angry or laughing. For the gospel shall not spare any man, no matter how high he may be, but shall punish iniquity in every man.
(29) Therefore there are pastors and preachers on whom a very heavy burden has been laid, that they should conduct their ministry in such a way that they give an answer and an account of it on the last day. If they do not tell you and do not punish you for what they owe it to their office to say and punish, then God will demand your blood from their hands. Why then would we preachers for your sake complain more and preach to you as you would like? If the word is not ours, we are not there for your sake, as if you had appointed us, and we had to preach what is convenient for you. Preachers cannot, will not and should not do this. If anyone does not want to hear it, the door of the church is open to him, and he may go out and leave our Lord God's preaching ministry unhindered.
(30) These are the three kinds of disciples whom the Lord has here in this great miracle. The first praise it, and are pleased with it, and marvel at it. The others are hostile to it and desecrate it. The third would like it to be done according to their head and not according to his pleasure. The gospel has such disciples all over the world.
Therefore the preachers, just like Christ here, must quarrel with such and not let them have their way; but save the honor of the Lord Christ and answer for his word, and do not ask anything about it, even if they do not want to be converted or persuaded. We have done our part if we do not keep quiet about their blasphemy. If they will not accept it, let them go until they realize what they have done and whom they have despised, violated and blasphemed.
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The Lord first answers those who say, He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, and gives a fine, bad, natural answer, "A kingdom, if it be divided against itself, cannot stand. If then one devil casts out another, it follows that the devils are at variance, and therefore their kingdom cannot stand.
This is a worldly image that reason can grasp and understand. For where husband and wife are divided in the house, so that he breaks jars and she breaks pots, the household will not be able to last long. For experience teaches that disunity tears apart and devastates land and people, household and everything.
(34) Therefore the Pharisees and scribes here speak against their own reason, like mad, insane people, who not only have no Christian understanding, but also no human reason. As we also see in our opponents, the papists. Even if we do not lead the Scriptures, we can still use reasonable causes in many things to reprove their nature and doctrine, and to defend ours. But nothing helps, all work and effort is in vain.
Now it is necessary that we pay attention to the fact that Christ says that the devil has a kingdom, and a very large kingdom, which is finely divided. Therefore, whoever angers one devil angers them all; whoever attacks one attacks them all. Otherwise, if they did not hold together in this way, we would have many more people deprived of the pope. But the fact that not all accept and believe the word is because the devil's kingdom is so powerful and holds together so diligently.
You attack such a kingdom when you are baptized, hear the word, and receive the sacrament. But that the devil does not prevail against you is because just as the devils hold together, so the kingdom of Christ also holds together. Therefore, if the devil attacks you, he has also attacked the one above at the right hand of God, as he says to Paul, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" We may take comfort in this, and learn that it is no joke for a Christian, since we have such a great kingdom against us.
and would have to be in peril at all times if God did not stop us with His grace.
(37) Here you may ask: How is it that the exorcists are such evil, desperate boys and still cast out devils? God does not do that, but the devil. I have seen one myself that was full of devils, but the priest who summoned him was so sure that he put his hand in the mouth of the possessed. How can it be otherwise than that one devil casts out another?
38 Answer: St. Paul says, "The devil will perform signs in the last days, but they will be false signs. For he does it not for the sake of the gospel, that he may promote it, but that he may lead men away from the faith, and bring them into idolatry. Thus St. Cyriax, St. Unstet and other saints were used to bring the possessed and to cast out the devil. But he did not go out because of this, as if he could not sit any longer and had to leave; but he did it willingly and gladly to strengthen the superstition.
Item 39: At times he acted as if he were very afraid of a consecrated light, consecrated salt, water and other things, when his only purpose was to strengthen such superstition in the people, so that they would the less come to the right faith and trust in God's word and grace. That it was, as Paul calls it, mendacia signa, lying, false miraculous signs and only a ghost.
40 But look at the true signs, when Christ and the apostles cast out the devil by the word, and he went out against his will, and you will find that he has changed much. Cause, then he must go forth for the testimony of the divine word and honor, and strength of the Christian faith. He cannot do this with his will, so neither the cross nor consecrated water nor any other trickery will help.
- But where the devil is to make use of it, and to strengthen his lies with it, so that the ungrateful world, which will not call upon Christ, may call upon the devil and go deeper into it.
276 L. 1, 280.281. On Sunday Lätare. W. XIII, 5W-M5.604-606. 277
If he is to fall into superstition, he may well have a bad boy exorcised. For it is not so that the gospel may be praised and the truth recognized, but that his error may be confirmed, that monastic life, the intercession of the saints, pilgrimages, vigils, sacrifices of the Mass and other things may be considered a holy thing; that is why he is so willing to do it.
- but where the casting out of the devil is to see the finger of God and to have the kingdom of heaven approaching, he locks up
and defends himself as long as he can; as Christ says in the parable of the strong-armed man.
43 Therefore, let us thank God for such grace that He sent His Son to help us against the devil and cast him out, and left His word with us, through which this work is still being done today, destroying the devil's kingdom and building up and increasing the kingdom of God. In such grace may God graciously preserve us through His Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.
*On Sunday Lätare. )
John 6:1-15.
After this JEsus departed over the sea at the city of Tiberias in Galilee. And great multitudes followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on them that were sick. And JEsus went up into a mountain, and sat there with his disciples. Now Easter, the feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes, and beholding many people coming to him, said to Philip, Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat? (This he said to tempt him, for he knew well what he was about to do). Philip answered him, Two hundred pennies worth of bread is not enough for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Peter's brother Simonis, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what is this among so many? And Jesus said, Make the people lie down. And there was much grass in the place. There encamped about five thousand men. And JEsus took the loaves, and gave thanks, and gave to the disciples; and the disciples to them that were encamped; and to them also of the fishes, as much as he would. And when they were full, he said unto his disciples, Gather the fragments that remain, that nothing perish. So they gathered, and filled twelve baskets with fragments, of the five barley loaves that remained for those who had been fed. When the people saw the sign that Jesus had done, they said: This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him, that they might make him king, he departed again into the mountain by himself.
1 This is one of the gospels, where our dear Lord Christ teaches his Christians how to trust him, that he will not let them die of hunger, but by his blessing will provide them with all they need. Therefore this is such a sermon, which the miserly, who can think of nothing but their own profit, are not worthy to hear, much less to believe. For they do hear how the Lord here, through his
*) Held in the house in 1533; in 1534, according to the Wittenberg edition of 1558. D. Red.
But they do not want to let it come to that, that he may also do it with them. For this reason, they are stingy, and they act as if Christ could not or would not do such miracles with them, but had to take care of himself, otherwise they would be missed. Christ has nothing to do with such people.
2 But to them that keep his word he comforteth here, not in word, but in work, to make them eat; that we should not doubt, nor think,
278 L. 1, 281-283. On the Sunday of Lätare. W. XIII, 606-608. 279
how we feed ourselves, but place our heart and trust in Christ. We will not lack such faith. For Christ will be with us, and will bring to us the wealth, though there be not more than five loaves, yet will he bless so that five thousand men, without wife and child, shall be filled, and there shall remain far more than there was at the beginning. For before there was scarcely half a basket of bread; yet there remain twelve baskets of fragments.
The sum of the teaching of today's gospel is this: We are to be devout, and follow the word of God diligently, as these people do here, and believe that God will see to it that we get food and find sustenance. As can be seen in the history here, even though they are not all devout, because there are still some right, devout hearts among them, and they think more about how they can get to the Word than about eating, that the Lord cares for them, and provides for them without their thoughts, so that they also have food. As if he wanted to say: My dear man, learn and seek first the kingdom of God, hear my word, believe in me, and do diligently what you are commanded to do in your state; if you do this, let me take care of the rest. If thou art not rich, if thou hast not many thousand shekels, I will provide enough for thee. For you cannot eat gold, silver, money or stone; it must be bread that grows out of the ground. Whether thou canst not get bread out of the ground, whether thou hast house, or farm, or field, or garden, believe, and follow me, and thou shalt have bread enough.
This is what we learn and see every day. A poor little student who is diligent and pious, God can make a great doctor out of him. A poor servant girl who is godly and faithfully serves her ruler, God provides her with a pious husband and gives her house and farm. One sees many such examples every day of how God helps poor people above Himself. On the other hand, those who do not fear God, do not heed His word, and are otherwise unfaithful and industrious, must remain poor beggars and cannot make a living all their lives.
(5) If a bad boy does not want to learn diligently, or otherwise be wicked, wanton and unfaithful, he should know that our Lord God will let him go, run away to war, be stabbed or shot, or become an executioner or otherwise an unworthy person. So a maid who does not want to be godly, to be chaste, to be obedient, or otherwise serve unfaithfully and diligently, God will let her fall into sin and disgrace, so that nothing will come of her for the rest of her life. Such is right and vainly deserved reward. Why are they not pious, and believe in Christ, and follow his word? then Christ would be with them, and say: Let me take care of you, how I lift you up, bring you to honor, and make you rich 2c.
(6) So that this gospel teaches us to believe in Christ, that he will preserve us and give us enough, if we are only devout, look at his word, and follow it with these people here, and dare and suffer something for it. For the work that the Lord is doing here is like a sermon, as if he wanted to speak: If thou art godly and pious, if my word is dear unto thee, I will feed thee, thou shalt not be forsaken, I will surely make something of thee. But if thou wilt not be godly, despise my word, or otherwise do wrong, and then thou remain a beggar; so be it unto thee, the fault is no man's but thine own. Or, though thou be made a beggar, thou shalt go to the devil, and thy goods shall not help thee. So that it shall be decided: He who despises the word of God. If anyone despises God's word and does not want to do what God says, God will not do what he would like and needs.
(7) This is what the Lord wants to teach us here, that with five loaves he will feed five thousand men who followed him in the wilderness, with their wives and children, of whom there may have been five thousand; they all have enough and there is still much left over. This does not mean to preach with words, as he does in Matt. 6:33, where he says, "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all the rest will be yours"; but with action. As if he wanted to say, "I am rich and can feed you well; only you see to it, be pious, keep to God's
280 L . 1, 283-286. On Sunday Lätare. W. xm, 608-611. 281
Word and follow it: then let me see where you can find food. This is the doctrine of faith, as much as it is presented to us in today's miraculous work.
(8) But besides such teaching and comfort, there are two little things here which the evangelist has diligently tried to show: the first, that the Lord asks the disciples, and they show their discretion; the second, that he is called to take up the fragments, and does not want anything to go in vain.
(9) Now as for the disciples Philip and Andrew, it is easy to see what the cause is: although the Lord provokes us to faith through such wonderful blessings, yet such faith is not righteous in us. For we all lack, as the disciples lack here, to see only how much we need. But how much Christ can give with his blessing we do not want to see.
10 Philip estimates the number quite accurately. He says: One must have bread for two hundred pennies, if each one is to have only a little. Now a penny, which in Latin is called a denarius, is worth half a place, and eight such pennies or groschen make one florin of coin. If there had been five thousand men alone, and otherwise neither woman nor child, one would have been entitled to bread for three and a half heller. That is not too much for a hungry stomach, where one has nothing else. But there are also many women and children, as Matthew reports in chapter 14, who are not counted. So you see, Philip is not lacking in arithmetic, he finely estimates what he would have to have if he were to feed many people with bread in the desert. We can also make a fine calculation of what we need and must have for our household for a week, a quarter of a year, a whole year. But as soon as we see that the supply is not there, we become fainthearted and sad about it, and think that we must leave home, run away, or even die of hunger.
(11) It is the same with Andrew, who sees how the Lord would like to help the poor people, and therefore indicates that there is a small supply of five loaves and two fish.
But as soon as he thinks of such a large pile, of so many mouths and hungry bellies, such a supply is to him as if nothing were there. What is this, he says, among so much? He immediately abandons faith for the sake of the bill and thinks that the people cannot be helped.
(12) This is the common lack that we still feel today, not only for food, but also in all kinds of hardships and troubles, that we know how to make a fine calculation of what we need, as it would be necessary for us to be advised and helped. But if it does not arrive as soon as we would like, we have nothing more to gain from such a bill than displeasure and sadness. And it would be much better if we let God take care of it and did not think about what we need. Then there would only be a lack if the need were found; otherwise the need would not remain outside, and we would not be able to help with our worries. Therefore we must eat and gnaw before the time with our thoughts and plans, which are in vain and in vain. For we will never think ourselves rich nor worry. But we can think and worry ourselves sick, consumptive, mad and foolish, as can be seen in daily examples.
(13) Since our reason cannot do otherwise than to reckon exactly and to see what we need, and this is quite contrary to faith, the evangelist did not want to leave it unreported, so that we might learn from the disciples' example how such reckoning is so utterly false and vain, if we are otherwise Christians and have Christ with us. According to reason, Philip and Andrew think right, and it is impossible that a reasonable man could think differently or make a better calculation. But we Christians not only have reason, but also the word of God. Therefore, we should not only be able to calculate accurately, but also to believe with certainty. And where we do not know how to calculate, we should stick to the word and faith.
- for behold, what a Christian has for a master of food and a steward in the
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Lord Christ. We cannot give any longer than we have. But John says of Christ: He gave of the bread and fishes, not as much as there was, but "as much as he would. Do not think that he alone did it at that time and will not do it again among his Christians. For as reported before, we see examples of this blessing every day: not only with food, that God gives and helps poor, meager, lowly people, who fear him and love and value his word, but also in all kinds of other needs, that he miraculously and unexpectedly provides counsel. For he is almighty and has promised us help and salvation.
15 Therefore, where we lack the account, it is up to us to keep to faith and prayer, and to take comfort in the fact that we have such a God, who not only can increase a small supply by His blessing, as He miraculously and unexpectedly increased flour and oil for the widow in Sarepta, but He can also make everything out of nothing. We should take note of this comfort and, as Christ says in Matthew 6, strive to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. The rest, what we need for our sustenance, we should leave to our Father in heaven, who will give it to His own, as the 127th Psalm v. 2. says, sleeping, that is, they should have the blessing, and yet not know how and where it comes from; as it also happened here. For it was such a miracle that the loaves and fishes grew visibly under the hands of the Lord Christ, when he broke one piece in two and gave the other part of himself, the same piece soon became one more. This is what the Lord wanted to put in our eyes and hearts, so that we would learn to trust Him and not only calculate according to what we see in front of us or have in store.
We see how miserable things are in the world now. The Turk does not celebrate, the longer the closer he comes to us. But we grow from day to day, the longer the more in disagreement and disloyalty against
each other, they decrease in people and money. The pope on the other side does not celebrate like that either; he is as hostile to our Gospel as the Turk is to Christianity. That is why there is no stopping him and his pile, always making one practice after another, how they could dampen the doctrine and re-establish the old idolatry. When a Christian sees such trafficking, the challenge is not absent; reason begins to calculate and to think about the matter diligently, as much as it can, seeking ways and means how to help the matter. But because such means are not at all suitable and the calculation does not want to be correct, it is impossible that a heart should not be saddened by it and almost despair, as if everything would have to fail and break. But because such a challenge does not remain outside (for flesh and blood cannot be otherwise than its kind), Christians should learn, where the account will fail, to hold to the word and begin to believe.
(17) But what does the Word say? Item, what shall we believe in such distress? Believe that Christ has overcome the world, and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against his congregation, Matt. 16:18; "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears upon their prayer," Ps. 34:16; "Who is he that can hurt you, if ye do that which is good? Even though you suffer for righteousness, you are blessed," 1 Pet. 3:12-14; "The Lord knows how to deliver the godly from temptation, but to keep the unrighteous until the day of judgment, to torment them," 2 Pet. 2:9; as Peter shows in the same place with the example of the righteous Lot of Sodom.
18 Therefore, whoever takes God's word and promise before him and builds firmly on it, the account, even if it is lacking, will not be able to make him fainthearted or bring him to despair. For he sees a Lord above him who reigns in the midst of his enemies and takes pleasure in it, where they will not yield to his word and will not leave his Christians satisfied, so that he then proves his name and power on his enemies and pushes to the ground everything that rebels against him, as he did to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Thus
284 n i, 288-2W. On the Sunday of Lätare. W. xm, 285
By the help of the word one comes to the point that one can have hope, even though there is no hope. For reason, because it does not see help, must despair. But the word shows certain help, as long as we keep faithfully to the word, remain devout and call upon God. But whoever is godless, lives in sin and an evil conscience, and still wants to rely on God's promise, with which he comforts the pious, would be lying a fool.
(19) Now this is the defect of the disciples here, that they are able to reckon so well, but they will not believe nor see what Lord they have in Christ. Otherwise Philip would have said, "For two hundred pennies' worth of bread there is not enough for each of them to take but a little"; but praise God that we have you with us, my dear Lord Jesus; for through your blessing and help, though we have not a penny and are in the wilderness, yet we will have bread enough; for you can do an art that other men cannot do. Andrew would also have said, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish"; if I were to distribute it, it would hardly be enough for ten of them; but if it goes through your hand, all of them will have enough to eat, and will still remain. This the word by faith would have taught them. But because word and faith have disappeared through exact reckoning, it is evident that they have no confidence in the Lord to advise them. Therefore it is said: If you want to be a Christian and cannot leave your arithmetic, then take the word before you, hold firmly to it and learn to believe it; otherwise you cannot be helped.
(20) Where our dear Lord Christ is thus seen with us through his blessing, we are to pick up the pieces, as he calls the apostles here, and not let them perish. For just as our reason in its lack only wants to reckon and not to believe, so where the blessing of God is plentiful, the world cannot and will not properly take its place in it.
- some misuse the blessing for abundance; as you can see, when it is a wine-filled year, everyone makes believe that God has given it so that they may have all the more
should drink and kill. But it does not have the opinion at all. One should diligently store up God's blessings and not waste them, but save them for future need. As Joseph taught the king in Egypt, he should use the seven good years to save himself and his country from famine during the seven bad years. Thus, if God gives a year's good fortune to this or another craft, so that the merchandise is good and goes well, such a blessing should be diligently saved, and one should not think that because of it he will consume all the more and let it grow. No, God's blessing should always be cherished and saved for a future need. But because one does not do this, but rather misuses God's blessing so shamefully for sins and disgraces, one drives God with such naughtiness that He must stop at Himself, and where there has been one good year, two or three evil years must follow. For how else can God resist the shameful evil world and the abominable abuse?
Some, however, abuse the blessing in the sense that they put it behind them and save when the years are good, so that they can profit from it, squeeze the poor, and increase the market as they wish. These are also morose, harmful people, who certainly do not (may not) show any mercy to God, unless they mend their ways; otherwise it is impossible that God should not be vehemently angry with them. For the Lord did not mean to say that he would take up the crumbs that were left over, so that you should be stingy with them, but that you might serve your neighbor's need with them, and help the poor people who are lacking all the more easily. So you will buy and gather grain, wine and other things at the proper time, when it becomes expensive, so that you may press other people with them and scrape and scrape them to your liking. Just as if God had given you a good year, that you might enjoy it alone, and atone for your shameful stinginess with other people's harm.
For this reason, God must also let His punishment go here. Whoever trusts in His word, we have heard, even though he lacks, God will be there with His blessing, so that
286W. xm, si6-"i9. 287
the little shall yield abundantly and still remain. Again, whoever scratches and scrapes and wants to misuse God's blessing for his stinginess, God punishes him, even if he has much, so that it will run out and he will be no different from the poorest beggar with all his abundance. As one sees and learns that miser and usurer are poor, miserable, well-suffering people. As sour as it gets for them until they achieve something, as sour, yes, much sourer it gets for them until they think how they can invest it again in the best way. If an accident happens, as it commonly does, that the grain on the ground comes alive, the wine in the cellar runs, or some other misfortune strikes, then they first have heartache, know not where to turn, gnaw and eat their own hearts out; not only can they not be happy with their enjoyment, but if it changes a little, they have all the misfortune, worry, toil, work and illness to pay for it.
(24) But who would not a thousand times rather have a little with peace and gladness of heart than much with such anxious restlessness, care and anxiety? Especially if you want to see how the devil is not far from such a place.
The grief of the poor is so great and so foolish when the grain or the wine fails that they go and kill themselves with grief or otherwise, that God gives food and drink to poor people. Then eternal sorrow follows such temporal sorrow. This is what you get when you misuse God's blessing for stinginess. It should not be wasted, but should be carefully and diligently saved, so that where there is a lack, we may help other poor and needy people all the more abundantly. For the fact that our Lord God gives more to one person than to another is not because we abuse it solely for our own preservation or pleasure, but so that we may all the more willingly help others who need it and save it up for them and for ourselves.
(25) Therefore, your love has a beautiful, comforting teaching, how we should look to our Lord Christ in adversity, keep His word, and wait for blessings from Him. May God grant His grace that we may become more and more godly from day to day, and may experience such blessings both in food and in all other hardships, through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.
*On the Sunday of Judica. )
John 8:46-59.
Which of you can accuse me of sin? But if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe me? He who is of God hears the word of God. Therefore you do not hear, for you are not of God. Then the Jews answered and said unto him, Say we not rightly that thou art a Samaritan, and hast the devil? JEsus answered: I have no devil, but I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me. I seek not mine honor: but there is one that seeketh it, and judgeth it. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If any man keep my word, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast the devil. Abraham died, and the prophets, and thou sayest, If any man keep my word, he shall not taste death for ever. Art thou more than our father Abraham, which died? and the prophets died. What do you make of yourself? Jesus answered, "If I honor myself, my honor is nothing. But it is my Father that honoureth me, whom ye say is your God: and ye know him not, but I know him. And if I should say that I know him not, I should be a liar, as ye are. But I know him, and keep his word. Abraham, your father, was glad to see my day, and he saw it and rejoiced. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast seen Abraham? JEsus said to them: Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am. So they picked up stones to throw at him. But JEsus hid himself, and went out into the temple, passing through the midst of them.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
288 L. 1, 291-293. On the Sunday of Judica. W. XIII, "20-622. 289
This is a beautiful, rich gospel, since much would be preached from it. But it is too much in one bite. Therefore we will take only the main part of it, namely, that Christ says: One should hear his word gladly. Whoever hears it is from God. He who does not hear it is not of God.
(2) Christ speaks these words so simply that no one thinks that they have such great things in them. But whoever looks at them rightly, whoever thinks about them diligently, what it is to be of God or not to be of God, will have to confess that it is a great and excellent thing that Christ speaks of here. For it is true and certain that one cannot judge a man more harshly, nor attack him more violently, than if one says that he is not of God. That someone calls me a mischievous and wicked man, or even stabs me in the neck, is nothing compared to this horrible misery, which the Lord summarizes here in short words, when he says to the Jews: "You are not of God. Therefore, it is all in this piece that we should gladly hear God's word and diligently keep it.
In the history of the gospel it is seen everywhere that those who do not want to hear God's word, speak evil of it and blaspheme it, they follow the devil until he finally possesses them and they become more and more angry. As can be seen in today's Gospel. First the Jews are angry when Christ begins to preach; then they rebuke him, calling him a Samaritan, and say, He has a devil. There they have already fallen ten miles deeper into hell than before. After that they become even more nonsensical. What do you, they say, make of yourself? In sum, the longer they go on, the angrier they get, until at last they become murderers, pick up stones and want to throw him to death. They fall into such an abominable sin out of contempt for the word that they do not want to hear Christ's sermon, but blaspheme it. This, says the Lord, is an indication that you Jews are of the devil. For if you were of God, you would stand differently against his word, which I preach.
- that at present children are commonly so disobedient and wilful against
their parents, also comes from the fact that they do not hear God's word, do not learn it, and do not remember it. When they begin to despise their father and mother against God's command, they do not stop at this sin, but continue to curse their parents, and even if they do not strike or strangle them with their hands, they still want them to be dead, or lead such a shameful life that their parents must be grieved to death.
(5) Thus it is that whoever does not hear God's word, or does not want to keep it, becomes a liar, blasphemer and persecutor. As we see in the papists that they become more and more furious the longer, and will not stop their blaspheming and persecuting until they also become murderers one day and cause a horrible bloodshed 2c.
Now this is the most serious thing. In other sins, if someone does wrong, he can be made to recognize his sin and desist from it. But since the papists (also many among us) not only do not want to hear God's word, but also despise and blaspheme it, no one can mean or persuade them that they are doing wrong and sinning. Yes, they think they have good reason and do right by it. They pretend that it is not the word of God, but the doctrine of the devil and lies; those who preach it are the worst heretics and deceivers. Just as the Jews reviled and blasphemed Christ, saying that he had the devil and was a Samaritan; so that they gave enough to understand what they thought of his teaching. So the most abominable sin wants to be the highest holiness. 2c.
(7) Therefore the wicked devil himself is where people fall into this sin, that they do not want to hear God's word and despise it. For then it will not fail, as we see here with the Jews, that they will throw stones at Christ, even hang him on the cross, and still consider this to be right, and still want to be unpunished in this greatest injustice. Take care that you do not fall into this.
(8) Therefore it is a hard and sincere word that the Lord speaks here to the Jews: "You do not hear the word of God, therefore you are not of God. For he who is not of God is of the devil; so he has his fran-
290 L. 1, 293-296. On Sunday Judica. W. xm, 622-625. 291
zoses, pestilence and all infernal plagues with heaps: more misfortune cannot be wished for him.
(9) And it is a grievous pity that such a great and grievous sin is still so common among all classes. For how many are there (both among the great lords and in the lower classes) who, if you say to one, "It is not true that you do not go to the sermon at all, or if you hear it at once, learn nothing from it, you will not be of God," take such things to heart, or are frightened by them? Most of them are so minded that they would answer: What do I ask about the sermon? But if thou wilt further persist, and say, It is no good; thou must take a different view of the matter, if thou wilt be saved; thou shalt find that after such admonition they will only grow angry, and reject thee with these or such clumsy words: Thou shalt leave them satisfied, in all their names, or they will do otherwise to the matter.
(10) This is such an abominable plague and wrath, that a Christian heart should rightly be terrified by it, since the judgment is: He who does not hear the word of God is not of God, but is the child of the devil. In addition, this naughtiness strikes, as said, that such despisers of the Word are right and want to defend such blasphemous virtue; as the Jews do here, and say, "Do we not say rightly that you are a Samaritan, and have the devil?" This is the worst devil, who still wants to be a god and holy, does not want to be wrong nor to be told so.
(11) This is one thing, that he who does not hear the word of God is not of God, but of the devil. But this is not to be understood as if the devil had created those who do not hear God's word, and had given them mouth, eyes, reason and other things. No, all these things are God's creatures and gifts. Therefore, the essence and the custom must be distinguished. A man who lies and deceives has a good tongue from God, but the use of the tongue is from the devil, since he misuses the tongue to serve the devil against God. Thus God gives healthy, beautiful eyes, but he who abuses his eyes and likes to see lewdly.
thing, that is of the devil. So when the heart thinks of fornication, deceit, lies and the like, the heart is good in its nature and from God, but the custom is evil and from the devil.
12 Now, to be of God is to use the ears to hear preaching, to be punished when they are wrong, and to pray, preach, instruct, and comfort with the tongue. Such ears and tongues are of God and good; for they walk in a godly custom. So when the heart thinks about discipline, and how to be useful to the neighbor and not annoying. Such a heart is a creature of God, like ears and tongue. But it is called "of God" because it follows God's word and does not like to think, speak or hear what is against God. Now it may happen from time to time that we curse when we ought to pray, or are angry when we ought to be kind; 2c. such is wrong. But if we repent and confess that we have done wrong, and ask for mercy, this may be called stumbling, or even falling, but it is not called having the devil, nor being of the devil; for we repent again, and resolve never to do it again.
013 But they are the devil's children, who put on their heads, and when they are punished and admonished for their good, they say, like unadvised children, What do I ask after this? So they go on as they have begun, and are not told. Such people are of the devil, and the longer they go on, the worse they become, for the devil will not let them rest. At first they despise the word, then they blaspheme it, reproach and curse. Finally they do like the Jews here, pick up stones and want to murder. So that the true color of the devil is not to hear God's word, but to revile and blaspheme, to harm one's neighbor and to murder. By such color one knows the devil and his children; for he is a murderer and liar, despising God and his word.
14 Therefore learn to beware of such sin, that you do not also despise God's word, but gladly hear it; and diligently meditate upon it, forming it in your hearts, and
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direct your life according to it; then you can know for certain that you are children of God and by God.
The others are the children of the devil. Because they do not want to hear the word, they have lost life and righteousness, and are, to speak with leave, in the devil's ass. And do not help them if they can already cover such sin with that they are powerful, great and rich. The pope is in such sin up to the ears, with all his appendages. For he does not want to suffer God's word, persecutes and murders Christians over it: this is the devil's real color.
- But those who gladly hear the word of God are of God. Now what is God? He is not a murderer, but a creator, since all life flows from Him. For the devil has never created or made alive any human being. Now as GOD is a living GOD, so also those shall have life who are of Him and hear His word. As he says here with an excellent, beautiful saying: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, if any man keep my word, he shall not see death for ever."
(17) But what does "keeping God's word" mean? Nothing else, but to believe what Christ promises us in the Gospel about the forgiveness of sin and eternal life, that it is true, and to hold fast to such faith and hope. Whoever does this, says Christ, has eternal life; must not be afraid of sin, hell and the last judgment, for there is all grace and mercy. Death will fall upon him and choke him, but he will not feel it as those who die in the name of the devil and without the word of God. They die in all displeasure, struggling, thrashing about, bellowing like oxen; for they do not want to die and yet they must die. Therefore, if it were possible, they would run through an iron wall.
(18) Thus, says Christ, shall it not be with my Christians who hear and keep my word. When they lie on the bed and die, they will not have such anguish and distress, they will be satisfied in their heart toward God and hope for a better life, and in such hope they will fall asleep.
and pass away without all trembling. For although death will choke them bodily, the same death shall be so covered and weakened that they shall not really feel it, but shall regard it as a gentle resting place when they fall asleep. As is often seen in the poor people whom the executioner strangles, that they go to death with joy, and do not make themselves miserable, as those who do not have the comfort of the word. For he who feels death rightly and does not have God's word rages and rages as if he were insane and even possessed.
(19) Therefore, dear children, think what advantage you have if you hear God's word diligently and gladly. This is the first thing, that you know that you are of God, and have overcome the devil and hell, and neither sin nor God's judgment shall harm you. Whatever evil you encounter besides these things, you shall be able to escape it all. On the other hand, the world becomes impatient and despondent even in the slightest matter, and must finally despair.
(20) Christians must indeed suffer much, as the devil and the world are bitter enemies to them; for this reason they must risk life and limb, goods and honor, and put them in jeopardy. But how can they suffer all this and be patient? By nothing else than by sticking to their word and saying: "Let it go as it may; I am not of the world, but of God; otherwise the world would deal with me differently. But I would much rather it hated me and put me to all harm than that it loved me and I was not of God. 2c. Where the heart is so minded, all manner of temptation and adversity passes over; as the clouds in the sky above us, or the birds in the air, which make us a little angry, fly away afterward, and leave us unsworn.
(21) This shall be our comfort, that we may feel the power of the word here in life; and especially when the last hour cometh, that then death shall be as a sleep, because of the word which we believe. If someone rides along in a thick fog and sees no murderer, he is shot or murdered before he becomes aware of it. So it shall be here also. The
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The devil is a murderer, has sworn death to us, we know that well. But because we have the word and hold fast to it, we shall not be quite aware of such strangulation. For the word makes fine, gentle people and quiet, cheerful hearts, who neither despair nor grow impatient in anguish, but let it all pass, taking comfort only in the fact that they have a gracious Father in heaven through Christ. They learn this in the Word, otherwise they would not know it.
- But tell me, should we not run to the end of the world for the sake of daily hardship and adversity alone, according to this consolation which the word gives us, that we may have a peaceful heart? But this is nothing against the last and greatest calamity, death, since no physician, counsel or help can help and save us from it, but only our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who gives us such a remedy that we should leave everything rather than take it.
But how is it? When he offers us such a remedy, we despise it when we are at home and in our pants. Then we receive our deserved reward for not being of God, and fall from one sin to another, becoming worse every day. As I have sufficiently indicated above. When the last hour of need comes, one knows neither consolation nor counsel. Then it is impossible that one should not writhe, lament, howl and roar like an ox in the slaughter.)
(24) This, then, is the main teaching of today's gospel, that we should diligently attend to the word, gladly hearing it and accepting it with faith. If we do this, we shall be lords over sin, the devil, death and hell. Although death will devour us, we will not feel its sharp teeth. For the word of Christ is our armor, through which we shall have a secure life and a peaceful death and eternal life.
(25) But to rough, ungodly people who do not respect the word, one cannot wish for trouble, for they are ready to have it on their hands.
*) Marginal gloss: Here he mentioned the bishop of Trier, who died in the highest impatience.
Because they do not hear God's word, they are not of God. Just like a wicked child who despises God's commandment and is not obedient to father and mother, what more trouble can one wish for him than that he is a devil's child and not a child of God? In truth, this is not a joke. For I would rather be the executioner's or the Turk's own than be the devil's own, who is a liar and a murderer and leads to eternal death.
- beware diligently of such afflictions, and learn, yea, learn, I say, what treasure ye have in the word of our lord jesus christ: that there is no other help nor counsel against the devil, sin, and eternal death, but to keep the word of christ, that is, to believe his promise, and to trust in his word.
For when Christ says, "He who keeps my word will not see death forever," he does not mean the law given to the Jews through Moses, which is indeed a right, good and holy teaching, but because we are sinners and children of wrath by nature, we cannot follow such preaching; therefore, it is enough for us to die, showing us our sin, God's wrath and punishment, which we have earned through it. Therefore we need another word, so that sin may be taken away from us and we may be justified before God. This is now the word of our Lord Christ JEsu, where he comforts: "He who believes in me will not see death forever.
This word must be taken with faith, so that there is no doubt that what Christ promises us is true. For anyone who would ignore the word and judge by what he feels would feel only death and not life. Therefore, in such distress, we must judge and speak not according to what we see and feel before our eyes, but according to what we hear in the Word: I see that I must die, but I have the promise and word of my Lord Christ that I shall live again through him. For the sin for which I was to suffer death eternally has been put away and paid for through Christ, so that God, for the sake of his dying and rising again, will be merciful to me and will grant me life again.
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eternal life. This is what it means to keep Christ's word. But it is a sour matter, for flesh and blood will not be persuaded, but will always judge according to what is seen before the eyes and felt in the work. We must fight against such naughtiness and ask God for His Holy Spirit to strengthen our hearts through the Word and keep them in such faith.
- But what is the cause that the word of our dear Lord Christ is so powerful, the Lord shows at the end of this gospel, and outrages the Jews so fiercely with it that they want to grab stones and throw him to death. For this stood in the way of the Jews, because Christ said that his word would save from eternal death, that they saw that Abraham, Moses, and other holy men, who had public testimony in the Scriptures, had died; thinking then that Christ was not like them. Therefore it would be a forgiven glory that he praises his word so highly. But Christ answers, "Abraham was glad that he should see my day; and he saw it, and rejoiced." That is, if Abraham had not kept my word, he would have remained in eternal death.
be. "I am rather than Abraham." This is both said: I am eternal, almighty God. Whoever then shall be delivered from sins, escape from death, and come to life, must be helped by me. Neither Moses nor other prophets could boast of such things, for they were all men. But Christ is God and man; therefore he can give life and salvation, and no one else.
(30) This is very comforting and a certain proof of our faith, since we confess that Christ is the natural and eternal Son of God. As there are many more such testimonies in the gospel. For this reason we should put our trust in him alone, and in no other man, and rely on his word with certainty. For it is God's word and cannot lie. What he says shall be true, and shall not fail for ever; neither has it failed, since by such a word God made heaven and earth from nothing. Learn this diligently, and give thanks to God for such teaching, and pray that He may preserve you in the Word by His Holy Spirit, and so make you eternally blessed through Christ, amen.
Palm Sunday.
Matth. 21, 1-9.
Now when they were come near Jerusalem to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, and said unto them: Go into the place which is before you, and soon ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose her, and bring her unto me. And if any man say any thing unto you, say, The LORD hath need of her; and he will soon let her go unto you. Now all these things came to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee meekly, riding upon an ass, and upon a colt of the burthen of an ass. The disciples went and did as Jesus had commanded them, and brought the ass and the colt, and laid their garments thereon, and set him thereon. But many of the people spread the garments on the road; the others cut branches from the trees and scattered them on the road. And the people that went before and followed cried out, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD, Hosanna in the highest.
You have the interpretation of the Gospel on the first Sunday of Advent.
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On the day of the Last Supper of Christ.*)
The first sermon.
1 Cor. 11, 23-26.
I have received it from the Lord, which I have given you. For the Lord Jesus, on the night that he was betrayed, took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. The same also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: as often as ye drink it, do it in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, ye shall proclaim the death of the Lord, until he come.
Of the Most Reverend Sacrament.
- Since, according to ancient custom, more people go to the holy sacrament at this time than at any other time of the year, and since necessity does not require that a certain day be set aside for preaching about the holy sacrament or the Lord's Supper, and for teaching the young people, we will now take before us the text of St. Paul, which you have heard read; Let us now take before us the text of St. Paul, which you have heard read and from which you have understood that such a manner was not ordained nor made by man, but was appointed by the Lord Christ Himself on the night He was betrayed, for the special high consolation of His disciples and all Christians, that it should be His testament, and because He was now about to depart from the world, His last (farewell).
2 Therefore it behooves us Christians to regard such a testament as a great treasure, and to take all joy and comfort from it, and to find it often and gladly. In this way we do justice to the last will and testament of our Lord Christ. For his commandment is written plainly, that it shall be done. Those who are Christians will obey this command until the last day, and will seek such comfort often and gladly, and will not grow weary of it until he, the dear Lord, who has made this testament himself, has given it to us.
*Held on Wednesday after Easter 1534 in the presence of John Ernst, the younger prince, as he received Holy Communion with his court servants.
will come from heaven and judge the living and the dead.
- in the past in the papacy we were deterred by the fact that Paul says: "He who receives it unworthily receives it for judgment. For it has not been properly taught what it is to receive unworthily. Hence the dishonor of the holy sacrament arose, that people feared it as if it were a poison; therefore it was no longer called a food of comfort, but a harmful food. The false preachers have been guilty of this, and we have earned it with our ingratitude. For because Christ meant it so warmly, and we, on the other hand, have been so lazy, lax, and ungrateful, it has happened to us that joy has been turned into sadness, comfort into weeping, and help into harm. Why have we so shamefully despised such great goods?
(4) The same thing is happening now with the sacramentalists, who have made a dangerous noise in the church about the sacrament, and have directed the people to it, as if there were no more than wine and bread. Christians must be deprived of the comfort that our Lord Christ gave to His Church in this Sacrament. Therefore, we should beware of them, lest it happen to us as it did before in the papacy. Finally, it came to pass that the sacrament,
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the comforting food, which everyone should have a desire and love for, has been dealt with in the sermons in such a way that people have gone to it with trembling and fear, and everyone has feared it more than they have received comfort from it.
(5) For the sermon was thus, that one should first confess sin purely, and do enough for it. Then we were pointed to an impossible thing. When we felt that we were not pure in all things, and therefore not worthy of such food, we feared that we would not be worthy to go. So it happened in general that no one liked to go to it. For everyone had to fear that he would get death there, or, as Paul calls it, eat judgment. First of all, this is a miserable act in itself, that people have been deprived of this comforting sacrament, and everyone has been afraid of it.
(6) But the pope went on, and made things worse, because the people shied away from this sacrament, and he forced them by force to go at least once a year. For whoever did not want to go to the sacrament annually, he put under ban; and yet only gave a form (as it is called), contrary to the expressed command of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who not only said to eat his testament, that is, his body and blood, with, with or under the bread, but also to drink from the cup of his blood. But the pope has trampled such a command underfoot, and still today condemns as heresy whoever takes the Lord's Supper under both forms completely, as Christ, our dear Lord, has instituted and commanded. This is a miserable abomination and a terrible communion, since one went to it unwillingly, and yet had to do it. And what is still more serious, such a supper must be taken in a different way than Christ instituted and commanded it to be taken.
(7) Then think what delight you might have in such food or drink as one would thrust into you against your will and pour into you by force. It is as if a sick person, who does not like the smell of wine, wanted to pour wine over his body.
What joy or pleasure should he have in such drinking? Thus the reverend sacrament has not been able to produce any fruit among the people under the papacy. Because it was received with such an opinion that the hearts had to conclude: You are not pure, you are not worthy of this food, you cannot enjoy it properly; and yet you had to do it, or suffer the ban as disobedient children of the church: it is easy to assume that there was neither comfort nor joy in it.
After that the pope continued with the supper of our Lord Jesus Christ and his will, and made it a fair for the deceased souls, so that few masses were held for their own devotion, only for the sake of money and prebends. That is, I think, yes, this sacrament acted beyond measure abominably. And I think that if the papacy had remained in its dignity longer and the dear gospel had not come, it would have been taken from the living and used only for the dead. For we old people have well experienced what a splendor the masses of the soul have become everywhere.
(9) For this reason, I wanted to remember it now, so that it might be seen how highly God has punished the ungrateful world, that he has seen the pope leave only one figure (as they call it); and yet the same has been so darkened that the people have gone as to a work that they do not enjoy, but have to fear a terrible judgment and wrath of God.
10 After this, the pope made a plaster out of the mass, which was to be put over all kinds of misfortune and illness. Let us not forget this example, but for the sake of God, let us see to it that we do not become such despisers, but have pleasure and love for the Lord's Supper and receive it gladly, so that it remains in a right mind and right custom.
(11) For, tell me, is it not exceedingly kind of the Lord to pour out his heart against his disciples in this way, and
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Says: "Take and eat, this is my body. Take and drink of it, all of you; this is my blood of the new testament." Do this alone, that you may remember me, and not forget me; and do it not once alone, but often, and until the last day. If then the dear Christ would gladly preserve his memory, knowledge and faith by his supper and testament, so that he would not be strangled in our hearts. Therefore institute this supper, that it may remain forever, and that his death, by which we are purged from sins and all eternal miseries, may be remembered forever.
(12) But this is spoken kindly, not poisonously nor angrily, yes, much more kindly than a father can speak to his son. For it is all because of this, he says, that you should not forget me. He would therefore gladly form this memory in the ears, mouth and heart of all of us, so that his holy suffering would not be forgotten, as he suffered, died and rose again from death for our sake. He wanted this to remain in the hearts of his Christians forever, because there are always other and young people growing up. This requires not only that they be taught the Word, so that they may learn to know Christ their Savior and also be saved; but that they be kept in such outward worship, so that they may always have cause to praise and take comfort in their Savior and Redeemer Christ. For this is the purpose of the Lord with such an institution of his will. Therefore we should not grow weary of such remembrance. Where good friends come together, they can sit and talk together all night and forget to sleep. Why should we tire of preaching and learning how much our dear Lord Christ has bought us?
Now this sacrament or communion is not instituted for the sole purpose of praising Christ. For he may well say: I do not need your praise, I can well do without you, nevertheless remain the Son of God, you praise me or not; I become neither better nor worse by your praise. But also because we have such a testa
and the Lord's Supper, and it shall be well with us. For behold the words. He hands the bread, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you." Then he hands the cup, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the New Testament, which is poured out for you and for many for the remission of sins."
14 First of all, let this be the greatest comfort to all Christians, that they may hear that the body of the Lord Christ was given for them, and that his blood was shed for their sins. For whoever believes this, it is impossible that he should allow sin or anything else to be impugned. Because he knows that this treasure, that his sin might be put away, is far more and greater than his sin.
(15) But Christ does not stop at the comfort which is thus publicly given in the word; he gives you his body to eat with the bread and his blood to drink with the wine, as the words clearly imply, if the devil should be sorry; so that you may receive such body and blood for your person, that it may be yours and be your own, just as you receive it for yourself with your mouth and not for another. For this is also the primary reason why each one believes that Christ suffered for him and not only for St. Peter, St. Paul and other saints. This is what Christ wanted to assure every Christian in his testament, since each one receives and enjoys such a testament for himself, that is, the body of Christ and his blood.
(16) Therefore it is not unjustly said that in this sacrament one may obtain and receive forgiveness of sins. For where Christ is, there is forgiveness of sins. Here is his body and blood, according to his words. Whoever then receives it, eats and drinks it, and believes that the body of the Lord Christ was given for him and that his blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins, should he not have forgiveness of sins? This is a fruit, and the greatest and best that we have in this testament.
The other fruit is that it is necessary for Christianity to remain united and to have one faith and doctrine. So that Christians may be on the same level, they must not come together alone.
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in the sermon, hearing one word, thereby being called to one faith, and all at the same time holding to one head; but they must also come home to one table and eat and drink with one another.
(18) By listening to the sermon, it may well happen that one hears me now who is hostile to me from the heart. Therefore, although the gospel keeps Christians together and makes them of the same mind, the Lord's Supper does even more (although hypocrites are also found), since every Christian confesses publicly and for himself what he believes. There the unbelievers *) separate themselves; and those who are equal in faith, with one hope and heart toward the Lord, come together. This is a very necessary thing in the church, so that they are drawn together, and there is no division in the faith. That is why in Latin it is called communionem, a fellowship, and those who do not want to be like the other Christians in faith, doctrine and life, excommunicatos, as those who are unequal in doctrine, words, mind and life, and therefore should not be tolerated in the group that is of one mind, lest they also separate and make division **). The holy sacrament serves to keep Christ's house together.
(19) Hence the ancient teachers had his thoughts, saying, Christ therefore used bread and wine for his supper, that as many grains have each its own body and form, and are ground together, and become one bread: so every man is a distinct person and a separate creature; but because we are all partakers of one bread in the sacrament, we are all one bread and body, 1 Cor. 10. For there is one faith, one confession, one love, and one hope. So in wine there are many bunches of grapes and many little berries, each having its own body and form; but as soon as they are squeezed out and become wine, there is no inequality in the wine, but it is one, fine, beautiful juice: so Christians also should be.
*) a b c have: Unequal. D. Red. **) a b c have: columnar. D. Red.
This is how the ancients interpreted it, and it is not wrong. For this" is the purpose of the sacrament, that it may keep Christians together in one mind, doctrine and faith, so that each one may not be a peculiar grain of his own, and make his own doctrine and peculiar faith.
20 As the devil does not celebrate, and would gladly tear apart such unity and equality. For he knows well what harm will come to him if we all believe the same thing and hold to one head. That is why he challenges one here and another there with false faith, with despair, with erroneous, false thoughts, that one does not believe correctly in the sacrament and other articles, and that he could cause a separation. Even though it will not be otherwise, there must be aversions, one should always defend oneself, so that he does not separate us. If he or she does not want to remain and separate from us in the doctrine of the sacrament or other things, let us nevertheless keep together, so that, as one is minded toward Christ in faith and hope, the other may also be so minded. But this can never be, unless there is equality in doctrine.
This is one thing, that our dear Lord Jesus has so cordially instituted the sacrament for the preservation of unity in doctrine, faith, and life. Outwardly we cannot be equal, for there are unequal estates. If we are to lead them rightly, unequal works must follow. A peasant lives differently from a prince, and goes about with different works. A woman of the house does different things than a maid. Such a difference must remain in the outward life. But in Christ there is neither woman nor man, neither ruler nor peasant, but they are all called believers in Christ. For the same gospel, promise and faith that I have, a woman, a prince, a peasant, a servant, a child has.
(22) This sacrament also shows such inward equality, since no one has anything better than another. Therefore, whether it be wife or maid, master or servant, father or son, prince or subject, they are all equal here, having one food and promise; and if they believe,
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they belong in One Heaven. And it does not matter whether I am here, another Christian is in Jerusalem, and we do not know each other. For we have only one head, so we adhere to both parts and hope to be saved by it. So the devil is not left out, and would gladly tear apart such unity; for, as I said, he knows what harm it does him when Christians are united in doctrine and faith. This sacrament, which was instituted by Christ to keep Christians together, serves against this.
(23) Then this sacrament is also necessary and useful to each one for his own person. For though I should be weary of the sacrament, and should not give thanks to the Lord Christ, the harm is mine; and the longer I tarry from it, the worse it is for me. For it is ever true that our Lord Christ does not need you to remember him for his person. But thou needest it; for if thou wilt not think of Christ, thou must think of the devil. But there you will have no benefit, but only harm.
(24) For thou hast a preacher with thee, which eateth and drinketh, sleepeth and watcheth with thee, old Adam; whom thou carryest to bed with thee, and risest up with thee, and liest down with thee; which preacheth unto thee without ceasing, and can masterfully persuade thee, that he may drag thee down, that thou mayest grow colder and colder, and so slothful and lazy, that at last thou forgettest the Lord Christ and his gospel, and askest it no more. This, I say, is done by the preacher who hangs on your neck, yes, lies under your left teat; he blows your ears full with his preaching, so that you think nothing but how you may become great and rich before the world, so that today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and all the days think you have no time, nor can you wait to go to the sacrament. So it happens, if you are cold and discontented today, you will be even colder tomorrow. This is what your preacher does, the old rogue, who pulls you away in such a way that even though you hear the sermon every day, you still think of other things and worry more about other business. For, tell me, where will you find a man who will
I am tired of avarice and disgusted by it? Yes, from day to day, the longer, the more one is amused, the more one becomes impetuous and more insistent on the shameful, cursed avarice and usury. It is the same with other vices: a fornicator cannot think or talk enough about fornication, and the longer he talks and thinks about it, the more heated he becomes about it. This is what the old Adam does, he preaches to you until you are even consumed in sin.
(25) Again, our dear Lord Christ would gladly have this, that as your avarice tells you and preaches to you of money and goods, of power and honor, so you also let yourself be drawn here and led into that life, and remember your Redeemer, who died for you on the cross, and set your heart on fire in such a way that you would like to be with him, and become weary of this life here, and say, "Oh, Lord, I see that I cannot stop sinning, I cannot grow weary of evil. Therefore I beseech thee that I may become hostile to the world, and that I may gain pleasure and love for thee 2c. This reminder is necessary for us daily against the harmful preacher, our old Adam, who is in our ears day and night.
26 For this reason our dear Lord Christ instituted his supper, that we should remember that something else would follow after this life. Therefore he takes the bread and the cup, and tells his disciples to eat and drink, saying, "His body and blood were given for us and poured out for our sins, so that we might not forget them, but think of him, not only of money and goods, as we are unfortunately wont to do. As if he wanted to say: Pray to me in eight days, in four weeks 2c. even one day, that you may remember me. You are in need of this; for my sake I could well do without it.
(27) Yes, if it were money, and one gave to each not the body and blood of Christ, but a hundred Hungarian florins, or even less, there should be running, running and running; and it should come to pass that blind men would venture to run through the middle of the Elbe or Rhine, that they might get the hundred florins. We should spit on ourselves, we hopeless people, that we run like this for the sake of a little money.
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and run. And here are not a hundred florins, which are soon consumed; but the body and blood of Christ JEsu, by which we are redeemed. He gives us this treasure as our own in his will, and with it eternal life, so that we can be sure of it, so that we can take comfort in it and always remember it. But there one still flees from it as if it were poison and damnation.
28, Who then makes us run after the hundred florins and not after this precious, noble treasure? No one but the devil, who has our old Adam before, who is lazy and indolent for the eternal good, and rather takes care of the temporal. This ingratitude and contempt is a greater sin than anyone can think. For everyone throws it to the winds; otherwise we would be more diligent here, and not strive so earnestly for money and goods, of which we are not sure for a moment. But those who do so may see how they will fare one day.
29 Therefore the Lord wants to admonish us with his Lord's Supper not to be so ungrateful, but to know that when we go to the reverend sacrament and confess our faith alongside other Christians, that he is served in this way, so that the greatest benefit is ours. Therefore we should especially thank him and be glad that we now have a gracious bishop in him, who not only sacrifices himself for us, but also feeds us with his body and blood, which is sacrificed for us, yet desires nothing more for it, than that we should remember him, so as to preserve ourselves in the faith, and Christianity for eternity.
(30) Whoever does not want to do this is worth nothing better than to hear a spirit of the mob preaching to him that in the Lord's Supper one receives no more than bread and wine. In the papacy, when people did not want to remember the Lord Christ at this supper, as he had commanded, the trouble also had to arise from the fact that people neither knew what the sacrament was nor why they should receive it. For everyone took it for that,
It was not a question of obedience to the church; that was what it was; so people fell into all kinds of idolatry and appeals to the saints.
May God help us to be more devout in the matter, because we have received the doctrine again pure and clear, and know, when we go to the reverend Sacrament, that it is for this reason that we first show ourselves to be Christians and let ourselves be seen, and then take comfort there, so that our hearts may not doubt that God is pleased with us and will not be angry with us because of our sin; for Christ gave His body for us and shed His blood for us. This is to proclaim the death of the Lord aright, and to remember the Lord Christ, as he saith, "This do in remembrance of me."
(32) Now think, my beloved, what is to be thought of those who boast of being Christians, and go on for a whole year, two years, three years, and even longer, and do not receive the reverend sacrament? The devil has certainly possessed them to such an extent that they either never pay attention to their sin, and therefore do not think about how they can be freed from it; or they let themselves love temporal life more than eternal life. This is terrible to hear in both parts. Therefore, whoever wants to be a Christian, and also keep himself Christian according to his name, should not abstain from this supper, but use it often and much. For we are in great need of it, as is now reported.
- But those who cannot have the whole sacrament as Christ instituted it, whether they abstain from it and do not take it under one form, have a different opinion. For they may keep the word and promise of Christ until God also gives them grace to come to the places where they may receive such a testament completely after the institution of Christ.
May God grant us His grace and the Holy Spirit through Christ, that we may receive this comforting Sacrament to the glory of Christ and our blessedness, Amen.
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On the day of the supper of Christ.
The second sermon.
1 Cor. 11, 27-34,
Whosoever therefore eateth unworthily of this bread, or drinketh of the cup of the Lord, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, that he may not discern the body of the Lord. For this reason there are also so many weak and sick among you, and a good portion sleep. For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, lest we be condemned with the world. Therefore, my dear brethren, when ye come together to eat, wait one for another. But if any man hunger, let him eat at home, lest ye come together to eat. The rest I will arrange when I come.
1 This is a necessary text, which should be diligently practiced among Christians. For as we have heard above, it has followed from the lack of understanding of these words that people have lost the consolation that is to be obtained from this sacrament, and have feared it as from a poison.
Now it is true that we cannot say that Judas received the sacrament for comfort or correction. So there were also many among the Corinthians, as Paul reports, who received it unworthily, and therefore were punished by God in life and limb. Therefore, this distinction must remain: that some received the sacrament worthily and blessedly to eternal life; but some unworthily, to the judgment that God will punish them bodily for it, and if they do not repent through repentance and faith, they will be eternally condemned. For this reason, everything depends on knowing what is meant by receiving the reverend sacrament worthily or unworthily.
In the papacy, therefore, they taught that no one should go to the sacrament unless he was well qualified and entirely pure. Such purity, however, they placed on confession, repentance, fasting, prayer, almsgiving, and similar works called works of penance, which the preachers praised. And everyone thought that they were doing enough for the sin they had committed. But let such worthiness go and despair of it. For
It is impossible for us to be completely clean or to come to purity because of our works. So Christ himself did not give this supper to the disciples when they were completely clean, for he says they need him to wash their feet: he does not speak of washing water, but of the forgiveness of sins.
4 For this reason, we should diligently learn and observe that those who say and confess that they are poor sinners, feel many temptations, sometimes curse, become impatient, and are not always moderate in eating and drinking, do not receive the reverend sacrament unworthily. These are daily sins that cling to us because we live on earth, in one more than in another. Therefore you should not say that you do not want to go to the holy sacrament because of such sins. For as long as you have the old Adam on your neck, you will certainly encounter impatience, evil thoughts and other things that will challenge you and cause you to sin. If then you would not receive the sacrament sooner, because you would be freed from all sins, it would follow that you would never go to the sacrament.
(5) But those who knowingly lie in sins, such as murderous hatred of one's neighbor, murder, fornication, adultery, and other such public sins, received the reverend sacrament unworthily.
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nevertheless do not think to desist from it. For the sacrament was instituted by the Lord Christ, not that a man should remain in sin, but that he should obtain forgiveness and become more devout. So Judas took the sacrament for death and judgment, because he had decided that he would betray and sell the Lord Jesus, and he remained in such a forwardness and hardened evil will.
(6) Before such an example some are sometimes astonished; because they are in hatred and enmity, or in other sins, they do not want to go to the sacrament. They sin in two ways: first, because they do not want to fall from wrath or cease from sin; second, because they stay so long from the Sacrament against the command of Christ. Therefore, such people should drop hatred and envy, stop sinning, and seek consolation and forgiveness of sins in the Holy Sacrament. But if there is still a glimmer of sin or temptation, they should cry out to God and ask: Oh, Lord, give me a peaceful, kind, gentle heart toward everyone, and cleanse me from all sins for Christ's sake; and so go to the reverend Sacrament with all devotion, and do not be frightened by this saying of Paul. For it is not said of those who would gladly be rid of sin, but of those who lie in sins and yet do not want to let go of them, and even want to be praised for them. As can be seen in the Corinthians, when Paul writes to them, "I cannot praise you," this indicates that they, without all repentance, also want to be praised as fine Christians.
7 In those days the Lord's supper was in a different order than it is with us now. The Christians came together in the evening and ate with one another in the assembly, each with what he had. Some were found drinking to their fill, while others had nothing, and were hungry and thirsty. This, says Paul, is wrong. Let it not be that you sin so willfully, and then go to the sacrament, and pretend that you have not sinned. In this way you eat and drink the supper unworthily: therefore God punishes you with sickness and other things.
8 This is a different and greater sin,
For as the good hearts sometimes stumble, and yet return, praying and desiring, O that God would forgive me my sin; for I have done wrong. Christ does not expel them from this supper. For the words testify that he does not want righteous and holy people at this table, but poor sinners who, because of their great sin, do not know what to do with. For thus he saith, His body is given for them, and His blood is shed for their sin. But these must not be bad nor small sinners, for whom such an excellent sacrifice or payment has been made. Therefore it is only up to you to recognize yourself as a sinner from the bottom of your heart, then find your way here, and seek comfort and help there. But he who does not confess sin and does not want to amend himself does not belong here.
(9) But it is commonly contrary. Those who should not fear, and to whom God offers all grace and wants to adopt them as children, cannot get rid of fear. Again, those who should fear and are in the highest disgrace are the safest and do not fear their sins, but pass through them like a can through a wooden wall. As can be seen from the papists: they blaspheme and persecute God's word, strangle the pious Christians, drive people to idolatry against their conscience; yet they consider themselves pious and holy, and are therefore safe and in good spirits. On the other hand, the other group is stupid and frightened, but has no sin in mind. But what sins they have committed, they are heartily sorry for, and wish they had never done them. So he who is to be comforted cannot grasp comfort, but he who is to be afraid is safe and without fear.
10 Therefore St. Paul says: "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup. Now "to examine" means nothing else, but to consider well how thou art skillful. If thou findest thyself hardened, and wilt not depart from sins, and careest not for them, thou hast cause that thou goest not thither: for thou art not a Christian. Now the very best thing would be for thee to depart from such ungodly living, to have repentance and sorrow over it, and
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By right faith in God's promise, you will find your way back to the Christians and need this supper with them. But if you do not want to do this, then only stay away from it; for you sin and will certainly take it to judgment. But here consider it well and make your calculation evenly: if God should thus overtake you with his judgment, how it would go with you afterwards in eternity. If you do this, you will be glad that you should repent, let go of anger and other things, and reconcile yourself with your God through this supper.
(11) Again, if thou art not thus hardened, but confessest thy sin from the heart before God, and art heartily sorry for it, and believest that God will forgive the same by grace for the sake of his Son Christ Jesus, then thou art well sent, and shalt boldly say unto thy Lord Christ: O Lord, I am a poor sinner, come therefore now to thy supper, and will eat with thee: doubt not, thou shalt be a good and acceptable guest unto him. For this reason you should not be afraid. For the sake of such sorrowful and anxious hearts this table is prepared, that they may find comfort and refreshment there. Let others be afraid, who do not feel their sin, but continue in sins with an insolent and proud heart, without all remorse and without all repentance or correction.
(12) This word of Paul, "Let a man examine himself," also gave cause to the ancient teachers to say: Obvious sins, which the judge and executioner, not the preacher, punishes, such as fornication, murder, gluttony and the like, should prevent people from going to the Sacrament. But this is to be understood, as said above, that whoever persists in such sins and will not cease from them, that he should abstain from the sacrament; for he only makes more of wrath, because he is guilty of
The first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time.
(13) But whoever is in such sins, but remits them and becomes better and more pious, should not let such sins hinder him, but should seek absolution and receive the reverend sacrament, and ask God that he may henceforth keep himself better. But whatever other daily infirmities we may have, let them not hinder us; for we shall not be relieved of them in this life of all things. If we did not want to go to the sacrament sooner, because we were pure, we would wean ourselves from it and never desire it again.
(14) I know well what it does when one abstains from the sacrament for a time; I have also been in such a fire of the devil that the reverend sacrament became so strange to me that the longer I went to it, the more reluctant I became. Beware of this, and be accustomed to go to it often, especially when you are able to do so, that is, when you find that your heart becomes heavy and stupid for sins; so that you do not forget our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and remember his sacrifice and death, for he desires nothing else from us.
(15) Besides that our need, because we still sin daily, requires it, and such work serves for the unity of the Christian church, in which the memory of our dear Lord Christ is to be preserved as the chiefest part of our salvation, as he says, "This do in remembrance of me." Whoever therefore goes, though he be a poor sinner, yet is he right and well able; and as Paul saith, he eateth and drinketh the body and blood of Christ worthily, not for judgment, but for salvation. To this end may our dear Lord God in heaven help us with His Holy Spirit, through Christ His Son and our Redeemer, amen.
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Green Thursday.
From the foot washing.
John 13:1-17.
Before the feast of Easter, when Jesus knew that his time was come to depart out of this world unto the Father; as he had loved his own which were in the world, so loved he them unto the end. And after supper, when the devil had already put into the heart of Judah Simonis Iscarioth, that he should betray him, Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God, and was going to God: and he arose from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took an apron, and girded himself about. Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to dry them with the apron, that he might be girded about. Then he came to Simon Petro, and the same said unto him, Lord, wilt thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Then said Peter unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not the feet only, but the hands also, and the head. Jesus saith unto him, He that is washed must not wash his feet, but is clean altogether. And ye are clean; but not all. For he knew his betrayer well: therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. When he had washed their feet, he took his clothes and sat down again, and said to them again: Know ye what I have done unto you? You call me Master and Lord, and you say rightly, for I am also. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye shall also wash one another's feet. An example have I given you, that ye should do as I have done unto you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord, neither the apostle greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, blessed are ye that do them.
1 This history of the washing of the feet is found only in John; and it seems as if it was not very important, because without it the other evangelists would have forgotten it, although John would not have reported it either. But John makes such an excellent preface about it, that we have to believe that the Lord Christ was not only concerned with the apostles having clean feet, but with something else and higher. As the Lord shows with his sermon, which he preaches after such foot washing; he wants his disciples to follow his example and not to forget the foot washing among themselves. Therefore the Christians also practiced such foot washing on this day. But because of the preaching of it, it happened, as with other things in the priesthood, that only the outward work was practiced, but the understanding, use and custom of such foot washing was completely lost. Therefore, it is necessary that such teaching and understanding be brought to light again.
Now the beginning that John makes in this history seems somewhat strange. For what, may someone think, serves to wash the feet, that he says: "When Jesus knew that his time was come to depart out of this world unto the Father. As he loved his own who were in the world, so he loved them to the end." How do these words rhyme with history? Very well, if you will only pay attention to it. For he says, "Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to go to the Father out of this world. By this he wants to awaken in us a special diligence, so that we should pay attention with all seriousness to this work and the sermon he is preaching, since the Lord wanted to present this to us almost in the last hour when he was to depart from this life. Now it is certainly true that what our dearest friends say or do shortly before their end moves us more and goes deeper to our hearts than anything else they said or did during their life. For when it comes
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When the death of a child comes, the dying are done with scolding and joking, and what they say or do then is from the heart and is their real earnestness.
(3) John said, "I will now tell you this story and this sermon, which you should therefore listen to more carefully and remember more diligently, because it was the last work of the Lord Jesus, and also his last sermon, which he began over the washing of the feet and finished on the way out to the Mount of Olives. There one may feel a special seriousness. Because it would not have been such a necessary trade, he would have forgotten with other great worries and anxieties of such bad work, as we think.
(4) For this purpose John also tells us of the love the Lord had for his disciples, so that we may learn that this foot-washing is such a work, and hold out such a doctrine to us, by which we may feel the special love of our dear Lord Jesus for us. So two great causes are found together here, why we should let such history be commanded to us: the first, that he did it shortly before his end; the other, that he does it to prove his love. It must follow that we are very much interested in this work and sermon. For where Christ's love and kind heart compels a work, it cannot be bad nor small.
(5) For what purpose John shows in these words, saying, Jesus loved his own who were in the world. As if to say, It was now time for the Lord to depart from the world, but his disciples were to remain longer in it; for they needed such an example and instruction, if they would otherwise remain his true disciples, and not be deceived by the examples of the world. For the world's diligence is plain to see; everyone thinks how he can get there, others stay and suffer what they want, the world cares little for them. Whoever then lives in the world and does not want to be seduced by such astonishments, let him stay here, says Christ, and follow this example, which I now let you see, that I am the Lord. But I about
Do not deprive me of my dominion; I serve you and you do not serve me. Learn this and do it, and you will be blessed and remain unchallenged from this evil.
6 John also reports with special diligence how the devil had already told Judas to betray Jesus. He wants to show that his apostles and Christians will not only challenge the examples of the world, but also the devil, and that he will drive them to his own honor, power and hope. There is no other counsel, help or remedy against this, except that we should model this example of Christ for ourselves and follow it with earnestness, which the Lord, out of special love, since he was now to be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles, did not leave behind, but wanted to present to us.
Now, to be in the world is actually to be in the midst of the devils. It is impossible for us to govern ourselves properly if we do not keep to God's word, and especially to this example. For the flesh does not like to be pressed, it always wants to be on top and nowhere on. To avoid this temptation, the Lord has set this example before us, so that we may remember it and follow it. For he means well, and is pure love and burning fire toward us, that he would gladly warn and protect us from harm and sin.
(8) Thus John makes a fine preface before he speaks of the washing of the feet, so that we may learn what Christ intended to indicate by it, and how faithfully he meant it with us. But thousands and thousands of times this story of foot washing is sung and read today in monasteries and convents, and yet no one understands it.
(9) But what is this that John says further: Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God? These are excellent great words, with which John wants to indicate to us, with what thoughts the Lord Jesus had dealt, before he now wanted to wash the feet of the disciples: that he did not think of his suffering, nor was he grieved in spirit, as soon follows the washing of the feet; but he had thought of his
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Glory, in which he was with the Father from eternity, and to which he should now return after his humanity and remain in it eternally. These were high thoughts, which should have drawn him out of the world in such a way that he would not have thought of any human being.
(10) But just now, as he is going about with such thoughts of eternal glory, he rises quickly and unexpectedly from the table, lays aside his cloak, takes an apron, girds himself, pours water into a basin, and starts to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the apron, so that he was girded.
(11) Now rhyme his thoughts and his work together. His thoughts are: I am God and Lord over all; it is even less to do than for one day, so the devil has done what he can. After that he shall lie at my feet together with all my enemies and leave my Christians satisfied. But what is the work? He, the greatest Lord, does what servants and maids usually do in the house, and washes the feet of his disciples.
(12) So he wants to lead us by his own example and show us that just as he expressed his glory, forgetting it immediately, and did not abuse it for his own glory, power and splendor, but served his servants with it, so we should also do the same, not overburden ourselves with our gifts, not abuse them for glory, but serve our neighbor with them with all our will and use them for his good. For this is how the Lord himself interprets the washing of the feet afterwards, when he says: "Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and you say rightly, for I am also. If then I, your Master and Lord, have washed your feet, you shall also wash one another's feet. An example have I given you, that ye should do as I have done unto you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord, neither is the apostle or messenger greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, blessed are ye that do them." Then you see what the right washing of the feet is, and know that for this reason the Historia is written
is that you should learn them diligently and abide by them.
The pope with his monks and priests, kings and princes, wash the feet also today. But all their humility is exceedingly bad humility, should it be called humility in any other way. For many are found among them who wash the feet of their convent, chapter and subjects with such humility that afterwards they have to confess of the courtly conduct they have practiced in washing the feet. For, dear one, tell me, what kind of humility is it, or what good does it do another, if you wash his feet?
- This would mean that our feet would be properly washed if our bishops would take to heart how great a pity it is that their poor people are so deeply immersed in idolatry, have no proper preaching of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and would strive for God's word to be properly preached to them, and the idolatrous ceremonies and services, with the mass, with the sacrifices at sea, and the calling of the saints, would be abolished, and the people would be directed to proper worship, so that they might fear God, have His word before their eyes, and take comfort in the sacrifice of our dear Lord Christ. But we see that they not only do not think of such foot-washing, but still deal with it, how they may defile the feet of their poor subjects even more wickedly, and keep them in idolatry and false doctrine. That is to say, they have ever followed the command of our dear Lord Christ in an evil way. May God have mercy on them, and ward off the wretched devil who drives and rides the blind people in this way.
15 They themselves call the ceremonies in the papacy with a Latin name the mandate, which in German is so much as a command or commandment. But Christ does not mean the work. For though he says, Ye shall wash one another's feet also, yet he interprets himself in a fine way, saying, An example have I given you, that ye should do as I have done unto you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord." These are clear words, that it is up to him: If you are in great esteem for the sake of your office (as will follow), that you do not exalt yourself,
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but to serve others with it who are inferior and do not have such a gift. For this reason, when the Lord preaches about love at the end, the mandate and the command are clear when he says: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. But what is the nature of love? Namely, to serve with what it can, and to prove all friendship and good will, not to despise, not to be proud, not to do evil. This then is the right washing of feet, since the Lord commands it here.
16 Therefore the washing of the feet, which is done with water, is not to be done; otherwise one would have to wash the feet not only of twelve, but of everyone; and the people would be much better served if it were only a matter of the water and washing, that one ordered a common bath for them, and washed not only their feet, but their whole body. But it has not the opinion. If you want to follow Christ's example and wash your neighbor's feet, see to it that you humble yourself from the bottom of your heart, that you use all the gifts and graces you have, not for your own benefit or honor, but for the good of your neighbor, that you despise no one, and that you are glad to help everyone in his weakness, and that you help him to improve himself.
(17) Such foot washing is not to be practiced this day only, but throughout our lives, with all that we can and have, and toward all whom we can serve with it. So Christ wills that we also wash one another's feet according to his example; for this he also commanded, and not otherwise.
- But let those especially remember the washing of the feet and practice it diligently who have been gifted by God with special understanding and other gifts and have been called to head the church, so that they do not abuse such gifts for their own honor, benefit or power, but faithfully serve their churches with them. For if our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who well knew that it was now time for him to go to the Father and begin his eternal kingdom of grace, humbled himself so deeply that for our sake he became obedient to God the Father to the point of death, even death on the cross, how much more will this be necessary for us poor people, whom the Lord has not given the gift of understanding?
He especially creeps up on us day and night and lays ropes for us everywhere, so that he may lead us into hope and make us look more to honor and our own benefit than to our ministry. If it goes according to his will that the church servants forget this command of Christ and seek honor and power, he knows well that not much more harm can be done to him with preaching.
19 As can be seen in the example of Pope. As soon as he turned the ministry of preaching to worldly power and began to seek lands and people, splendor and glory, the word and the proper worship fell away. For he had so much to do with such things that he could no longer wait for the church. And the devil has brought it about in the papacy that not only the word and the right worship have fallen, but lies and idolatry have been introduced into the church in heaps, since it carried money and was useful for the preservation of the priests' splendor.
(20) There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord, when he showed such humility by washing the feet, saw how the church government would be especially in the last times, that the service would be forgotten and only honor and splendor would be thought of. For the misfortune soon began that the bishops quarreled among themselves, and each wanted to have precedence over the others; therefore they could not remain one, until finally the Antichrist came to Rome, and brought the matter to such a point that he snatched the primacy to himself, and brought it to such a point that he became powerful over emperor and king, and made himself the sole heir to the chair of Peter and governor of Christ. That is, I mean, to humble himself and wash his feet, as the Lord so faithfully commands and teaches here. Yes, behind him.
021 But it is so. Judas, when the Lord washed his feet and preached such a beautiful sermon, did the same. He did not let any of it go to his heart, but in the meantime he plotted how he could get the thirty pieces of silver and betray and sell Christ, but he succeeded badly. The Lord sees this, and is
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He is grieved about it in his heart, as the evangelist reports soon after the washing of the feet. He is not grieved for Judas alone, but he has seen that Judas would leave behind him a large group of disciples, all of whom would rather sell and betray Christ than lack the silver pieces. This grieves the Lord and makes him sad in his heart that he means so faithfully at his last end, and he allows himself to pay so much to help the poor people in their souls. But in Judas and his disciples all that the Lord speaks and does is lost. They do not want to wash the feet of others, but for the sake of their church office, that they are called pope, cardinals, bishops and the church, they want to be such lords that emperors and kings have to wash the feet of Asia and worship them. Before they would renounce such splendor and power, they would rather deny, even sell and betray Christ a hundred times over; yes, they would rather suffer that God's word be trampled underfoot and that no man be saved. As you can see, the pope and his whole entourage are always working so that the right doctrine is crushed to the ground, the old idolatry is restored, and they may be preserved in their splendor, wealth, and glory.
(22) We should let go of such disciples of Judas, and remember that we are not preachers and church servants because we are great lords, but because we should be meek and humble, faithful to our church, and serve our neighbor with all the gifts we have, and thus always wash the feet of others. In this the Lord Christ is especially honored and pleased. In this way we cannot protect ourselves any better from the snares of the devil.
(23) For the devil is especially directed at the preachers with this temptation, that he may try them, whether he may also bring his own honor and profit. If this happens, he has won. For then, as reported before, they will be so busy with worldly affairs that they will not respect the Lord Christ, his word, his church and the right worship, but will even forget. The example is before our eyes and only too much in the day.
24 No church servant should be safe from such temptation, and should therefore think about and practice such foot-washing all the more diligently. For as St. Paul says, "A stake was put in his flesh, the angel of Satan, who smote him with fists, lest he exalt himself to high revelation; how much easier it is with us poor people, whom God has indeed placed in a great, high office in His Christendom. There is no lack, one has these, the other those gifts. Blessed then is he who does not exalt himself with them, but leaves the table with the Lord Christ, unclothes himself and washes the feet of others, that is, he who serves his neighbor, not himself, with such gifts.
(25) So this example of washing feet applies especially to those in church offices, that they should wait diligently for their service and not exaggerate their office, but serve others in all humility. For God has placed them there, not for their own sake, but for the sake of His Christians: they are to serve them faithfully, and not to complain about any driving or work.
(26) This example and humility should then be followed by all other Christians in general, regardless of their status. Kings and princes are in a worldly state, as they are called; but if they want to be Christians, they must also wash the feet of their subjects. For God has not placed them in such a high position that they alone should lead their splendor, seek their pleasure, and do what they desire; but with all the gifts they have, they should serve their subjects. First of all, that they provide their subjects with proper church servants, that God's word be faithfully and rightly proclaimed to them, that all idolatry be increased, and that proper worship be instituted. They owe this to God; they will never have blessings or happiness for themselves, but they will faithfully keep them. For how can God give happiness and salvation to those who despise His word and force their subjects into public idolatry and false worship?
- after that it is also called foot washing, where one in temporal government is diligent, serious and
326 L. i, 328-33i. Green Thursday. W. xm, 68s-"88. 327
Where people do not indulge day and night, play and hunt, but strive to maintain and promote unity, to pacify the country and its people, to feed the Turks and other enemies, and to provide justice for everyone equally. If kings and princes were to take such foot-washing seriously, they would have enough to do, not only on Green Thursday, but throughout the year, yes, throughout their lives, day and night, and often as soon at night, when others are lying down and sleeping, as during the day. For since both the church and the secular government are on their necks, there will not be much rest who wants to order both properly, and watch diligently and keep up with it.
28 But, as reported above about Jude and the pope, one also sees such things here, that such foot washing is commonly left standing, and in the meantime one deals with the mere spectacle or spectacle, since the people are not helped by anything. For everyone can wash his own feet if need be, or find someone else to whom he need not be so afraid as before the great lord. But to establish peace and even justice, to keep things right and orderly in the church with the sermon and service, this cannot be done by everyone, but only by those who are called to such a high office.
In the lower and lesser classes it should be the same. Master and wife in the house then wash the feet of their children and servants, if they do not keep themselves tyrannical, but accustom their own to God's word, faithfully preside over them, and draw them to God's fear, that they may become godly, and do what they are commanded to do. Thus a Christian household may wash one another's feet daily, if one is kind to another's infirmities, and is not always angry, cursing, and in need of all earnestness. The servants can wash the feet of the rulers if they are pious, faithful, obedient and diligent in their work, not grumbling when they are punished and admonished for their good.
30 In sum, if you have a grace or gift that your fellow Christian does not have, let it be ministered to him, whether you are a ruler or a commoner. Be
Do not despise him who does not have such gifts. So wash his feet properly, as Christ commanded.
(31) But you will find that such foot-washing is much more difficult and more sour than that hypocritical foot-washing where an abbot or prior washes the feet of his monks, a bishop of his chapter. One bends down there, but those whose feet are washed must bend even lower. For the world's splendor will not suffer otherwise, and yet the people are not served by such foot washing. But here you serve the people, if you humble yourself from the heart against everyone, and what you have more and better than other people, use such for their benefit: since your Adam would much rather seek his own honor or advantage, would much rather take revenge on others, would rather oppress or dampen others.
- After this, it means washing our feet in general, that we should not only serve others gladly with our gifts and not overburden ourselves with them, but that one should forgive another's shortcomings and, as St. Paul calls it, bear one another's burdens. For there is no other way out, so that you will not find a pure Christian in the whole world who does not have a particular fault or infirmity. One is angry; the other sad and strange; the third cheerful; the fourth meager and exact; the fifth even too free and mild. In sum, as the pagans also said, each one has his own burden and unwillingness to bear.
Thirty-three Then methinks, if such a defect were not in him, thou wouldst rather deal with him; but hear, if thou seest such a defect in thy lord, wife, child, servant, neighbor, or other, wash his feet, that is, hold such infirmity against him, and see how thou canst right him, and remember how it is in truth, that the world is nothing but a dry place, where it is not possible for us to walk in it; we must defile the feet. This happens to me, it happens to you, and in sum to all people. What shall we do then? Shall we then run into the desert or the woods, and have fellowship with no one, as the monks of old did?
328 L.i.331-333. On Green Thursday. W. xm, 688-ssi. 329
have? No, if you wash other people's feet, you must not live alone, but in the midst of people, and among people who wade in the world through an unclean, muddy place. Even if you have beautiful, clean feet, you must bend down to help your neighbor, bring water, old rags, straw and hay, and wash and wipe their feet until they become clean.
34 As St. Paul says, this means that one should bear another's burden, that is, that one should warmly accept another, have compassion on him, not despise him, but reach out to him, kindly instruct him, advise him and help him, so that he may also be improved. If you are sensible, wise and learned, do not despise the foolish, simple-minded person, do not think you are better, but use your wisdom to help him and make him wiser. So you are pious, keep yourself modest with food and drink, do not let yourself be angry soon; another does not have such grace: therefore do not despise him, take care of him, and improve him with what you can, and remember thus: I, praise God, do not have such a fault, but I have another; so I need to be patient with me and to be helped to bear it. On the other hand, my neighbor also has some good virtue in him, so that he can serve me again. So that unity and kindness may be practiced and maintained everywhere.
If such foot washing were always practiced among us, think what a fine, Christian, quiet, united life there would be among us, where one would always help the other, where no one would harm the other, but would speak the best of all, and always work so that others would be helped and improved. Then we could also have the consolation that we have not forgotten this command of Christ, but have complied with it a little; we could also take the word that Christ says here: "Blessed are you if you do these things. Since, on the other hand, we must always have the sting in our conscience because we do not obey such a command, that we are wretched people, since neither happiness nor salvation is with us.
- but such foot washing is given to the
old Adam very sour. For he always preferred to be served than to serve others. And it is especially painful for him when no thanks is forthcoming. But the foot washing should always be continued, although little or no thanks follows. Therefore, not only diligent practice is necessary, but also constant prayer that God will give us His grace for patience and humility.
37 This footwashing is primarily based on the teaching of a humble, Christian, friendly life, which Christians should lead and practice among themselves, if they want to be disciples of Christ and children of God. Shortly before his death, the Lord wants to exhort us to such humility and service by washing our feet. We have gifts, as great as they can always be, so that we should not be proud, but think: If God has given me this and that before another, then in truth it must have been because of this that He wants me to serve others all the more, to let myself down all the more, and to be careful that the devil does not lead me into hopefulness and presumption. For if we come to that, it is over; then we are not Christ's, but Judas' disciples, like the pope and all his crowd.
In addition to this teaching, the Lord also wants to reproach us with another and higher teaching for his person. For when Peter refuses to be washed, Christ says to him, "If I do not wash you, you will have no part in my kingdom. He is not speaking of washing feet, as if so much were at stake, but of the washing that he did by his blood on the stem of the holy cross, and that was to be distributed to believers through the gospel and blessed baptism. Such washing is not an example for us, because we cannot wash ourselves or others from sins, that is only for the Son of God, who is the little lamb of God that bears the sins of the world. Those who have been washed by Christ continue to do so. Just as they confess that God has given and forgiven their sins by grace through Christ, so they also forgive others from the heart, as the Lord teaches in Matt. 18, and we in the Father
330 L. 1, 333. 2, 1.2. Of the fruit of Christ's suffering. W. XIII, 691,742-745. 331
Our prayer. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
- There you can clearly see how such foot washing is to be practiced during our lifetime, which our dear Lord Christ did out of special love, because we have to live in the unclean world.
with his own example, and admonished us to do so at the end. May God grant us His Holy Spirit through Christ His Son, so that we may never forget this admonition and live our lives according to it, amen.
Passion Sermons.
Of the fruit of the passion of Christ.*)
Preface to the Sermon on the Passion.
(1) Since it is the season of the year, when the suffering of our dear Lord Jesus Christ is sung and preached in the church, let us leave it at that. For it is not an evil order that this useful and comforting history should have its certain, definite time in the year, when it is read from beginning to end, from word to word, in the church to the common people, and spoken of what it is useful to us, and how we should use it; because the great power of the devil is before our eyes, who, even though it is preached daily, nevertheless resists the word so much that hearts grow cold, do not pay much attention to the sermon, and remain as they were before the year, when they would not otherwise grow worse.
2 Such need should drive us to continue with the Word always, and especially to present the history of Christ's suffering to the simple from piece to piece, as much as we can have time. For it is not possible to joke here. If one should not preach anything about it for one, two or three years, it would go out purely, and vain Jews and Turks would grow up. Those who are in the preaching ministry and always handle God's word, experience what harm it does, where one does not stop daily with reading and prayer; what
*) Held in the church, 1534.
Should it be so with those who do not hear a sermon in a year or two? Raw people must be turned out like cattle.
For this reason it is necessary that this sermon is always practiced, blown up and set on fire. For the devil does not let it go, he always pours cold water on it and extinguishes it; otherwise it would not be lacking, more people would have to improve on the word, since it is so clearly presented all the time.
4 The papists now have their real week of torture; there is a lot of singing, reading and preaching about the suffering of Christ. But what do they improve? They have the passion of Christ on their tongue, but in their heart they persecute it and consider it nothing. Otherwise they would not think so highly of their own suffering and would not praise their works so highly. So in our country, where people preach diligently, there is the defect that most of them, as we can see from their works and lives, throw the word to the wind.
This sermon is at the same time a high and bad sermon, a secret and public sermon, a strong and weak sermon. Cause: You learn it, where one says fables or fairy tales of Dietrich of Bern and the like, that one can keep, even if one hears it only once. On the other hand, you will find a thousand and a thousand people who hear this sermon every day, and yet do not take it with such seriousness that they notice it and become more pious about it. To
332 L.2.2-S. Of the fruit of the passion of Christ. W. XIII, 745-747. 333
It goes in one ear and out the other, and will not enter the heart.
(6) After this there are others who are very glad to hear it said, Christ has done enough for us, we can do nothing for our salvation, Christ has done it all. But as soon as one starts and says: If you want to be comforted by this suffering of Christ, you do not have to be so stingy, so fussy, fornicate, indulge, be proud 2c., then the Rhine burns, they do not want to suffer that they should be punished for their sins, or therefore be considered unbelievers 2c.
(7) But how shall we do it? This is the way of preaching, and especially of disciples; for the devil hinders it wherever he can, so that it does not enter all hearts. Therefore, for the sake of God's glory and our salvation, we must always persevere with the word, even though most of the people do not want to hear it, lest the others also come away from it, and thus the sacrifice that the Son of God sacrificed for us always remain in our memory.
This sermon first began in Paradise, when Adam and Eve were promised the seed of the woman who would crush the serpent's head. It has remained in the church until now, and will remain until the end of the world. And this is actually the highest service we can do, that we remember this sacrifice in the church, in the pulpit, in the house, and everywhere, and instruct everyone to do so.
The people of Israel were very burdened with their worship and had to sacrifice cows and calves 2c. Under the papacy, a lot of money was spent on the service. If such burdens and expenses were imposed on us today, I would worry that we would keep few disciples. But our dear Lord God does not impose more on us than this small service, that we should not forget His unspeakable good deed, that His Son sacrificed Himself for our sin, but should preach about it, so that the young may learn from the old. Where there is such a service, one may give thanks to God. For it will bring its certain fruit with it, and will not be in vain nor in vain with all men.
- in turkey he is gone, there is the
We have forgotten the suffering of our Lord Christ, and in his place we have accepted the preaching of Mahomet. Among the Jews it is also gone. In Germany, too, people are almost tired of such worship and do not pay much attention to it. But if this service is taken away from us, the punishment will not remain outside for long. For if you do not want to serve God with that which costs you no more than listening to an hour of preaching, and the preacher tells you something comforting about Christ and his suffering, do you think you are wronged if another service is imposed on you for it, which is in vain, and yet much more difficult? This is one reason why we should especially love to hear and preach about the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we do not forget such benefits, since Satan is hostile to the word and would so gladly dampen or hinder it.
The other reason is that our great need requires this. For we are here in the world and live in the flesh; this clings to us like a millstone that pulls us forever under itself and to the world. On the right hand there is temporal good, honor, food, drink, pleasure, house, court, etc.; on the left hand all kinds of misfortune, sickness and unpleasantness; these things take our thoughts away, so that it seems to us that we do not have time to remember Christ and his suffering. Therefore, it is necessary that we also give our Lord God a time, so that we do not forget him. In addition to such thoughts of ours, the devil's thoughts also beat upon us; they are first of all the real ice, hail and snow that make the heart cold. If we do not keep on being urged by the Word, by speaking, singing, and listening to the sermon, so that we do not forget the Lord Christ altogether, and so that he does not go out of our hearts altogether, it is impossible that our hearts, weighed down with physical hardship and our own wickedness, and finally with the devil's thoughts, should not sink and fall away from Christ. Therefore we need it very much that such preaching is always practiced, and that we hear and keep the word; for otherwise the Lord Christ is soon forgotten.
- besides that, the young people also grow here, who cannot learn from themselves; so
334 D . 2, 5-7. Of the benefits of Christ's suffering. W. XIII, 747-751. 335
Servants and maids cannot all read, and yet they are also baptized Christians. It takes great diligence to teach such people properly, so that they also know something about such high and necessary things.
(13) Therefore it must grieve our Lord God very much if we can have such treasure and yet go and keep our mouths open and learn nothing of it.
And it serves you right, because you do not want to hear God's word and truth, and do not want to learn and realize for your own good that you have to listen to the devil's lies for your eternal ruin, as can be seen in the Papists, Anabaptists, Turks and Jews. Therefore, let us not grow weary of such worship and gladly hear and often practice the Passion sermons.
Of the benefits of the suffering of Christ.
Rom. 5:8-11.
Therefore, praise God for His love toward us, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So much more shall we be kept from wrath through Him, having been justified by His blood. For if we have been reconciled to God through the death of his Son while we were still enemies, much more shall we be saved through his life, if we have now been reconciled. Not only this, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have received reconciliation.
- Because one wants to preach about the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, one must not only read the history to the people word for word, but also admonish and teach them to remember why Christ suffered in this way and how they should enjoy such suffering. For the way that was held in the papacy is no good at all, since the preachers, and especially the monks, were only concerned with how they could make it miserable and move the people to pity and weeping. Those who could do this well were considered the best preachers of the Passion. Therefore, one hears nothing else in such sermons but a Jewish cry and how the Virgin Mary wept, blessed her son and other such things. But this, like all other divine services in the papacy, is nothing but a glaring hypocrisy without spirit, since no real fruit nor improvement can follow from it.
But if we look at the sermons of the apostles and prophets. If we look at the sermons of the apostles and prophets, we will find a far different way of preaching about the passion of our Lord Christ. For there we see that they do not say much about the history, and speak of it very simply, badly and briefly. But how to preach such
Looking at suffering, enjoying it, and needing it, they can't talk enough about it.
(3) If you will count it by words, it is a very short sermon which John preaches concerning Christ, saying, "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. But if you take them apart, you will see that they contain a great deal, especially as far as the benefit and use that we have of them if we believe them.
4 He calls the Lord Christ a lamb, because he was to be slain. For the sacrifices in the Old Testament, when cows, oxen, and calves were sacrificed, were all a model of the one, right, and eternal sacrifice of our Lord Christ, who was to offer up his body and life for the sin of the world, and by his blood to cleanse us completely. John is satisfied with such a word that he shows the history of how Christ had to suffer. That he calls him not only a lamb, but God's lamb, he wants to indicate that he is such a sacrifice that God Himself has ordered and that God is pleased with. By this addition "God's lamb" he wants to awaken our faith that we should accept such a sacrifice,
336 L. 2,7-10. Of the benefits of Christ's suffering. W. xm, 751-754. 337
as which God, out of causeless goodness and love, has intended to help us. So that, because God Himself has decreed such a sacrifice, we have no doubt that it is through it that the forgiveness of sins and eternal life are fully and completely accomplished. For thus St. John's sermon reads: He bears the sin of the world.
What then is the sin of the world? Nothing else, but all ungodliness and unrighteousness in which the world is drowned, in which God is displeased and is justly moved to anger. God took all these things out of the world by grace, says John, and put them on His Son, who paid for them so that we might be freed from guilt and punishment.
(6) Whosoever then shall preach or commemorate the passion of our Lord Jesus according to this saying, let him not preach only how Christ was delivered up to the Gentiles, scourged, and scourged, and how he was crucified. This is the mere history, which must be preached and known in all ways, but it is not enough. You should also know and believe, as John preaches here, that Christ suffered these things for your sins, that God charged them to him, and that he bore them in all obedience and paid for them; so that when you realize that you are celebrating as a sinner and that you have angered God, you may not despair, but may take comfort in this suffering and satisfaction of our Lord Christ. Then you can have a taste of such suffering in your heart, so that not only, as in a papal sermon, your eyes will pass over, but your heart will remain dry and arid; but your heart will pass over: first, with sorrow, so that you must confess that sin is an awful burden, because only through such a great sacrifice can it be put away; then also with joy, because the sacrifice has been given for you, so that you may be sure that God will not reject or condemn you because of your sin.
(7) This is not how the Passion was preached in the papacy. They may have said that Christ is the little lamb of God who bears and takes away the sin of the world, but besides this, all God's sins are taken away.
In the first part of the service, it was as if every Christian carried his sin himself, and Christ did not carry it, nor had he paid for it, and each one had to do enough for it himself. Why else did people fast so strictly? Why did they toil so hard in confession? Why did they spend day and night in church, singing and praying, if they did not hope and seek forgiveness for their sins? But this is just as much as if the sacrifice of Christ could not be sufficient or fruitful, if you helped it with your own works, and also suffered for your sin, as Christ suffered.
How does this rhyme with the sermon that Christ preaches to John on the 12th about his passion, where he says, v. 23, 24: "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 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." With these words he wants to say that his suffering should bear much fruit. Now this fruit is not only that, as a branch, when it remains on the vine, brings forth grapes, so a Christian through the Spirit of God in faith brings forth good works; but the highest, noblest and best fruit is that of which the Lord soon after says, v. 32: "If I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw them all to myself," that is, through me, through my sacrifice, through my being lifted up on the cross, or dying, people shall come to me and into eternal life.
(9) Now they that will go to heaven by their own works draw Christ down unto themselves; if it be the other way about. For Christ must draw us up to himself, or we are lost. For it is he alone who destroyed the devil's kingdom, paid for our sin, and drew us out of the world, out of death, unto life: not by our suffering or works, but by his suffering.
10 In this way Christ also preaches of His suffering, John 3 v. 14. 15: "As Moses lifted up the 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." That is clear enough:
338 8.2,io-i2. Of the benefits of Christ's suffering. W. xm, 754-75". 339
Whoever wants to have eternal life must believe. For here Christ does not declare any work, does not say, whoever does this or that, fasts, gives alms, will not be condemned 2c. For God's word and command had already gone out beforehand through Moses in the Ten Commandments, that one should keep them and not go against them. Whoever then goes against them must therefore await his punishment. But he who does not go against them, but keeps them as much as he can, does not go to heaven because of them. For it is concluded that just as the Jews in the wilderness could not be healed by any medicine, but by seeing the serpents of brass, so this is the only way to salvation: to look to the Lord Christ, that is, to take comfort in his sacrifice, and to believe that God, for the sake of his death, will forgive and grant us our sins and make us blessed. This fruit grows from the death of Christ alone, and not from our works, as the papists wrongly teach.
11 There are many such sermons in the prophets. Isaiah in the 53rd says, v. 4 ff: "Truly he bore our sickness and took upon himself our pain. But we took him for one who was afflicted and weakened by God. But he is wounded for our iniquity, and bruised for our sin. Punishment is upon him that we may have peace, and by his wounds we are healed."
(12) Let this be a beautiful and truly consoling passion sermon, which is well done in the New Testament, and is so clearly set forth and spoken that an apostle could not speak better. For Christ is afflicted, weakened, wounded, and crushed, because, he says, he gave himself up for us, and took upon himself our sicknesses and our pains, that he might give us peace, and that we might be healed. The dear prophet makes the Lord Christ a physician and teaches us, if we want to have peace and be healed, that we should seek this nowhere else but in the Lord Christ, who has a medicine that is not called doing good works, giving alms, fasting, praying; but suffering for us, being wounded for us, being crushed for us, bearing the punishment for us.
Therefore, when you hear in history how miserably Jews and Gentiles have gone along with your dear Lord Christ, write on each piece, "This was done for my sake, that I might have a remedy by which I might be delivered and healed, not from bodily disease, but from sin and eternal death. Then you will need the histories and sufferings of Christ quite blessedly.
14 Now the suffering of Christ is a delicious, healing remedy in two ways. First, by such suffering one can learn better than by any other punishment how terrible it is for sin. For since no man, angel or other creature could pay for sin, God's Son alone must do so, we must confess that sin is an unmistakable burden. For this reason we should be all the more diligent in the fear of God and learn to guard against such misery. For it is easy to fall into sin, but it is very difficult to come out of it. Therefore, the contemplation of Christ's suffering serves first of all as a delicious remedy against sin, so that we learn to be godly and to guard against sin, since it is such a terrible, unmistakable burden that no creature could have borne; God's Son Himself had to bear it and pay for it with such a hard death.
15 Secondly, it is also a remedy against death. For whoever believes that the Son of God died for his sin and paid for it with death, can take a peaceful heart in God's goodness, and comfort himself against sin and eternal death. As the prophet finely emphasizes such comfort here, and Christ himself, as we have heard, points to it.
16 Thus preaches the prophet Zechariah, Cap. 9, 11. f.: "You let your prisoners out of the pit by the blood of your covenant, because there is no water in it; so now return to the fortress, where you lie imprisoned in hope" 2c. The pit where men lie captive is sin and the punishment of sin, namely, the devil's tyranny and eternal death. From such pit, says Zechariah, we have not been able to come, it made
340 L. 2.12-14. Of the benefits of Christ's suffering. W. XIII, 756-7S9. 341
For God has made a covenant with us, not by the blood of cows or oxen, but by the blood of the righteous and saving King. Therefore, whoever does not have this blood covenant must remain in the pit of sin and eternal death; but whoever has it shall come out of such a pit of God's wrath into grace and eternal life.
17 Thus Daniel preaches, Cap. 9, 24: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city; and the transgression shall be prevented, and sin sealed up, and iniquity atoned for, and everlasting righteousness brought in. But how this will happen, he then indicates, namely, that Christ will be killed.
18 This is a clear and bright saying, that one cannot come to forgiveness of sins and righteousness in any other way than through the death of Christ Jesus, who is the one who brings this treasure to us. Outside of it we can never come to it. So that all the sermons of John, of the Lord Christ himself and of the holy prophets sufficiently testify how one should rightly preach about the suffering of Christ, namely, that hearts should learn from it to take comfort in God's goodness and grace. For such suffering has taken place so that through it we might pay for our sin, be reconciled to God, and finally be saved in such faith in our Lord and Savior Christ.
19 In this way the holy apostles also preached about the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, as can be found in their writings and histories. And since there are many such sayings everywhere, let us now conclude with only this one, which your beloved heard at the beginning of the 5th chapter to the Romans. This is in itself a clear saying that everyone understands well. But nevertheless we want to wrap it up a little, so that it may be brighter and lighter, and also more comforting for us.
(20) We all experience how deep unbelief is in our hearts, that we can never be truly satisfied because of our sin, we always think: If you were more pious, things would be better for you, and you would certainly be able to hope for mercy from God. Where hearts are so doubtful,
There must be fear and discontent. Again, if we could believe firmly and trust in God's goodness, our hearts would hold on to such comfort even in all kinds of adversity, and be cheerful and in good spirits. But it does not want to go anywhere. For this reason, the pope has arranged all kinds of services, so that people may have confidence in God and the less they may despair of God's help. Hence came the invocation of the saints, pilgrimages, buying indulgences, mass and vigils, monastic life and all kinds of other idolatry. Whoever could bring it there thought he wanted to enjoy it in heaven and thereby become blessed.
21 And it is not less. A true preacher should pay no more attention and take greater care than to bring people to the right trust in God and to tear such unbelief out of their hearts. How to do this properly and masterfully can be seen here from St. Paul's words, who has a sure testimony from our Lord Christ that he is a right preacher and a chosen, precious tool for planting the kingdom of God. Therefore, we should take good heed of his words.
22 First, he says: "God praises his love for us. This is a very strange and unbelievable, but, as we will hear, a precious, true and valuable word. It is true that God is hostile to sins and wants to punish them, as the law testifies and daily experience proves. But now we must confess that we are all sinners. Therefore, unbelief grows, so that we cannot believe that God loves us. But where we hear, as here, that God loves people, we soon think of John the Baptist, Peter, Paul and others who were more pious than we are. But we cannot consider ourselves as such people whom God loves, but fear His wrath. Now this word of St. Paul goes against this, that he does not only say: God loves us; but: God magnifies His love, that is, He makes it great, and so certain and evident that it is not possible for a man to doubt it. For is not this, saith he, proving love, that he sendeth his Son Christ for us?
342 D. 2, i4-i7. Of the benefits of Christ's suffering. W. xm, 7sg-762. 343
die while we were still sinners? Hear the word, mark it, and keep it well. All your sorrow and anguish is that you are a sinner; otherwise you would be better able to console yourself with God's grace and kindness. But, dear man, come to your senses, and listen to Paul here, who says that Christ died for our sin.
Who then is Christ? He is the Son of God. What does he do? He becomes man and dies. For what does he die? For the sake of sinners. It must follow that God does not mean sinners ill, that he does not want them to perish for their sins, but that he loves them and loves them so much that he wants to help them out of sin and death. For their sake he sent his only begotten Son to die. How could he show his love to us more surely? That Paul ever has good reason to say, "God magnifies his love toward us," that we must consider it a great, high, excellent love, and that no man can doubt that God will be gracious to us and cannot be angry with us. For who would want to be angry, since God does not spare His only begotten Son for our sake, and gives Him up to such a shameful death for the sake of ungodly sinners?
(24) Such words of St. Paul agree very well with Christ's sermon, John 3, where he says, v. 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. Now whoever knows this and believes that God loves him, how can he be afraid of God? For who does not know what is the nature and work of love? Where there is love, there is no struggling or beating, there is no fear, but there is a firm and certain trust that if need arises, it will find a shell and help, and it is impossible that it will not find it.
(25) Therefore, everything depends on our forming such love firmly within ourselves and not letting it be taken away from us or talked out of us. For this is the main thing that the evil enemy is most concerned about, whether he could take this love that God has for us out of our hearts, and make us
We did not provide anything good for God, but considered him our enemy. Where he does that, he has won. For what will protect or save us if we have lost God? We must defend ourselves against this; and if our conscience and sin want to take away such a hope of God's love for us, we should keep this in mind, and take this excellent pledge of love into our hearts, that God sent His Son to die for us while we were still sinners. It must then follow that God does not mean evil to sinners, but loves them and intends to help them in the best way possible.
(26) Now this is a comfort that we, as Paul teaches here, have in the death of Christ and His suffering, and we should take comfort in it. If our sins make us sad, and our heart wants to doubt whether God is also merciful to us and loves us, then we should conclude and know that God is not hostile to us, and therefore we must not be afraid of him, but he loves us. For he gave his only begotten Son to die for us; therefore we may be assured of his mercy and help.
(27) Yes, you say, it is true that God gave His Son to die for me; but how often have I made myself unworthy of such grace through my sin! Therefore, though God loved me before for the death of His Son, yet now He has become hostile to me because of my sin. Nay, saith Paul, let not such thoughts deceive thee; but hold fast this comfort: Christ died for thee, while thou wast yet a sinner; mark this well.
028 And what hath his death wrought? That you were justified by his blood. If then God loved you when you were a sinner, and dared so much for you that He gave His Son to die for you, how much sooner and more will He keep you from wrath, after you have been cleansed by the blood of Christ Jesus! With these words St. Paul finely indicates how our highest challenge is that we fear that God is angry with us. In order to comfort us, he says: "If God was not angry with you when you were a sinner, much more
344 L. 2, 17-19. Of the benefits of Christ's suffering. W. XUI, 762-76S. 345
He will be less angry now, because you have been washed from sins by the death of his Son. This is a good sermon against the unbelief that is found in our hearts because of sins. But this is not enough; Paul spins a still greater and higher comfort from the death of Christ, and says:
If then we have been reconciled to God through the death of His Son while we were still sinners, much more shall we be saved through His life, if we have now been reconciled.
(29) O God, if only we could take this comfort into our hearts. It is a great thing that Christ dies for sinners; for by such death we are ever made free from sins. If then we so highly enjoy the death of our Lord Christ Jesus, should we not also enjoy his life? If he died for our sake, and his death was for our good; then in truth our dear Lord Christ will also turn his life, in which he is now, to our good, so that we may be preserved in grace, protected against the devil and the world, and increase in faith from day to day. As we see then that the dear apostles everywhere point us to the joyful resurrection of our Lord Christ, that we should take comfort in it, and hope that he will not leave us; but that he has ascended for this reason, that he might give us gifts, and that he might rule and manage his Christians in all graces against all temptation.
(30) Paul also points to this comfort here, and wants us not to let anything make us fainthearted, since he praised his love for us while we were still sinners, and sent his Son to die for us. Now if he dared to do this, his highest good, to us while we were still sinners, how much more will he dare to do it to us who have now come to grace and are justified from sins by the death of Christ. Secondly, the life of our Lord Christ is for our full salvation.
31 Therefore take a good heart toward God, who loved you so well when you were still a sinner, and trust in him; he will give you the best.
For the sake of Christ his Son, I will keep you in all your temptations and will not let you fall, but will give you eternal life. Such faith is the highest service of God; for which reason we should ask diligently, and hold fast and earnestly to it. Now Paul concludes such a sermon of comfort, saying:
We boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the atonement.
He says that we have received reconciliation through the Lord Jesus. For on account of our sins we were not able to provide ourselves with anything good to God. But because the sins are gone through the death of Christ, we know that God is no longer angry with us; he is our friend, yes, our dear Father. What is to follow from such reconciliation? Nothing else, except that we should rejoice in this gracious, friendly God, who is love Himself, and praise Him, placing our trust and heart in Him in all hardships and temptations. Now that we have God as our friend, what can harm us? What can grieve us or frighten us? Sin is reconciled, God is pleased with us, Christ at the right hand of His Father, who holds on to us. And even though death comes and chokes us for a time, we know that through Christ we shall be raised again to eternal life. Therefore, as bad as it may be for Christians here on earth, they must be joyful in spirit, and cannot do otherwise than praise their Father in heaven, trust in His love and grace, and entrust themselves to His protection. This we have only through the atonement made by the death of Christ.
What a terrible pity it is that the pope and his crowd leave such reconciliation behind, and refer people to their own works and human merit, as if one should thereby come to grace and get a gracious God!
34 For this reason we may thank God from the bottom of our hearts that we have been delivered from such error, and see through so many glorious testimonies of the Old and New Testaments how we are to consider the suffering of Christ and take comfort in it; so that where sin
346L. 2, 19.20. Of the history at the Oelberg. W. XIII. 765,884-886. 347
we hold ourselves here, and say: If I were not a sinner, Christ should not have suffered; but because he suffered, I should take comfort in his suffering. In this way we honor God and give thanks to the Lord Christ, for otherwise we can do nothing but accept with thanksgiving such gifts as he has purchased for us through his death. Then this also must follow, that we guard against sins, refrain from them, and practice faith, love, hope and patience in all kinds of temptation, and from day to day
increase. Such is also a fruit that flows from Christ's suffering; for we are to regard him not as a gift, but also as an example and model to follow, with love for our neighbor and obedience to God. But more of that for another time. Now let us call upon God to kindle and maintain faith in us through His Holy Spirit, and to make us eternally blessed. May our dear Lord God grant us this through Christ Jesus, our Redeemer, amen.
Passion or History of the Passion of Christ our Savior.
The first sermon.
From the history at the Oelberg.
Matth. 26, 36-46.
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, "Sit here until I go there and pray. And took unto him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to mourn and to tremble. Then said JEsus unto them: My soul is troubled even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he came to his disciples, and found them asleep, and said unto Petro, Can ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. The second time he went again, and prayed, saying, My Father, is it not possible that this cup should pass from me, I will drink it; and thy will be done. And he came and found her sleeping again, and her eyes were full of sleep. And he left them, and went and prayed the third time, and spake the same words. Then he came to his disciples and said to them: Ah, will ye now sleep and rest? Behold, the hour is here, that the Son of man should be delivered into the hands of sinners. Stand up, let us go; behold, he is here who betrays me.
This is a very good history and the right beginning of the history of the passion of our Lord Christ; and it serves not only to teach us that we see in the Lord Christ how he held himself in anguish and distress, but also to comfort us against sin and an evil conscience.
- in the schools they have much disputirt of this history, and are very sharply with
dealt with. For it is no small matter that this person, who is both eternal God and right man, falls into such deep fear, trembling and anxiety. But one can argue about it as long as one wants, and make it as sharp and subtle as one can, but no one will fathom it. Yes, it will be impossible for anyone to understand such trembling and mourning even a little or to understand it with understanding.
348 8.2, 20-22. Of the history at Oelberg. W. XIII, 886-889. 349
It is all much, much too high, so that this person, who suffers such things, is too high and above everything.
(3) Therefore we may be satisfied with the few examples we see before our eyes where distress or fear has taken hold of a heart. As can be seen in the poor people who are condemned to death because of their mistreatment. Their hearts are so overwhelmed with terror, fear, anxiety and displeasure that they neither see nor hear; they do not understand what others say to them, or what they say to others; they are no different from a drowsy person who does not know where he is or what he is like.
(4) Such great anguish and distress, terror and fear, we may think, came upon the Lord Christ here also, that he stood there before his disciples, trembling and shaking, that the disciples looked at him, were terrified before him, and did not know what had happened to him. As Lucas indicates, and says: "The Lord found the disciples asleep with sadness; and the Lord says here: "My soul is troubled even unto death," that is, I am so afraid, I am so afraid that I would die of fear. We must leave it here with such thoughts. For we know of no higher and greater fear, because such fear of death is.
5 But such fear of death is not really to be compared here; for it was much more violent and greater in the Lord Christ than it is possible for a human heart to bear. Therefore, just as such fear and terror is an indication that Christ is truly man, for otherwise such fear could not have lasted, so again it is an indication that he is truly God, since he endured and overcame such fear. For such things are not possible for our flesh and blood; our hearts are far too weak to last in such distress. For it was not only because the hour had come for the Lord Christ to be betrayed. Judas betrayed him, the Jews captured him, and the Gentiles crucified him, and he was thus
but the sins of the whole world were on his neck, so that the death he was to suffer was a death of sin and a death of the wrath of God. For since he took the place of us all, took our sin upon himself, and undertook to do enough for it, both things came together here, that he felt at the same time the sin of the whole world, and afterwards the death which he was to suffer for the sake of such sin.
(6) Now this is the part that makes it impossible for us not only to speak sufficiently of such suffering and fear, but also to think sufficiently of it. It is all much, much too small compared with all other men's fear and anxiety, since he alone has all the sin of the world upon him, and must pay for it with his death, since each of us has only his own sin upon him. For it is only a little, if it is counted here, since all the sins of the world, from the first man Adam until the last day, are on the back of the one man born of Mary the Virgin.
(7) But what shall we learn from such anguish and distress of the Lord Christ? How are we to make use of the fact that he stands here so miserable and fainthearted, and freely confesses that the anguish and distress in his heart is so great that he would die of grief? Above I reported that it serves us to notice in such a person how he is a right, natural man, who has had right human flesh and heart, since death thus frightens him. For such is our innate nature and the nature of the flesh, to be afraid of death and not to die gladly. But because such terror and fear was greater in the Lord Jesus Christ than is otherwise possible in a man's heart, because of the cause that all men's sins are upon him, and that he should suffer the death which all men with all their sins have deserved, from this it is powerfully proved, because he did not sink under such a burden, but bore it without harm, that he is also God, and more than a man.
(8) Therefore, the very agony helps us and serves against the heretics who teach that Christ is not a true man.
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and true God. For we must confess both that it can be seen tremendously here: because of the hesitation, he is a true man; but that he gives himself into God's will and triumphs in such adversity, this proves the divine power.
(9) But apart from this custom, which serves for the teaching and confirmation of our faith, we can still use such a death struggle in two ways well and blessedly. We poor people are so blinded and corrupted by sin that we cannot sufficiently recognize our own harm and lack; otherwise we would be much more diligent in guarding and preserving ourselves from sins; for this we experience in ourselves and other people, that we consider sin to be a very small harm; yes, that is even more, we have a desire and love for sin. Whoever has fallen into avarice, it is not a difficult matter for him, when he knows how to be usurious, that a hundred carries him twelve or fourteen, he lets himself think that his cause would be very good, if he could only get a lot of such usury. So where Satan has led someone into fornication, he makes believe that it will be best for him if he can atone for his will and lust, and strives day and night to see how he can get there. It is the same with other sins; we are glad that we can come to it and consider it a happiness. But such unhappiness grows from the fact that we do not know what a terrible misery sin is. For if we knew rightly God's wrath and judgment, which is directed at sin, we would not only have no desire and love for it, but would also fear and guard against it, as we would against sudden death.
10 This is the purpose of this image of the fear and dread of our dear Lord Christ Jesus on the Mount of Olives. For if thou shalt look rightly into this mirror, and take it up rightly before thine eyes, thou shalt find such a painting of sins in it, that thou shalt be heartily afraid of it. For first of all, look at the person. He is the Son of God, who is the eternal righteousness; and though he has put on our flesh and blood, yet he is flesh and blood without all sin. And yet because he takes upon himself the sin of others, that
Such a foreign sin is so painful to him, it makes him so afraid and sad, it frightens him so much that he trembles and trembles before it, and says freely that the fear is so great that he is almost half-dead over it.
(11) If the sin of others so terrifies the pious and innocent heart, what do you think will happen to us when our own sins strike us, since we have sinful, corrupt hearts and are inclined to despair? How God sometimes lets examples go by that sin rages and rages in the heart of others to such an extent that poor, miserable people put themselves to death over it, so that they can only soon get rid of such torture of the conscience: and is such a certain indication, although bodily death is most violently opposed to our nature, that such suffering in the conscience is far more severe and unpleasant; since the poor people regard death as a means by which they may be freed from such fear. But it is an unholy means. For it is against God's commandment, which says, Thou shalt not kill. Because of this, such people only put themselves deeper into God's wrath and into condemnation. But what the right means are, by which one may certainly be freed from such fear, shall follow soon after.
Therefore learn this image well, and do not forget the Mount of Olives, as our Lord Christ mourned and prophesied over it. And especially remember this when the evil enemy, or your own flesh and blood, or the wicked world assails you, and you feel that you are so ready and willing to sin. Then make your calculation thus: If sin is so powerful that it can grieve my God and Lord Jesus Christ to the highest degree, when it was only someone else's sin, for which he had done nothing, how much more will it afflict and grieve me, who myself would be guilty of such sin, if I were willing to commit it; since without it my heart is inclined so that I cannot help being afraid and terrified? Therefore, Satan, lift thyself, I would not follow thee. Now you make sin very easy for me, as if it were a small thing; but in my Lord Christ I see.
352 L. 2, 24^-26. Von der Historie am Oelberg. W. XIII, 8S2-894. 353
that it is the most unmistakable, the greatest burden, because it has so burdened his innocent heart.
(13) So you can use this history blessedly and well, so that you may keep yourself in the fear of God and not sin. And it is certain that if you take this image before you and then continue in prayer against temptation, God will graciously help you through His Holy Spirit, so that Satan will give way and your flesh will be tamed and ruled; while others, who do not have this image before them, are led like cows by the rope and let themselves be driven wherever the devil wants.
14 The earnest prayer that Christ makes here also serves this purpose. For these are his words: "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Now it is clear that this was not possible; he had to sacrifice his body and die on the cross for the sake of sins. But what else can you conclude from this, but that sin is such a great, horrible thing that it was impossible for all creatures to do anything about it? But if we were to be helped from it, the eternal Son of God had to become man and suffer death on the cross for it, and thus make us free from sin.
(15) Here again, therefore, know sin aright. If you want to follow your heart and the devil, yes, even the world's example, it is a very small, bad thing that you break your marriage, that you commit fornication, that you seek your profit with usury and transgression. As you can see, whoever comes into such temptation, he cannot become so much of a sinner, he desires much more. But do not follow your heart, Satan and the world; do not let the smooth cat bellows deceive you; in truth there are such sharp, poisonous, unwholesome rattles underneath; if they catch you, it will be over with you (where God does not help much). For if the foreign sin can attack Christ and frighten him, who has never been guilty of any sin; what will become of you and me, who have been corrupted by sin before, so that we cannot do anything else but fear, tremble and fear, and flee from God?
and run away, as Adam and Eve did in Paradise. Therefore, beware, do not wilfully give yourself into such a journey; ask God for His Holy Spirit to come to you, and you may defend yourself from sin; then you will have corrected yourself of the Mount of Olives.
016 After this continue. And as thou hast used the mountain of oil to fear God, and to keep thee from sinning; so use it further for comfort. For so diligently will no man govern himself, yet the flesh and Satan will at times overpower him, that he will err and fall into sin. And especially Satan pursues the Christians without ceasing, whether he could throw them into obvious perils; as the excellent, great saints have examples before their eyes. David makes a very horrible case. Peter likewise.
(17) Wherefore, when these things shall come upon thee, and after that Satan shall come and preach sin unto thee, and torment and afflict thine heart over it, take again this image of the mountain of oil before thee, and speak unto thine heart, saying, O God, why doth my Lord Christ Jesus, the Son of God, tremble? What does he want? He asks that the cup pass from him. What kind of cup is it? It is nothing else but the bitter death of the cross. But why does he suffer it, since he is without sin, pious and righteous? It is because of the sins of the world that God has placed on his back; they weigh him down and frighten him.
But what shall I take from such a thing? What am I to remember? Is it not true that if God has laid my sin upon him, as St. John therefore calls him a little lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, then am I freed from my sins? Why then would I condemn myself and my Lord Christ Jesus? I am a sinner, that is unfortunately true; sin terrifies me, that I unfortunately feel well, and my heart always wants to sink; I am afraid of God and his harsh judgment. But, as I said, how will I punish myself; yes, how will I punish my Lord Christ Jesus? He trembles and trembles on the Mount of Olives, he is so afraid and anxious that he sweats bloody sweat, to such a thing brings him
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my sin, which he took upon himself and bore so hard. Therefore, I will lay it on the ground and hope that I will come before God and His judgment when I want, so that God will not find any sin in me. Not as if I were pious and had done no sin, but that God Himself has taken my sin from me and cast it upon His Son.
(19) Behold, the mountain of oil is also a comfort to thee, that thou mayest be sure that Christ hath taken thy sin upon himself, and hath paid for it. For where else would such trembling and fear have come from? Now if your sins are on Christ, be content in your heart; they are in the right place where they belong. They do not lie rightly on you, for you and all men, indeed all creatures, are too weak to bear a single sin; you would have to go down under it. Therefore let them lie on Christ alone, and see where he will take them. He brings them with him to the cross, yes, he dies on it; but on the third day he lets himself be seen as Lord over sin, death and the devil; for they have tried all power on him, but have achieved nothing. Take comfort in this, and thank God for such grace that he has taken from you the heavy burden that would have thrown you into the abyss of hell, and has laid it on his Son, our Lord Christ Jesus, who, although he is without sin and eternal God, nevertheless carries it so heavily and hard on the Mount of Olives that the sweat of his blood runs out over it.
20 Be comforted by this, and hold fast to it; let not sorrow take away thy heart, but say, It is enough that my Lord Christ Jesus hath thus mourned and travailed; with my mourning I do nothing. But with such mourning he has made it clear to me that I should continue to be of good cheer, that I should not be afraid of sin and death, but that I should take comfort in his death and hope for God's grace and eternal life.
(21) If you do this, it is pleasing to God, and this is the only means by which the poor, troubled consciences can keep themselves when their own hearts torment and anguish them because of sins. Otherwise it is not possible,
that one can find some righteous, certain comfort against such distress.
22 Now this history of Mount Oel is also very useful in the case that we learn from the example of our Lord Christ how we should conduct ourselves when there is fear, temptation and need. It was now time for Judas to betray him, and for the Jews to catch him, and for the Gentiles to crucify him. What does he do? He is grieved and afraid. But he does not stop there. He goes and falls on his face and prays. Learn to do the same, and do not let your distress go so far to your heart that you forget to pray. For this pleases God when we are in anguish and distress, that we do not despair, but open our hearts to him and seek help from him. As the 91st Psalm testifies, where God speaks thus, v. 15: "He calls upon me, and I will hear him; I am with him in trouble, and I will bring him out, and make him to glory."
(23) But such things are very grievous to us. For we think that God is angry with us and hostile to us because He causes us to be in anguish and distress. Therefore we think that even if we pray, such prayer will be in vain. But against this you can comfort yourself again with the mountain of oil and resist such thoughts. For if God meant us evil in every way, when he lets us come into fear and distress, then it would have to follow that he also meant his dear Son evil. But the contradiction is found, as Solomon also says, namely, that the father punishes every son whom he receives, and the Lord chastises those whom he loves.
(24) Therefore, do not be deceived by such thoughts that you would consider God an enemy for allowing you to suffer hardship; but as you see here, He does not exalt His only begotten Son from suffering; He must feel sin and the fear of death, and tremble and fear over it. So you also remember. You shall be God's son, he will remain your father, even if he lets you suffer a little. For why would he put you through that which he did not put his only begotten Son through? Therefore follow Christ in the other also. As thou art afraid and
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Suffer with him; so also learn to pray with him, and do not doubt that God will graciously hear such prayer.
How then does Christ pray? This is also a very useful and necessary teaching, which we should follow and not forget. He says, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as thou wilt." He makes this request a third time, until an angel comes from heaven and strengthens him, as Lucas says.
(26) Now this is the right form of prayer, which we should also make in temptation and distress. My Father," he says, as if to say, "Even though I am now sick to death because of fear and terror, and see nothing but God's wrath and death before me, do not doubt that you are my Father, that you love me, that you look upon me and watch over me. Therefore I hope to be delivered from this distress. If it is possible, let this cup pass from me, that is, help me and deliver me from this suffering.
(27) Therefore, just as Christ cries out to God His Father, so shall we also do. For although he alone is the eternal Son of God, as it is written in another Psalm, v. 7: "You are my Son, today I have given you birth"; yet through faith in Christ we have also become God's children and heirs. For this reason we should not only use these words in our prayers, but also have the heart and confidence that he, as a father, means well with us and will leave us, as his children, in no need. For where there is no such confidence, there can be no right prayer. And there is certainly the thought in our hearts that God is not our Father, that He does not want us, that He does not ask anything about us. But such a thing is called dishonoring God and taking away His right name, that He is not our Father.
But learn further. Our dear Lord Christ asks his Father to take the cup from him, and, as the true adopted son, he promises all good things to the Father. And yet he hangs up these words, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt." So do thou also unto him. If you are in temptation and suffering, beware that you would think that God is hostile to you;
Turn to him as a child to its father (because we believe in Christ, he wants to accept us as sons and joint heirs of Christ), cry out to him for help, say: Oh Father, see how I am there, how I am there; help for the sake of your dear Son Christ JEsu, do not leave me stuck like this 2c.
- God wants you to do this in all matters, and you should do it with firm, certain trust, since He is our Father and has heartfelt compassion for His children and therefore wants to help them. And yet you should humble yourself, not press your will so hard, but strive in God's will, whether he would leave you longer in such distress, that you would bear and suffer it patiently; as you see that Christ does here.
But you may ask, why does Christ pray like this? and as he prays to St. John in the 17th chapter, he does not put such words anywhere that it is in God's will, whether God wants to give it or not. "Father," he says, "the hour is here for you to transfigure your Son. Father, transfigure me. Preserve them in your name that you have given me. I pray that you preserve them from evil. Sanctify them in thy truth." Item: "Father, I want that where I am, also those are with me whom you have given me" 2c. This whole prayer is to the effect that he wants to have such a request heard and unanswered. Why does he not pray like this here?
Answer: The need that the Lord asks for here is a temporal, bodily need. Now, in everything that concerns the body, we should place our will in God's will; for, as Paul says, we do not know how to pray. So it is often highly necessary for us that God leaves us under the cross and in distress. Since God alone knows what is good and useful for us, we must put His will first and our will second, and show obedience in patience.
But where it is not a matter of bodily things, but of eternal things, that God may preserve us in His Word, sanctify us and forgive us sin, and give us the Holy Spirit and eternal life (as Christ John asks for just such things for His Christian Church on the 17th), then God's will is
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He wants all people to be saved; he wants all people to recognize their sin and believe that it is forgiven through Christ. Therefore, where one asks for this, it is not necessary to place it in God's will, whether he wants to do it or not. We are to know and believe that he wants to give gladly and unquestioningly. For there is his word before our eyes, which reveals his will to us in such distresses. "God," says Christ, "so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." See, here you have what God's will is for your salvation. Therefore pray confidently for such a will, as Christ asks John 17:24: "Father, I will that where I am, there they may be also." So pray also: Father, I want you to forgive my sin for the sake of your Son Christ Jesus, who has paid for it and has done enough for it with his death.
In this way, however, you cannot know God's will in bodily affliction and distress. You do not know whether God wants to rid you of your sickness, poverty and other afflictions, whether it is good for your salvation and for God's glory. Therefore, you should ask for help, but leave it up to God's will whether He will help you or let you stay that way longer. For the prayer should not be in vain, even if he does not help; but it should serve us, so that God will strengthen the heart, and give grace and patience, so that one may come to and finally overcome. As the example here with Christ shows. God, his Father, would not let the cup pass from him, but still he sent an angel to strengthen him. So it shall be with thee also, though God forgive or fail to help. But there you are sure that God, through Christ, will gladly forgive sins and make you blessed; therefore, you can be happy with
ask with firm confidence and certain trust; and is sin where thou wouldest doubt.
34 This is the third lesson of prayer in temptation. But as the example here shows with the disciples, it continues slowly with us. They also had their temptation before them, and for this reason the Lord admonishes them to pray, lest they fall into temptation. For prayer is the only and best means and remedy for this. But the flesh is too lazy and heavy; when the need is greatest and we have the greatest need of prayer, we slumber and sleep, that is, fear hastens us, so that we think it is in vain and in vain. Then a fall, as with the disciples, must follow. But the gracious, merciful God, who once promised us help and mercy through His Son Christ Jesus, wants to give us credit for such weakness and help us out of our temptation.
(35) Thus your love has the story of the Mount of Olives, which we should diligently remember and make good use of, namely, that we first learn from such an image how heavy and great a burden sin is, because it presses and presses upon the Son of God Himself to such an extent that He trembles and sweats bloody sweat; for this reason we should take good care and guard against sin. Secondly, when we come into such distress and temptation, as we cannot fail to do, that we also learn to comfort ourselves with this mountain of oil, seeing how the Son of God has borne our sin. Third, that in all temptation we keep to prayer, as Christ says here: "Watch and pray, lest you fall into temptation." Whoever considers the Mount of Olives in this way will remain in the fear of God and right faith, and will find comfort and salvation in all kinds of distress and temptation. May our dear Lord Christ Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, grant this to us all, amen.
360L.2, 33.34. How Christ was caught in the garden. W. XIII, 903-906. 361
The other sermon.
How Christ has been caught in the garden.
Matth. 26, 47-50.
And while he yet spake, stand, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, of the chief priests and elders of the people. And the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; seize him. And straightway he came to JEsu, and said, Hail, Rabbi; and kissed him. And JEsus said unto him, Friend, why art thou come? And they came near, and laid their hands on JEsu, and took hold of him.
This is the other part of the story that took place in the garden or on Mount Oel. Firstly, it is reported how Judas, one of the twelve, after he had made a deal with the Jews and sold the Lord Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (one of which, in our coinage, makes half a Rhenish guilder), ultimately betrayed him in the garden.
(2) Such a thing is a very grievous thing, and even now prevents many wise and sensible men from speaking evil of the gospel, and from thinking it a pernicious doctrine. For since Satan does not celebrate, but is most careful to sow evil seed where he sees the good seed sprouting, it is not new today that many Judas children, that is, bad boys and unbelievers, are found among those who have God's word right and true. When the world sees such things, it is soon finished with its judgment; as we must also often hear today from our adversaries, that they all blame such ailments on the doctrine and speak of it: If the doctrine were good, good fruits would also follow from it; but because so many aversions come into the world, the like of which were not heard years ago, it must follow that the doctrine is not righteous 2c.
(3) Now we cannot deny that the rebellion followed after the gospel came to light. So afterwards followed the sacramentalists, the Anabaptists, and other mobs, such as no one saw or heard of before the gospel came to us.
Doctrine is evil and such trouble is caused by the doctrine and has arisen?
4 Here you may take the rogue Judam before you, who is neither a Gentile nor a Turk, nor such a Jew as is hostile to the Lord Christ and has not heard the word of God. He is one of the twelve, says Matthew, whom Christ called to preach, to baptize in his name, to cast out devils, and to perform all kinds of wonderful miracles. And there is no doubt that because the Lord knew of such a case from the beginning, he would have instructed Judam more than others, and would have always instructed him not to give place to sin and temptation. As the evangelists report especially about the last supper, the Lord always had a few words said about whether Judas should be turned away from such sin. And finally he gives him a dipped morsel, no doubt with a longing look, as if he wanted to say: Oh you poor man, how can you be hostile to me? What do I do to you that you take such things into your mind against me? But when nothing would help, and he had even given himself up to the temptation, the Lord said unto him, What thou wilt do, do quickly. As if to say, "I see that no warning or preaching will help; go on your way, for there is no more counsel or help.
5 What do we say to this, then, that the desperate prankster commits such an abominable sin, and takes such a fierce, bitter heart against his Lord and Master, in whose name he has also done miraculous works, that he thus
362 L. 2, 34-36. How Christ was caught in the garden. W. mi, sos-sog. 363
for the sake of a small amount of money, betrayed and sold the innocent, pious, gentle, kind man, knowing full well that his life would be worth it? Whom shall we blame? It says here that he is one of the twelve. Shall we say, then, that the blame lies with the Lord Christ and the teaching he heard from Christ? If Christ had taught him better, would he have done it?
(6) Is it not true, that though such a thought occurred to thee, yet thou wouldest heartily fear and be astonished, that thou shouldest thus accuse the Lord Christ? For thou knowest that he is pious and righteous, and is hostile to all iniquity; yea, all his teaching and preaching is to the end that he may prevent and ward off sin, and keep men alive. Why then would you lay such blame on the pious Lord? Rather, you will say that Judas was such a wicked, evil villain that all good warning was lost on him, and he could not keep from his wickedness; otherwise he would have behaved differently. For although the other apostles are weak enough, they do not fall into such horrible sin as Judas. That is why he must be a special arch-rogue, who could neither be helped nor advised.
(7) Why then do you not judge in this way? Why do you want to cast the blame, which is actually that of evil men and Satan, on the holy gospel, and therefore blaspheme it? For if it comes to Christ himself, he cannot preach so well, so earnestly, so righteously, Judas remains a mischievous man, as he was at first: what wonder if such things also come to us, and not everyone follows the word? The rebellion followed after God revealed the gospel to us; we cannot and will not deny that. But should the gospel therefore bear the blame for such arousal and damage? Should we not rather speak thus: Satan is hostile to the gospel; so people are devious in themselves and inclined to evil: therefore both the devil and the wicked world have helped to cause such trouble, so that the pure, good doctrine, the right, good seed, might be hated among men.
This is how the sacramentalists and anabaptists came into being, of whom no one knew before the gospel. But the gospel is innocent of this. The devil, however, and after that the arrogance in the idle, frivolous hearts, which let the word fall and follow their own thoughts and wit, have fiddled this dance and caused such noticeable damage and horrible trouble.
(8) Even today, as we can see, there is still a great deal of trouble, because among those who pride themselves on the gospel, avarice and usury, fornication and gluttony, and other troubles are more common than before in the papacy. Where does this come from? Do they learn it from the Gospel? Is it the preacher's fault? No, beware of that. For that would be to revile and blaspheme God and His dear Word, and then the ministry of preaching, which is the most glorious, highest gift of God. But the fault is of the wretched devil, who sees the field finely prepared and sown, and vexes it. For by this his kingdom is greatly diminished. Therefore, when the father of the house sleeps, he comes with his evil seed and makes the field full of weeds. But this does not cause the weeds to grow. For just as Judas, one of the twelve, remains a prankster, but the other disciples, though frail and weak, do not fall into such abominable sin: so, though the offenses are many and very wicked, yet much finer are found of devout Christians, who keep the word with right earnestness, live in the fear of God, and areware of offenses. We should be content with the same and thank God for it. Whether one cannot be superior to Judas, one must tolerate him: that not all are like Judas, but some disciples are better.
(9) First of all, we can use this example of the unruly child of Judah not to blaspheme the gospel, as the papists do, but to know the real cause of the offense: that it is the fault of the devil and of disobedient hearts that will not believe the word nor amend themselves.
- after that it also serves that we from
364 L. 2, 36-38. How Christ was caught in the garden. W. xm, sv8-sn. 365
In such an abominable case, let us learn to fear God. For as reported above, Judas was not a bad man, but an apostle, and will undoubtedly have had many fine, beautiful gifts; just as he also had a special office among other disciples, and the Lord appointed him as steward or conductor. But because this man, who is an apostle, who preaches repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus, baptizes, casts out devils and performs other miraculous works, so easily falls, becomes an enemy of Christ, sells him for a little money, betrays him and sacrifices him to the meat bank; because, I say, such a great man meets with such a terrible accident: we have ever cause not to be safe, but to fear God and beware of sins, and to pray diligently that God will not lead us into temptation; but if we fall into temptation, that he will graciously lead us out again, and help us not to get stuck in it. For it very soon happens that one gets into trouble and sins, if one does not take care and diligently guard oneself with prayer.
11 This is the case with Judah. He is a stingy man, as the evangelists repeatedly indicate, that because the Lord had appointed him as a conductor, he had carried off and stolen much. He leaves such sin in the bridle and hangs on to it: he lets himself be told and preached to, as unfortunately our angry, ill-advised Christians also do; but nevertheless he goes, steals where he can, and lets himself think that there is no need for him, that he is an apostle as well as the others. Such security brings him to this point, because he leaves room for sin in such a way that the devil finally gets into him and drives him to such horrible actions that he betrays his dear Lord and Master for the sake of fifteen guilders. Since this concerns the devil and he has brought Judas so far, a greater misery follows, that Judas despairs because of such sins and hangs himself. This is the end that the devil was after.
(12) We should diligently keep this example in mind, and, as I said before, use it to keep ourselves in good conscience and righteousness.
Keep the fear of God, and do not cease praying that God will keep us in His Word, and govern us by His Holy Spirit and protect us from sins. For if one overlooks it in a small piece (as it seems), great unspeakable harm can result from it. As our dear Lord Christ, Luke 11, also warns and says, vv. 24-26: "When the evil spirit departs from man, it walks through dry places, seeking rest, and does not find it, saying, 'I will return to my house from whence I came out. When he arrives, he finds himself adorned and adorned with possessions. Then he goes and takes seven spirits to himself, which are worse than he, and when they come in, they dwell there; and afterward he becomes worse with the same man than before."
13 Thus the examples are before our eyes. Before the gospel came to light again, the devil had everything in good peace, for he had almost captured all men's hearts with false worship and trust in his own works. Now, however, God has lifted him up through the Gospel, so that we know that with the reading of masses, vigils, pilgrimages, fasting and other things, neither God nor the devil is in control. For God's Word teaches us another kind of worship, which is called, as the other Psalm calls it: kissing the Son, or as God calls it from heaven: hearing His beloved Son, and believing in Him; we know this: what happens now? The devil would have liked to be in prison again, but his way is lost, he cannot, God's word uncovered him and betrayed him. Then he goes and takes seven, that is, innumerable worse spirits than he is, and goes again into men. For there we see that most of them go into the thoughts, even if they live in fornication, stinginess, usury, lying, deceiving, it does not matter, they want to be good Christians.
(14) Therefore, if a loophole is opened for the devil, when it seems to you that he can hardly pass through with his head, he has had enough and sleeps with his whole body. Just as he did with Judah. It seemed as if it was a small thing, if he had ten, twenty, more or less pennies.
366 L. 2, 38-40. How Christ was caught in the garden. W. XIII, 911-914. 367
steal. But because he is always in sin and does not want to refuse God's word, the devil finally brings him to the point that he sacrifices his good Lord and Master on the flesh bank for the sake of money.
15 Therefore it is said: Fear God and beware of sins. But if thou wilt continue in sins, and not cease them, wait how it shall come to thee at last. For the devil does not begin it with the opinion that it should prosper you for the best. He lets Judas be stingy until he brings him to the rope and leads him into despair. Let this be a warning to you and stop in time. Ask GOtt for forgiveness and better yourself. That is what God wants; that is why he has set this terrible example with Judah, so that we should look at it diligently and be shocked by it. For who would believe that such an abominable sin should have such a small beginning? Therefore do not jest, do not think: I will remain a Christian, whether I do this or that; I will bring it back again 2c. The devil is much too cunning for you; if he gets you into trouble, see how you get out of it.
16 This is spoken of Judah's example. But it serves us in another way for comfort and warning. For it is certainly true that as our Lord Christ fared here on earth, so shall his church and the dear gospel fare to the end of the world. Judas, one of his disciples, betrayed him. So those who sit in the church office, and are not the least but the most, become betrayers and worst enemies of his church for the sake of the silver pieces. As you can see in the case of the pope, he also has the Judas bag around his neck, and lets himself love money and goods so much that he betrays and sells the gospel over it, and does not deal with it any differently than the Jews did with the Lord Christ before Caipha and Pilato.
17 Therefore, just as Judas hangs on the high priests and chiefs, servants and attendants, so the pope hangs on monks, priests, high schools, all of whom help him to catch Christ, that is, who persecute and condemn the gospel as the worst of heresies, until Pilate finally comes to condemn the
secular authorities, and with the sword to eradicate the gospel.
18 This has happened a long time ago, since the pope had such power and authority. And still today there are more and more Judas who buy money from the Gospel and misuse it for avarice, their own honor and other things. These may well take heed of Judas' end. For it is decided that no one shall prosper with the money he buys or redeems from Christ and his gospel. There should and must be an evil conscience and finally, if one does not mend his ways, eternal damnation; no one doubts this.
If it were not for such a severe, terrible judgment, one would be displeased with the unholy people that the pope, cardinals, bishops, priests, monks have such good days and everything full. But dear, grant it to them, as long as God grants it to them; the thirty pieces of silver, for which they sell Christ daily, will still become sour enough for them, when he will say: "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels". And here on earth the conscience should not always remain silent, but attack them hard enough, as the examples of our times are many.
20 This is said of Judas, since the evangelists so diligently report how he sold Christ, led the Jews into the garden, and betrayed the Lord Jesus with a kiss. For this, says Matthew, was the lot. But this rhymes especially with false preachers, who by impure doctrine, because they have the ministry, deceive the poor consciences.
Here John the Evangelist remembers two special miracles that our Lord Christ performed in the garden. The first, when they came to the Lord Christ in the garden, he asked, "Whom are you looking for? When they answered, "Jesus of Nazareth," and he said, "I am he." This word so startled them that they all drew back and fell to the ground as if thunder had struck them down.
- such is a peculiar, divine
3682.2, 40-42. How Christ was caught in the garden. W. XIII, 914-917. 369
This was the power that the Lord especially wanted to see at that time, not only to frighten the Jews with it, but also to strengthen his disciples. For from this they had to conclude that if the Lord would not willingly give himself to death, he would be able to protect himself and defend himself against his enemies, and would not need the help or protection of others, as the disciples would support themselves and try to save him by force. But the Lord did not want to, and as we will hear, he spoke very harshly to Petro about it.
(23) So that this miraculous work serves against the great trouble in which both the Jews and then the disciples of the Lord were almost drowned. For because the Lord allowed himself to be caught, and the Jews to be driven with all their might, and ultimately to be so shamefully strangled on the cross, the disciples themselves were so vexed that they forgot all the miracles they had seen of him, all the beautiful sermons they had heard from him, and thought that it was now over with them, that their hope had been in vain and in vain. The unbelieving, wicked Jews also believed this, and were certain in their minds that if they had brought him to the cross, there would be no more need. Now there is this wonderful, marvelous miracle, that the great multitude of Jews, armed with spears and swords, having received orders from the rulers, and being willing and courageous to trade, is driven behind them by a single man, who is defenseless and speaks to them in the friendliest manner, with a single word, saying, "It is I," and is so terrified that they fall to the ground as if they had been struck on the heads with maces. The disciples see this, the Jews experience it and feel it; and yet they both fall into the thought that it is a man, like another man, because he so patiently surrenders himself to suffering and furthermore does not want to use any power against his enemies.
(24) But they should have thought thus: Behold, if this man can do this with a few words, which are not a word of reproach or a curse, but a kind answer, that such great, strong, brave, armed men shall fall to the ground, as if thunder had struck them down: it will surely be
It must mean something special that he surrenders so willingly and allows himself to be caught. He could defend himself and protect himself; but he does not, but suffers. That is why he does not want to be protected by people. And although he hides his power now and lets himself be handled as the Jews themselves want, it will not always remain that way. His enemies will have to go down; but he will have to reign. For the divine power, which he so often shows, and especially now in the garden with a word, it will not be able to be pressed into length nor to be dampened 2c.
The disciples should have taken this from this miraculous work. For there is no doubt that for such a reason the Lord let his divine power be seen here. But it was unfortunately too soon forgotten on both sides. The Jews did all they could with him, and cared for nothing more. The disciples, however, ran out, one here, the other there, they were saddened and frightened, and had no more hope that they should enjoy their Lord and Master again, or see him again. This was the hour of darkness, as Christ is called in John, when trouble took over and the devil exercised his power. For this reason the Lord so earnestly exhorted the disciples to pray: "Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.
26 The other miracle is almost like this, that Christ answers the second time, "I told you that I am he; if then ye seek me, let these go. He alone, the pious Lord, has neither sword nor spear; but Judas, the traitor, is there against him with a great multitude. Then, by right, poor Jesus, who is so severely overpowered, should speak good words and ask that the Jews remember to leave him his disciples and not to attack any of them.
27 For it is a serious word, Sinite hos abire: "Let me go these." And is not, as we see, a vain word. For they had no doubt gone out thinking to lift up the nest together, master and disciple. But this word makes that they do not reach further and satisfy his disciples.
370 L. 2.42-^4. How Christ was caught in the garden. W. xm, 917-919. 371
Peter, who took up the sword and struck into the heap, did not deserve this.
28 Why does the Lord do this? It is not unjustly inferred that he wants to show how he values his life less than his disciples, because he saves them, but willingly allows himself to be caught and bound. For this very reason the Lord calls himself a good shepherd, that he lays down his life for his sheep, and presents his love to us as a special example, when he says: "No one has greater love than this, that he lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. This is seen here very well, that he is completely silent; they do and do with him what they want, he lets it all happen. But he wants his disciples to let it go and not to lay a hand on them. This proves that he cares more about them than about himself.
29 But this is also a cause: our Lord Christ does not want to have a companion in the suffering that he now has before him. He alone, as Isaiah says, will tread the winepress; for God alone has laid it upon him. Yes, he alone is the one who can bear and endure it. It is true that the disciples also had to suffer for the sake of Christ and his word, as he says to Jacob and John: "The cup that I drink, you will drink also. But the suffering of the Lord Christ is called suffering for my sin and for your sin, so that God may remit them to me and to you, not remembering them, but giving eternal life for Christ's sake. For this reason he wants to be alone and not let anyone be caught with him or suffer.
30 But just as the Jews must obey such a command of Christ, they must go with him.
The pope and his entire clan are not following Christ's command. They seek forgiveness of sins from the deceased saints, and take comfort in their merit and give indulgences. This is just as much as if Christ had wanted to have companions in his suffering and had not done it alone.
31 For that Pilate hanged the Lord between two murderers afterward is of his own account. But here in the garden it is said: Sinite hos abire: "Let these go", I alone belong to the trade, it is alone my office and work. No one belongs to it, neither John, Peter nor Jacob, all these are to be let go. It is I who take hold of me, catch me, bind me, crucify me; it is laid upon me to bear the sin of the world, and all who believe in me, that is, take comfort in my suffering and death, shall have a merciful God and eternal life.
(32) So your love has the other part of the history of Christ that took place in the garden: that we do not forget the terrible fall of Judah, but keep ourselves in the fear of God, guard against sins, and always persevere in prayer, so that God may graciously protect us from such a fall; and secondly, that if we are true Christians, we will also have our Judah, who will inflict all evil on us because of his avarice. We are to suffer this, and hold on to the comfort, although Christ is weak in us, that his power will be seen in his time, and will graciously protect and preserve us. May the eternal Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through His Holy Spirit, grant this to us all, amen.
372L. 2.44-46. How Peter wants to save Christ. W. XIII, 920-923. 373
The third sermon.
How Peter wants to save Christ and draws the sword, but Christ resists him.
Matth. 26, 51-56.
And, behold, one of them that were with JEsu put forth his hand, and drew out his sword, and smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Then said JEsus unto him, Put up thy sword into his place: for he that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot ask my Father to send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how would the Scripture be fulfilled? It must go like this. At that hour Jesus said to the multitudes: Ye went out as unto a murderer with swords and staves to see me: for I sat daily with you, and taught in the temple, and ye took me not. But all these things came to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him and fled.
This is the third and last part of the stories about what happened in the garden or on Mount Olivet, namely, that Peter, after the Jews had captured the Lord Jesus, wanted to attack him with the sword and intended to save his master by force.
(2) This history gives us, first, a necessary and useful teaching about the sword or temporal power, who should wield it or not wield it, and what punishment should be inflicted if someone presumes to wield the sword and yet is not called to do so. Secondly, because in this case Peter needs the sword to save Christ, and Christ forbids him to do so, it is necessary to deal with the question here: whether one may or should also defend the gospel with the sword? So that the secular authorities may have a certain report on both sides, and not either do something contrary to their office and profession, or do more than is required by their office and profession. For then it would be wrong on both sides, and certain punishment would follow.
3 As far as the first deal with Petro is concerned, it is obvious that he is a preacher or church person to whom the sword is not due, as the Lord says: "Worldly rulers rule, but you do not. Therefore, when he takes up the sword and wants to fight, he does wrong, and Christ punishes him for it. Not only because of the reason that this is such a deal
was, since one should not need a sword, as Christ says: "Do you not think, if it should be for fencing, that I could ask my Father to send me twelve legions of angels? as if he wanted to say: It must now be suffered, I do not want anyone to fence for my sake or to protect me; but also because the sword is not due to him, as a private person. For this reason, he not only tells Peter to put up the sword, but also adds a very harsh word of threat: "Whoever takes the sword shall perish by the sword.
(4) This saying we are to remember diligently. For the Lord thereby makes a distinction between us men, and indicates that the sword is given into the hands of some by God, that they should wield it. Now these are all those who are called to temporal authority by ordinary and common means, that they should govern, look after and promote the common good, and ward off all public annoyance. To such God puts the sword in their hands, that is, it is God's will and order that they should wield the sword, not for their own good, but for the good of their subjects, as Paul says: "Worldly authority is God's servant, an avenger of punishment on the one who does evil." For since the world will not let itself be drawn by words, so that peace and unity may be preserved in general, and the will of courage may be strengthened, it is necessary to be serious and to force the people from the
374L. 2, 46-48. How Peter wants to save Christ. W. XIII, 923-926. 375
Remove the sin. If a thief does not want to stop stealing, hang him on the light gallows and he will be pacified. If a wilful knave of his own liking wants to harm everyone and cut and stab himself for the sake of a word, he should be given his due on the raven stone, and then there will be peace from him; he will neither cut nor stab anyone else, and the executioner will be able to stop him.
5 Thus, where worldly authority cuts the sword against sin and offense, that is serving God. For God has commanded that he will not let evil and sin go unpunished. Now this is a committee that God makes among men, that he gives the sword into the hands of some to help ward off evil and to protect the subjects.
(6) But the others, who have no such command, let them by all means be idle with the sword, and draw it no sooner than secular authority is said to do so. But if they take the sword themselves, the verdict is here and will certainly not lie: With the sword they shall perish. As can be seen from time to time in all histories, one's own revenge has never done any good, nor has it been well advised; all rebels have finally had to stand their ground and have been put to the sword. All the man-slayers, who have unjustly slain others, have either fallen into the hands of the executioner, or otherwise perished, or have gone so astray in a miserable life that it would be a hundred times better if they had died once. This is God's order, he wants it so that all those who take the sword and do not wait until God or the authorities put it into their hands, shall perish by the sword. It will never be otherwise.
Therefore, everyone should take good care of himself and not let anger take hold of him, but either suffer and overcome injustice with patience, or seek the proper revenge permitted by God. But what this is is sufficiently indicated. For since God has commanded worldly authorities to ward off anger and to protect the pious with the sword, you should seek protection there and lament the one who offends you, not only so that you may be pacified before him, but also to
so that the trouble may be reduced and the will to anger may be controlled, and so that the secular authorities may properly exercise their office. For a mayor in a city, a prince in a country, cannot know all the wrongs; and yet, for the sake of his office, he owes it to God to defend against all the wrongs and the will to anger. If you were to remain silent to your own detriment, and another were to remain silent as well, the more would be the offense, and you would be the cause of your own harm. But such is both wrong. But in this you can occur both, if you cry out to your authorities for protection.
- but if the authorities do not want to do anything about it at your request and do not want to help you to your right, then it is said: suffer it patiently, and beware of your own revenge; otherwise you would make your right wrong before God and man 2c.
(9) Yea, sayest thou, where is it that Christ saith, If any man smite thee on thy right cheek, let him have the other also; and if any man will be right with thee, and take thy skirt, let him have thy coat also? ? Answer: Both of these things are meant that you should beware of your own revenge, and rather suffer everything and wait for the judge in heaven, who does not want to conduct his office so sleepily and carelessly, as worldly authorities sometimes do. But if you are wronged, do not complain about it to your authorities, but keep quiet about it; this is not what Christ says.
010 Yea, saith thou, if I bewail him that hath hurt me, will I yet seek vengeance? Answer: Yes, and you are right to do so. But this is not called your own vengeance, but God's vengeance, which he has ordained that the grievance may be increased, and that every man may be preserved in his own. So that the sum of this Historia is: Whoever is not commanded to use the sword, but reaches for it himself, either to avenge himself or others with it, does wrong and falls into God's judgment and sentence, that means: "Whoever takes the sword shall perish by the sword.
(11) Therefore, if you or yours are wronged, beware of the unjust means of taking the sword and killing yourself.
376L. 2, 48-50. How Peter wants to save Christ. W. XIII, 926-928. 377
you wanted to strike. But take the right remedy, that is, bring it before your authorities, who will protect and save you; they have orders from God and are therefore appointed. In this way you will do right, and you cannot do wrong. But if the same will not or cannot help, then it is said: Suffer, and do not take the sword yourself, let God avenge it, who will certainly do it and also punish the authorities because of their carelessness.
(12) But if a murderer were to run me down in the woods, or a wicked villain in the gaff, and were to try to harm me, and I had not room to seek help from the authorities, should I allow myself to be harmed or strangled? Answer: No; for there is the authority's permission that every man shall protect his life and limb against iniquity and wantonness. Therefore the authorities, if they get them, take them by the head and put them away. And Moses, by God's command, for this and other reasons, decreed that several free cities should be appointed, where those who had committed an act of death could go, not deliberately out of their own revenge or anger, but accidentally or out of urgent need. Such a judgment is also followed by the secular laws and permits the defense of necessity. But outside of this particular case it is said: "He who takes the sword will perish by the sword.
(13) Just as those who are not commanded by the sword always presume to use the sword and grab it, they do not want to seek proper revenge and intend to avenge themselves; just so, on the other hand, it happens that those who have been given the sword by God to wield and to strike with it, always want to be too lenient: just as if God had given them a fox's tail and not a cutting sword in their hands. Such is also a great sin and grave disobedience to God, bringing with it a very severe punishment. For where the worldly authorities do not want to use their seriousness against public outrage, God must finally be the judge and strike. When the same judge comes, he takes not one or two, but a whole city, a whole country, which must be destroyed because of such sins.
As the Scriptures testify in many places, and many examples are before hand.
(14) Therefore it is necessary that the secular authorities not be lax, nor lenient with the punishment, but have a brave seriousness and diligent attention, and let the punishment go wherever the trouble arises; then they will do enough for their office and God will be pleased with it. But, as I said, it becomes sour, one does not like to do it; as the examples are before one's eyes. For how often does it happen that one needs to be lenient, and punishes great, horrible offenses shamefully? How often do people put up bars and seek intercession so that the evil will not be punished? But should one not rather look to God's command and commandment than to the intercession of men? God says: "Then you have the sword from my hand, which I give you, that you may punish all public offenses in my stead, and that you may not regard anyone who is under the rule, whether he be friend or foe, high, low, rich, poor, noble or ignoble: where there is offense, strike at it, do not let it come upon you. This is what God says to all authorities. So, on the other hand, people come, asking to be spared here and there, or to let a merciful punishment go. What happens is that people with their intercession do more for the authorities than God with His harsh, strict command and commandment. But whether it is right, and what it causes with God, think about it.
Sometimes it happens that the trouble is public and in daylight, but the secular authorities do not want to punish it until there are plaintiffs. Since no one complains, they let it go. This means that God's command and your office are completely thrown to the wind. For just as a doorkeeper or householder is placed on the tower, where fire or other mischief wants to appear by day or night in or around the city, to report it in time and to warn of harm: so God has placed secular authorities high above other people, to watch everywhere, so that, where some trouble, small or great, arises, they may quell it with the sword, and not let it arise, God granting that one complains or does not complain. For
378 8.2, 50-52. How Peter wants to save Christ. W. XIII, 928-931. 379
For such a cause it bears the sword, as Paul says, for the fear of evil works, that every man may be pacified and increased in courage. And the Lord says here: The sword shall not feast nor go idle; but it shall slay them that take it.
16 So it is dilapidated in both parts. Those who do not have the sword want to have it and strike at it, as Peter did here. Again, those who have it can be made to grasp it in their hands and use it.
(17) But whoever understands and complies with this saying, if God has not given him the sword in his hand, he will leave it and suffer and endure everything rather than take it into his own hands. Because he sees the command of Christ and the order of God before his eyes, and he certainly believes that it will not be in vain. That is why he is on guard against it, as against the executioner, the gallows and the wheel, so that he does not go against such a command. Again, when God has given him the sword in his hands, he lets it go confidently and fearlessly against men, regardless of their status or wealth. When trouble comes, he knows that he must defend himself. Therefore, he obeys God and serves God with such earnestness. That is enough of the first part.
18 Here the question arises, which was reported above: Since private individuals are certainly permitted to take up the sword, and Peter is here punished by the Lord Christ for taking up the sword to save him, is this example so far-reaching that where an authority is challenged on account of religion, it may take up arms? Or to say it still more plainly: Whether one may also fight on account of the gospel, and defend it with the sword against men, if Christ does not want Peter to save him with the sword?
19 Here we must first look at the disparity. For we must confess that it was God's will that Christ should suffer at that time; as he himself testifies when he asks: "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. But from such it does not follow that it was God's will
that worldly authorities should keep quiet about it, and either approve or tolerate that the gospel is destroyed by others and that idolatry is caused. For in the other Psalm this command is given in clear words: "Let yourselves therefore be instructed, ye kings, and chastened, ye judges of the land," that is, give place to the gospel, do not persecute it, accept it, and stand over it. Secondly, there is another disparity here, which is well to be noticed. For Peter (as reported above) is not only a private person, to whom the sword is not commanded by God, but a spiritual person, who should deal with the ministry of preaching and have nothing at all to do with the sword.
(20) In this case, however, we are not speaking of private individuals, but of those who have the office, and to whom God has hung the sword at their side and given it into their hands through their proper profession. God did not set them up in such a way that they, like a shepherd, should look only at the physical, how peace can be maintained and how everyone can provide his food; but they should also, and most of all, look at the spiritual, whether they keep the right worship, punish and destroy false doctrine and idolatry, and rather do everything before they let themselves and their subjects be forced into idolatry and lies. Therefore the other Psalm says: "Kiss the Son", that is, accept God's word and keep it. This is the noblest office of worldly authorities; as one can see that God demands it in the histories, and not only the pious kings among the Jews, Jehoshaphat, Josias, Ezechias, but also among the Gentiles, as Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, Cyrus, are excellently praised by the Holy Spirit for having established the right service of God and for having sat down by force against idolatry.
If this is the office of the temporal authorities, it follows that when they are challenged by the ungodly (for it is impossible for them to have the Holy Spirit if they persecute the Word of God and practice idolatry), they should not follow them, but should protect themselves and their own by force as long as they can. For if the secular authorities would not do this, what would become of them? They alone have the sword.
380wants to save Christ. W. xm, S3I-934. 381
If it does not need it, the subjects must not need it either. What else will follow then, but that the wicked will gain a continuance, God's word will be erased, the right worship will be abolished and the old idolatry will be restored? But who would or should approve of such a thing, and take upon himself so great and grievous a sin? For the command is already ready: "Ye kings, be instructed, kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way"; item: Flee idolatry; item: The sword is a fear to wicked works. Because it is an evil work to commit idolatry, it is not only permitted, but also earnestly commanded to those who have the sword, that they should use it confidently against such evil, and protect and save themselves and their own from it.
22 But I speak for and for those who have the sword and are in office. But those who do not have the sword, as when the bishops urge their subjects to one form and other public errors, although in such cases the subjects should follow God rather than men, and God seriously interprets such disobedience to them, they should not therefore draw the sword, but suffer; otherwise they would draw it, as Peter did, to whom no one had commanded it.
(23) But if any man would make a difference here, that one authority should be reckoned higher or lower than another, there is nothing in such a difference in such a case. For God is the greatest authority over all, who says, "You shall hear my Son. Whether worldly authority is unequal, it is equal to God; for he is over them all, so they are all under him and from him. For this reason, no one should allow idolatry and false worship to be imposed on himself and his family, but should protect himself against it by force as long as he can. For God is to be followed more than men.
24 Yes, you say, a Christian should suffer injustice and violence, and not fight against it with violence. Answer: We are talking here about secular authorities who carry the sword; they already suffer violence and injustice enough when other authorities put them out of peace.
and attack them with war. Let it remain with this suffering and do not impose more on the Christian authorities. But whoever imposes more on it and wants to take the sword out of its hands, what else does he do but agree that the enemies of the word do everything according to their will and take away God's word? . This is what you get if you have to do it and cannot get anything with the sword. But because there is still hope, and the trade is in God's counsel and in His hands, we should dare to suffer and do something about it, so that we may not be accused of having looked to favor, peace and other things more than to God's word and the salvation and welfare of our subjects.
The command is loud and clear: Osculamini filium. Hunc audite: "Kiss the son, hear my son," flee idolatry 2c. Such commands impose on worldly authorities that they should not only oppose worldly or temporal trouble, but also false doctrine and false worship. But with what shall they do it and oppose it? What has God given her for this? Is it not true that it is the sword? But against whom shall they wield it? Against those who defend false doctrine and false worship and want to force others to do so. Christian authorities should not suffer such things. For the most high Lord in heaven has forbidden it, and called God honored and his word praised, where peace, favor of men, and other things are put into motion rather than that one should approve something against God's word.
26 So we have Peter with his sword, who fights and wants to save the Lord Christ, but he has no command. Now there is another sermon here, which is primarily against the Jews, who were commanded by their regular authorities to take swords and spears and use them against the Lord Jesus. And yet the Lord also rebukes them for it.
You went out (he said) as to a murderer, with swords and with staves to catch me; yet I sat with you daily, and taught in the temple, and you took me not.
382 D. 2, 54.55. How JEsus is led before Annas and Caiphas. W. XIII, 934-S36. 383
27 With these words the Lord punishes them for two reasons. The first is that even though the secular authorities put the sword into the hands of their subjects, they should not take it if the matter is evil and unjust. The other, that they should not have taken it against him, the Lord. For he was not a murderer; it was to be done for the sake of doctrine. Such disputes are not to be judged and settled with fire or sword, as the papists are wont to do, but with the Scriptures. If we are heretics, as they accuse us, then they will judge us with the Scriptures and leave the executioner at home, who does not belong to such disputations.
But as the Jews began with Christ, so do the papists,
their disciples, nor. They cannot and will not argue, unless one accepts their doctors and the Pope's decree as much as the word of God. Therefore, because we refuse to do so, they, like the Jews against Christ, come against us with swords and staves, so that everyone may see what kind they are; namely, as the Lord says to the Jews, John 8:44: "You are of the father the devil, for you seek to kill me." We see this in all papists. But we who are like Peter, to whom the sword is not commanded, must endure and suffer it. But God will punish such injustice in His time, and graciously save His own against the bloodthirsty tyrants' rampage. Amen.
The fourth sermon.
How the Lord brought Jesus before Annas and Caiphas, and what kind of court order or trial the Jews held with him.
Matth. 26, 57-68.
And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him unto Caiphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders were gathered together. And Peter followed him afar off unto the palace of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the servants, that he might see whither he went out. And the chief priests, and the elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, that they might kill him, and found none. And though many false witnesses came near, they found none. At last there came two false witnesses, saying: He said, I can destroy the temple of God and build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing to the things which these witness against thee? But JEsus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. And JEsus said unto him, Thou sayest it. But I say unto you, From henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has blasphemed God; what need have we of further testimony? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy. What do you think? They answered and said: He is guilty of death. Then they spat in his face, and smote him with their fists. And some of them smote him in the face, saying: Tell us, O Christ, who is it that smote thee?
(1) So far your loved ones have heard how our Lord Christ was betrayed by Judah in the garden and captured by the Jews. Now follows how they brought him before Caiphas, the high priest, and there they
that they unanimously decide they have cause enough to hand him over to Pilato and sue for his life.
2 Such history is not only described by the evangelists so diligently that we have
384 L. 2,ss-57. how JEsus is led before Annas and Caiphas. W. xm, 936-939. 383
We should see and learn the holy innocence of our Lord Christ, for since we know that he is the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of virgins, we must conclude from this that he was completely pure and without all sin: But for this purpose this act of judgment serves especially, because it should happen to the church and the gospel in the world in the same way as it happened to the Lord Christ, so that we do not get angry when the same happens to us, but always look at this example and comfort ourselves with it and send us to patience.
(3) For if it so happened to our Lord and Head, the Son of God, that he was falsely accused, and given by the ecclesiastics into the hand of Pilate, and to the hangman's rope, what wonder if the like should happen to us? The servant shall not have it better than his lord; and we shall rejoice when it comes to us that we may boast: My Lord Christ also had it so. For then we can have hope, if we are like him in suffering, that we will also be like him in glory; yes, even in suffering, before the glory is revealed, we will find comfort, help and salvation. So that such history is first of all prescribed for our consolation, that we may become more confident and patient in suffering, because our Lord Christ Himself was not above such things.
(4) Secondly, it also serves to counteract the common worldly anger. For these, who are called high priests and elders among the people, are considered by everyone to be pious, holy people because of their office, status and nature; just as today the pope, bishops, monks and priests are considered to be the most distinguished members of the Christian church because of their office. But learn here, and look not at the office, lest thou be deceived; but see how they deal with Christ, what heart and will they bear toward him. If you find good or evil there, judge them according to that, and you will not fail to judge. The office is undoubtedly holy and good; but it may well be a rogue who leads the office. For here thou seest that the chief priests are the very ones who have made the Lord Jesus holy.
They cannot tolerate it, they put it to the test, and devise so much that they bring it to the cross. Then you must confess that they are the worst of the wicked.
(5) Therefore, if thou wouldest know for certain whether popes, bishops, and such like are pious or not, let not their ministry deceive thee; only see how they hold themselves against the gospel and the right doctrine: and thou shalt find that they are the children of Judas, and have as much heart against the gospel as the chief priests had against Christ. This is the true fruit, by which the false prophets, the wolves, can actually be recognized, even though they walk in sheep's clothing, and have the appearance of being pious, harmless people.
Now let us take the trial before us and see how the holy people deal so spitefully, dangerously, cunningly and poisonously with the dear Lord Christ. John the Evangelist reports that the Jews first led the Lord Jesus to Annas, who was not a high priest, but the high priest Caiphas' brother-in-law. But before Caiphas this son of Annas, Eleazar, and after Caiphas his other son, Jonathas, was high priest. From this it is easy to assume that Annas was an excellent, respectable, forerunner man, and the group that led Jesus captive came to him first, if perhaps in his house, as the oldest and closest, the Jews wanted to come together and confer. But Annas soon directed them to his son-in-law, Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, for there the chief priests and elders were gathered together.
7 First of all, see how the chief priests deal unfairly with the Lord Christ. For they are both accusers and judges. Therefore the Lord must be in the wrong in his matters, and he may say and do as he pleases. In worldly affairs this would be a very great dishonor, as it is forbidden by special statutes that no one should be both plaintiff and judge. But nothing is sinful to these holy people, they have all power; what they desire, they may do, and despite who would do them wrong, or interpret something evil.
386 L.2 , 57-59. How JEsus is led before Annas and Caiphas. W. XIII, 939-942. 387
8 With our clergy, the pope and bishops, it is the same. For many years now, the Pope has opened his mouth to us Germans one after the other, and posed as if he wanted to abolish the discord in the matter of religion through a concilium. Thus it has been earnestly sought by our part at many imperial congresses and elsewhere that one might have a free Christian concilium, and counter and abolish the discord that is before one's eyes with holy scripture. But there one sees publicly that the pope desires to deal with us and the holy Gospel, just as the Jews here with Christ. He is a partisan, and he stands up for the quarrels of his doctrine and worship, which he has caused in the church against God's word and still keeps about it.
(9) What then shall the defendant do? If he himself is to be the judge, he will not do wrong, and he will not do right by his opponent, the plaintiff. That is what the pope and his crowd want in this trade, so fine are they, honorable people. Yes, that is even more, he lets himself be heard publicly, where a concilium is held, so we, as the previously damned by him, shall have neither voice nor attendance in such concilio. This is a courageous, unreasonable, burdensome act. But here it is, the world cannot deal with Christ in any other way; therefore we may take patience by the hand here, and bear such inequity with the Lord Christ until his time. It will not be otherwise. Caiphas, who sat down as a judge on the judgment seat, complains to the Lord Christ Himself and gives Him injustice in His cause. This is the first injustice in this trial of the clergy.
(10) Secondly, this is also very burdensome; they want to have the Lord Christ badly killed, and yet they cannot find a sufficient cause, but have to make do with lies and false witnesses; until finally Caiphas, the judge, himself appears, and brings forth an accusation that has a little standing. Among other false testimonies is this, that two of them come forward and say: He said, I can tear down the temple of God and build it in three days.
- such historia, how it had happened,
For when our Lord Jesus drove out the changers and merchants with their oxen, sheep, pigeons, and whatsoever else they had, with a scourge, in Jerusalem at an Easter feast, and spilled the money of the changers, and overturned the moneychangers' tables, the Jews gathered together, saying, Thou art subduing thyself by a strange power; hast thou also commanded to do this? What sign do you show us that you may do this? The Lord answered, "Break down this temple, and on the third day I will raise it up. This is what he meant by the sign of Jonah in Matthew 12. As if to say, Ye desire a sign, and it shall be done unto you. You will kill me, but on the third day I will raise myself from death. Whoever is not satisfied with such a sign can no longer be helped. That is the history. But how they turn the words so mischievously! He said, Ye shall break him; and they say, He said, He would break him. And even if one would let such words remain in the mind, as the Jews understand it, of the temple at Jerusalem; should a man have been guilty of death because of such a word?
12 In sum, whoever wants to accuse against Christ must become a shameful liar, as we also see in our papists. What they cry out against the gospel is a vain lie. They are not ashamed, the unholy people, they write it in the books: "We handle the reverend Sacrament in such an angry way that we pour the chalice, if it remains, on the walls, and trample the blessed bread, if it remains, underfoot. Are these not gross, palpable lies? It is not done with bad bread and wine, they are kept nice and honest. Should it not be done here, since we confess and teach that it is not only bread, not only wine, as the sacramentalists teach, but the body and blood of Christ, given for us on the cross and poured out for our sins? But do not be surprised by such lies from the papists. He who deals in lies cannot speak the truth; and he who acts against the truth cannot speak anything but the truth.
388 L. 2, s9-6i. How JEsus is led before Annas and Caiphas. W. xin, 942-945. 389
We have to make do with a lie. This is what the world began with Christ, as we see here, and must continue with Christians and the holy gospel.
013 And when the testimonies would not agree together, and were of themselves inconclusive, Caiphas the judge, or high priest, came forth, and, as John reported, asked Christ for his disciples and for his doctrine, as if to say, What new doctrine bringest thou? Is Moses not good enough for you? Must you have something special? Are you alone learned? Are we all fools? Where are they now who regard your teaching as right and godly? It would be so good, we would also put up with it and accept it. But it is a vile company that thou hast attached to thee; that which is honest and sincere would not desire thy preaching.
014 To such a question the Lord answered, I have always taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together, and have spoken nothing in the corner: why askest thou me therefore? Ask those who have heard what I have said to them? Behold, these know what I have said." The Lord does not want his teaching to be ignored, and says that he did not shy away from the light, but preached publicly; for this reason, he should not be called a preacher in a corner.
(15) But there is a wicked wretch who gives the Lord a hard blow in the cheek, because he thus answers the high priest and does not celebrate him more highly. Such priests of today are the useless washers, jokers, cocles and the like, who want to serve, blaspheme and desecrate the holy gospel only to gain favor with their bishops and the idol at Rome. This must be suffered: Christ also suffered it; but yet not to be silent about it, nor to let such iniquity go unpunished or unreported. As Christ here harshly attacks the servant, and says that he beat him with an unjust punishment, and yet leaves it at that.
(16) Yet the enemies of Christ have nothing to stand on. Therefore Caiphas, the high priest, goes to the main thing. "I beseech thee," he says, "by the living God, that thou wouldst give us
say whether you are the Christ, the Son of God? The latter can take the matter to work and grab the throat of the Lord Christ.
17 First, notice that this is not Caiphas' opinion, that he or the others would believe in him if he said he was Christ. No, but they want him to make such a confession, and they think there is no need for it. Christ understands it well, but he does not want to deny it. You say it," he says, "that is, Yes, as you say, I am Christ. And what is more, in a few days you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power. That is: I shall suffer no more, but in such flesh and blood I shall be eternal Almighty God, and shall reign over all, until I come again in the cloud at the last day, and judge the living and the dead. Well, there the high priest has the glorious, excellent confession, what he should think and believe of this man, whom he and others have ordered to be captured and killed. How does he need such a confession?
He tore his clothes and said, "He has blasphemed God, what more can we testify? Behold, now that ye have heard his blasphemy, what think ye?
(18) Now this is the first judicial transaction before the spiritual law, that they make Christ a heretic and blasphemer. The chief priests are satisfied with this, and the rest is that they bring such a secular or civil accusation before Pilate and help him to death.
19 However, because they discuss such things, each in his own way, the innocent poor Christ has to take the blame, spit in his holy face, beat himself with fists, be plucked here and there, pushed and mocked. For they think they are doing the right thing, because he is recognized as a heretic and blasphemer. When he says that he is Christ, they drive out their mockery. One hits him in the front, the other in the back. Are you Christ, they say. Dear, prophesy, who has beaten you?
390 L. 2.61-63. How Peter denies the Lord for the third time. W. XIII, 945-948. 391
(20) But see diligently whether the gospel of this day be not so? The papists ask us and want to know our doctrine. If then we confess it most simply and faithfully, as happened at Augsburg and elsewhere at the Diet, the cry goes up with power: Heresy, heresy; and let no one refrain from doing to the poor Christians whatever shame, scorn, ridicule and harm he can inflict. Are you the evangelicals, they say, is this your gospel? Beyte, we want
give you the Gospel. So we have played the Passion now and then with the devout Christians in Germany, France, England, that God may have mercy.
(21) Therefore we may well and diligently take note of such processum juris with the clergy, whether we also encounter such things, that we may look to our Lord Christ and learn patience from him, and draw right comfort, whether we must suffer with him because of his word, that we may also live and be glorious with him. May God grant this to us all, amen.
The fifth sermon.
How Peter denied the Lord in Caiphas' house for the third time.
Matth. 26, 69-76.
But Peter was outside in the palace; and a maid came to him, saying, And thou also wast with JEsu of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying: I know not what thou sayest. And as he went out at the door, another saw him, and said unto them that were there: This also was with JEsu of Nazareth. And he denied again, and sware unto them: I know not man. And after a little while they that stood by came and said unto Petro, Verily thou also art one of these: for thy speech betrayeth thee. Then he began to curse himself and to swear: I know not man. And straightway the cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the words of Jesus, saying unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly.
1 This is an excellent history, because of which the evangelists all four give special account of it. But it serves two main purposes. First, that we may learn to be humble and not presumptuous, since Peter so easily falls into such a great case, who before had risked life and limb so little for the sake of the Lord Christ. Second, that when we have fallen into sin, we may learn how to turn again to grace. For in Petro we will find a fine example of Christian repentance, what it actually is and how we are to be delivered from sins. But first we will tell the story of how it happened.
002 When JEsus was taken captive in the garden, and was led first to Annas the brother-in-law of Caiphas, and by Annas to the high priest, he was brought to the king.
John writes that he followed Caiphas from afar, went to Caiphas' house (because he had a customer there), and also took Peter with him; he sat down with the other servants inside the house by the fire and warmed himself. A maid asked him if he was a disciple of the man who had been captured. But he strongly denied it. And then the cock crowed for the first time.
(3) Matthew and Mark report that Peter went out from the fire into the courtyard, where he encountered something like this: first, another maid said to those who were standing around Peter: This is one of the disciples of JEsus that was taken captive. But Lucas says that it was a man who said this about Peter.
3922.2,63-ks. How Peter denied the Lord for the third time. W. xm. 943-950. 393
But it is probably to be thought, since the maid began to speak of Petro, that others also said theirs to it and have given the maid right. Then Peter denies for the second time.
4 Third, and about an hour later, as Lucas reports, there comes one of the high priest's servants, who, as John says, was a friend of the one whose ear Peter cut off in the garden; he attacks Peter more severely than the previous ones, and says publicly that he saw him in the garden with Jesus. Peter did not want to let this happen to him, because he was afraid of the skin and therefore began to curse himself and swear: I know not the man of whom ye say. Soon after this denial the rooster crowed. The Lord looked at Peter and struck his heart so hard that he now saw what he had done. Soon he runs away from Caiphas' house and weeps bitterly. This is roughly the story as it is written by all four evangelists.
(5) First of all, as mentioned above, we should learn from the pious man Petro our weakness, that we should not rely on other people or on ourselves. For our hearts are so utterly weak and unstable that they change every hour, as the Lord says, John 2:24, 25. Who would want to be always provided with such unstableness and weakness in Petro? When the Lord warns him, Luc. 22, 31, that Satan desires him and wants to sift him like wheat, how Peter has such a strong courage! how defiant and undaunted he is! "Lord," he says, "I will go with you to prison and to death." But since the Lord further warns him not to be too presumptuous; before the cock crows twice, he will have denied him three times, one sees that Peter thinks it is a fair fable. He thinks it is impossible, he wants to stand by him, should his life be lost. And he proves it with action. For when the Jews were in the greatest earnest, and caught the Lord in the garden, Peter was the first to go, and smote into the multitude, notwithstanding that the latter were so many and well armed, but they were but two that had weapons.
Who would believe that such a courageous man, who is so faithful to his Lord, would so shamefully deny him? For here no one desires to do anything to Petro or to any of his fellow disciples. The Lord had pleased them when he said, "Let these go." And especially here in Caiaphas' house no one desires to do them any harm. When now, without any danger, and perhaps out of compassion, the little thormaid said to Petro, "Were you not also with Jesus of Nazareth?" his heart and courage failed him, and he was afraid that if he said yes, it would be the same for him as for his Lord. Denies therefore. And when he was asked the second and third time, he cursed himself: "God give me this and that," he said, "if I know him or have ever seen him.
7 Let this example be a command to you, so that you may learn to recognize yourself and other people correctly and beware of presumption. For this can happen to Petro, who had a special heart for the Lord Christ above all other disciples, and who was so enlightened with God's grace that Christ himself says: "Blessed are you, Simon, flesh and blood has not revealed these things to you, but my Father in heaven"; and he gives him the name and calls him a rock: what will it be like with us poor people, who are much weaker in gifts, and otherwise far weaker and more frail? Therefore beware, be not presumptuous, think not, I am over the ditch, there is no more need. For your flesh is corrupt and worthless. Satan does not celebrate in this way; he is watching behind and in front, to see if he can bring us down and grieve our hearts. Therefore it is not to be trusted, but keep thee in the fear of God, and beware of all things.
(8) And as Christ warned Peter, Jacob and John above, saying, "Watch and pray, lest ye fall into temptation," so do thou also, watch, do not snore, be not sure, as if there were no more need; remember, my greatest enemy is nearest to me, I bear him in my bosom. Therefore, if God does not sit with me with His Holy Spirit, it is over. I cannot govern myself for a few hours, nor can I hold on.
394 L. 2,66-67. How Peter denies the Lord for the third time. W. HII, 980-953. 395
ten. For this reason I will ask God for His Holy Spirit, so that He may govern and guide me through it, and either protect me from temptation, or graciously help me and not let me fall. This is the first thing that is held out to us in this history.
(9) And this also the Lord saith of Luc. 21:34, That the heart be not weighed down with eating and drinking. For this is our wickedness, that, like cattle, our food stings us. He who is full and has enough soon forgets God and His word, or does not take much notice of it. Then it is soon done, before one dares, that one gets into the devil's yarn. Therefore, all three things must be together, that you fear God, watch and be sober, and pray without ceasing, and there will be no need. For even though we cannot be completely overcome by temptation and sometimes fall because of weakness, God will lead us out again through His Holy Spirit so that we will not remain in it.
(10) Secondly, this history serves to comfort us, that the fruit of the suffering of our Lord Christ can be seen finely here; and we not only find in Petro a special example of God's grace and mercy, but also learn that when it comes to us that we have done wrong and sinned, how we should send ourselves and seek mercy.
(11) The fall of Petro is terrible and heavy, as he feels most of all, and because of it he must no longer stay among the people, but hide himself away and weep bitterly. But then it is seen that the Lord not only told him of such a case beforehand, but afterwards accepted him graciously and did not let such sin be repaid. For on Easter day, before the Lord Christ was revealed, the angel who was sitting by the tomb commanded the women to tell his disciples, and especially Petro, that the Lord had risen. And the Lord Himself, soon after revealing Himself to Magdalene and the other women, appears to Petro and comforts him. All these things are comfort to us, though we are glad that we should not let the confidence of grace depart from our hearts, but that we should not be deceived.
as the Lord showed himself against Peter, do not doubt that he died for our sake; his suffering should be a comfort and help to us, even though we are poor sinners. For if sinners were not to enjoy such suffering, his disciples, and especially Peter, would have been the first to be rejected by him, and he would never have taken care of them, because they had fled from him and denied him so shamefully. But the merciful Lord does not do this: they are still dear disciples to him, although they had behaved badly. Mark this and comfort your heart with it, for the same will the gracious God do with you.
012 Yea, sayest thou, but how is poor Judah? There you can see that all grace is gone. Whether we shall hear of such things hereafter, yet it is necessary to have good instruction, which Peter hath promoted and preserved, but Judah hath hindered and brought into despair: that we may learn rightly from Peter, and beware of that which Judah hath met with.
(13) First of all, we must make a distinction between Peter and Judah, also because of their sins. For although they both go against God's will by sinning and thus incur eternal damnation, Judah's sin is still greater than Peter's. Judas goes after his sin voluntarily and thoughtfully, and although the Lord warns him so often and faithfully, sin loves him more. This is not the case with Petro; it comes about, and is not a superior will, but an accidental stupidity or weakness, that he denies Christ. If he had been afraid that this would happen to him, he would never have come to Caiphas' house.
14 Such a difference in sin is evident, that though they both sin, Peter and Judas, and fall into God's judgment, yet Judas' sin is greater than Peter's. Just as the Lord makes a distinction between Pilate and the Jews, John 19, and says, v. 11: "He who delivered me to you has the greater sin! Therefore Judas has a more fearful conscience and greater suffering than Peter. For the burden that is upon him is heavier, and makes it harder for him to bear.
396 L. s, 67-ss. How Peter denies the Lord for the third time. W. xni. 953-987. 397
Peter deserved to die because of his sin, just as much as Judas. Thus Paul says of himself: that he persecuted Christ and his believers, he did so ignorantly; thus he also points out such a difference that his persecution, although it was a damnable, deadly sin, was not the same as the persecution of the chief priests and Pharisees. Such a difference is useful to notice, and to beware of such wanton, willful sins, as of a burden that will be hard upon us, and that we must fear to go down under it.
(15) Although there is such a difference in sin, that one is less and the other greater, and without doubt the greater one weighs down and presses the conscience more, yet God's word and promise stands, that because of sins no one should despair nor despair, but have all grace toward God through the Lord Christ, His only begotten Son.
16 Now Judas and Peter are separated in this play. Judas has a heavier burden on his back than Peter, as reported; therefore he falls into despair and thinks that there is neither help nor counsel in eternity. But why? Because he had diligently listened to God's word, despised it, and nothing of it improved. Since he was in need of comfort and did not have the word, it was impossible that he could have been helped. Peter also wept bitterly, fearing and trembling because of his sins, but he had heard the word of the Lord more diligently and had better knowledge of it. Therefore, since the trouble is now at hand, he takes it before him and keeps to it, comforting himself with it and hoping that God will be merciful to him. This is the right help in such distress, which poor Judah lacks. That this is what happened to Petro, and that he kept God's word and grace, is testified by the Lord, Luc. 22, where he says, v. 32: "I have prayed for you, that your faith may not cease. When he denies Christ, there is not a speck of faith in his heart; but when conscience comes and troubles him, faith is found again and sustains him.
such word of Christ that he may not fall into despair.
Therefore, learn here what is the right repentance. Peter weeps bitterly. This is the beginning of repentance, that the heart may rightly know sin, and be sorry for it; that there may be no desire or love for it, and that one may continue in sins, but be grieved from the heart that one has not kept God's will and has sinned.
18 But we cannot do this of ourselves; the Lord must look upon us as he looks upon Peter here. For our nature is such that we love sin and continue in it with pleasure forever. As we see here with Peter: since he has once denied Christ, he continues always and cares for nothing. But when the cock crows and the Lord looks around for Petro, he first strikes himself and thinks about what he has done. Now sin, according to its nature and ours, cannot do otherwise than to frighten, to threaten with God's wrath and to make the heart full of fear; as can be seen in both Judah and Petro. Judah, when he realizes his sin, becomes so afraid that he does not know where to stay. Petro is also so frightened that he has to get away from people and cannot cry enough; his sin frightens him so much.
(19) In such anguish and heartache, it is best that you first humble yourself before God and freely confess your sin: O God, I am a poor sinner, and can no more sin than you can put away from me with your grace. After that, you should abide by God's word and promise and say: "But be merciful to me for the sake of your Son Christ Jesus. When the heart is thus comforted by God's word, and certainly hopes that God will be merciful for the sake of His Son, then the fear must subside and comfort will certainly follow. This then is a true and complete repentance, to humble oneself because of sins and to take comfort in the Lord Christ and His suffering.
20 Thus Peter no doubt comforted himself with the word that the Lord had spoken to him over the table, Luc. 22:31: "The devil hath desired thee; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith cease not."
398L. 2,69.70. How Christ is delivered to Pilato 2c. W. XIII, 957-sss. 399
For though his heart was full of anguish and sorrow, he did not despair as Judas did. But because the reason for such small consolation was God's word and promise, he increased wonderfully, and on the holy Easter day, when he saw Christ again, he grew so great that all displeasure disappeared, and only heartfelt humility remained, so that he had to confess his weakness and admit his guilt as a poor sinner. Apart from this humility and confession, sin left nothing in his heart. Consolation, like a strong bosom of clouds, quenched and extinguished the fire that had been burning in his heart.
(21) Therefore, since we cannot live without temptation, we should prepare ourselves in time to hear, practice and remember God's word diligently, so that we may have comfort like Peter.
22 Therefore this example of St. Peter is here for our instruction and comfort, that we should learn both: first, not to be sure, but to keep ourselves in the fear of God, because it can happen so soon that even great saints fall so hardly; and second, whether we have fallen, that we nevertheless keep God's word, so that it comforts us, and do not despair because of sins, as Judas did. For just as God does not want anyone to rise up because of his gifts; we are all to fear, watch and pray: so also he does not want anyone to despair because of sins. For it was to ward off such evil that the Son of God became man and died on the cross. Therefore it is said: If you want to be a true Christian, fear God and trust in his grace and word, and you will find comfort, salvation and help here and there. May our dear Father in heaven, through his Holy Spirit, grant this to us all, and for the sake of our dear Lord and Savior Christ, amen.
The sixth sermon.
How Christ is delivered to Pilate, and Judas hangs himself, and the chief priests buy a field for the burial of the pilgrims for the thirty pieces of silver.
Matth. 27, 1-10.
On the morrow all the chief priests and the elders of the people held a council against Jesus, and put him to death. And they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him to Pontio Pilato the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that he was condemned to death, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying: I have done evil in that I have betrayed innocent blood. They said: What is that to us? Then you watch. And he cast the pieces of silver into the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. But the chief priests took the pieces of silver, saying: It is not fit that we should put them into the treasury; for it is blood money. But they took counsel, and bought a potter's field for it, for the burying of the pilgrims. Therefore, the same field is called the blood field to this day. Then is fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, They took thirty shekels of silver to pay for the sold thing, which they bought of the children of Israel, and gave it for a potter's field, as the LORD commanded me.
400 . l. 2, 70-72. like Christ Pilato is handed over 2c. W. xin, Wo-ses. 401
(1) Your beloved have heard how the Lord Christ was first brought before the spiritual authorities, and there lost his case; for those who were plaintiffs were also judges in their own cause. Now follows how he was brought before Pilate and what happened there.
(2) Before we come to this, however, we must first indicate where persecution has its origin. For such a thing is here very finely painted, and the like is still found where persecution goes against the gospel.
(3) As soon as the high priest heard the word from the Lord saying, "From now on you will see the Son of Man at the right hand of power, coming in the clouds," he tore his garment and said, "He has blasphemed God; what further testimony do we need? Now you have heard his blasphemy. What think ye?" But all the others, who were at such a council, said, "He is guilty of death"; and soon after began to deal miserably with the pious Lord JEsu. There was not one man among them who would have stood with him; all of them, in particular, were against him.
4 And yet there was still one thing in their way. The cause they considered worthy of death they knew well, Pilate would not ask much about it; for he was a Gentile, had no order from the Roman emperor to strangle the Jews for their faith; otherwise he would have had to strangle them all. Therefore, as soon as the morning dawned, they met together, and, as Matthew says, they held council about how to kill him, that is, they discussed what kind of accusation they would bring against him before Pilate. For they saw that even though Christ had blasphemed God, Pilate would not kill him. Therefore they had to think of a worldly, respectable accusation, as if before a worldly judge. That would not have broken Christ's neck, that they said he was a blasphemer.
5 Here look and learn how swift and poisonous Satan is, if one needs counsel on how to strangle Christ. The first word Pilate speaks to Christ is to ask him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
From such a word it is enough to assume that they have decided on this in this council, and have indicated to the Lord Jesus before Pilate that he desires to cause a riot and to raise himself up for the king of the Jews. But with what can they bring this upon the Lord? Where did he ever call himself a king? Where has he presented himself as a great lord? They could bear witness to this if they had wanted the people to seize him and make him king, but he would not and hid himself; item, that he had told them to give the emperor what was his and not to withhold it.
Now we have to think about this: Pilate will not have been satisfied with such a mere accusation, they will have had to prove such an accusation. How did this happen? Undoubtedly in this way. They had heard that Christ had confessed to the high priest that he was Christ. On this they took the Scriptures as a witness, and proved from the prophets how Christ would be a king. For thus saith Zechariah, Cap. 9:9, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee meekly; and Hosea 3:8, They shall seek David their king; and in many other places more. Because the Lord confesses that he is Christ, it was also known that he was the king of the Jews. For Christ was to be a king. Behold, the devil can search so accurately.
(7) But he is silent about the things that are against him and that could be a disgrace to the Lord Christ, namely, that Zechariah says: He will be miserable, that is, he will not be a worldly king, he will only deal with consciences, comforting them against sin and God's wrath: but with the body, with money, with goods he will have nothing to do, because God has other kings for them, these are worldly kings. The peelers do not say a word about such things, they put a blue haze over Pilato's eyes and say that he has made himself a king of the Jews. Thus they bring Pilatum into the bargain, who otherwise, if it had remained with the first accusation of heresy or blasphemy, would not have taken care of the matter.
402 2.2,72-74. How Christ is delivered to Pilato 2c. W. xm, 96s-966. 403
(8) It is the same today, for secular authorities have a common bad habit of not caring much about God's kingdom and religion. When kings and princes have their obedience, their interest and glory, they ask no further, and so Christ would well remain before Pilato. But the high priests and elders of the people, that is, the bloodthirsty crowd, pope, cardinals, bishops, monks, priests, come to accuse Christ before Pilate, they incite kings and princes against the gospel, accuse it, just as the Jews accused Christ before Pilate: It is a rebellious doctrine; if one lets them go and does not defend them in time, they will not keep their obedience with the subjects for long. Indeed, if they do not seriously oppose it, they will have neither happiness nor salvation in the regiment. That the Turk thus breaks in, that we have no luck against him, that there is so much misgrowth in fruits, and that misfortune is found on all sides: all this the wretched clergy preach to the great lords, that it is the fault of the gospel. This wakes up Pilate, who otherwise would not ask anything about Christ and his preaching, so that he presents him and finally calls for him to be crucified.
9 Now it is no less true that such lies and poisonous slander do grievous harm. But for this very reason the evangelists have left this story behind them, so that when such things happen to us, we may suffer and speak patiently: My Lord Christ also suffered the same. The servant is no better than his master. Pilate would have had him preach and perform miraculous signs all his life, and would have asked nothing of him: but the chief priests, the spiritual crowd, accomplish so much that Pilate is joined together as a judge and Christ as an evildoer.
So it still goes; the worst enemies of the Lord Christ are: The pope, bishops, monks and clergy. If they have decided that it is heresy, what they do not like, or what is against them, they try to incite kings and princes against the gospel; they must become their executioners, and defile themselves with innocent blood on their accusation and arrest,
like Pilate. You suffer this, devout Christian. With your Lord Christ it was played out in the same way, and thank God that you are worthy to suffer for His name's sake, as Lucas says of the apostles, Acts 5:41. 5, 41. This is the first part of today's text.
(11) The other is the terrible example of Judah, which is therefore so diligently painted by the evangelists, that we may know there, as in a painting, the nature and manner of sin, and learn to beware of it. For in Judah we see both how sin creeps in so smoothly at first, but then causes such a terrible end.
- your love have heard above, how a small beginning such an abominable sin had, that Judas was stingy by nature and loved the money to him. Therefore, now that this opportunity has passed, so that he can get money from the Lord Jesus, he considers it a very small thing to betray the innocent man. Again, he considers it a great gain that he can get such a sum of money so soon.
13 Now the Lord preaches and warns him as faithfully as he wants, as he does especially often in the last supper, and so roughly that he could have grabbed it: but it does not help, he stays in his thoughts and looks at the thirty pieces of silver. What an excellent, strong and serious warning this was, when he says: "He who dips his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. Well, the Son of Man is going, as it is written of him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It were better for him that the same man were never yet born." Should Judas not have heeded such a word? Should he not have struck fine within himself and said: Oh God forbid, what have I poor man let the devil preach to my heart? But nothing comes of it; he still asks about such words, whether the Lord knows what he has in mind. "Rabbi," he says, "is it I?" And the Lord answers him: "You say it", that is: Yes, it is you. But, as I said, it is an easy, carefree trade for him, because he can get so much money through such a means.
404L. 2,74-77. How Christ is delivered to Pilato 2c. W. XIII, 966-969. 405
14 Note this, for this is the first color with which one should paint sin, if one paints it right and proper, so that it seems to be a light, bad, harmless thing. One does not worry about God's wrath, one is not afraid of misfortune, it does not seem to be a burden, but a light feather, which one can weigh with one's breath and push forward. Therefore, when it comes upon us, we are not afraid of it, we still have desire and love for it, and we think that we could not do our thing better, because we would be full of sin. As you may take an example from a miserly usurer, or adulterer, or drunkard. St. Paul passes a very harsh sentence against such, I Cor. 6:9: "Be not deceived," he says, "neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, 2c., nor covetous, nor drunkards, shall inherit the kingdom of God." This is written here and is preached; those who are afflicted with such vices hear it, but they accept it just like Judas: if they could come to a purchase, where the hundred would be 20 or 30 to usury, if they could only atone for their lust, if they could have companions all day, be mad and full; then they would think they had done well, they would not worry about it nor grieve, but be of good cheer and completely happy.
(15) Now this is Adam preaching to his son Cain, warning him against sin, Genesis 4, when he perceives how he had taken a bitter heart against Abel his brother. "Is it not true," he says, "that if you are pious, you are pleasant; but if you are not pious, sin rests at the door?" As if he wanted to say, "Get to know sin properly; for this is its nature: when it sets upon people, it is like a wild, ravening beast that sleeps there; one is not afraid of it; it lets itself be grasped and stroked in its sleep, and does nothing to anyone. It also seems to be a harmless thing around sin. It is a fine, smooth little cat that lets itself be stroked and handled. But beware, says Adam, she sleeps well, but will not sleep forever. Cause, she lies in the door, in a restless place, where everyone goes in and out: therefore can she sleep.
It is very easy for it to wake up. Then it becomes a raging lion, an angry bear that tears and bites everything it comes across.
(16) As Adam foretold Cain, so it came to pass. Adam told him to rule over sin and not to let it rule or guide him. But Cain did not do it, he left her the bridle, slew his brother. Sin did not lie there long, it had soon slept off, and it so tormented Cain that he did not know where he should stay. He was not allowed to stay with his father and mother, and otherwise he was not sure of life or limb.
This is the other kind of sin, which notice diligently. Initially it sleeps, and it seems to be an easy, harmless thing. But it does not sleep long, and when it awakens, it becomes an unmistakable burden, since it is impossible for you to bear it unless God helps you greatly. See this in poor Judah. Since sin was still asleep, it was impossible for him to be afraid of it; the smooth bellows deceived him, so that he was not aware of the sharp, poisonous rattles. But she could not sleep long; she lay before the door, and was dissolute to wake up. Before no preaching nor warning would help, now comes a moment that frightens him so much that he does not know where to stay.
18 For when he sees the Lord leading him to Pilate, and must now fear that life will be his, he is filled with remorse, and first sees what he has done. Then the sin wakes up, and according to its kind and nature it is so fierce and horrible that he cannot tolerate it. Before, he had so loved the money, the thirty pieces of silver, that it was a bad thing for him to betray and sell the Lord Christ; now it is turned around: if he had all the money and goods of the world, he would give everything for it, only that the life of the Lord Christ might be saved.
19 But because the love of money had brought him into such trouble, and because he had incurred such sin on account of money, he became so hostile to money that he could have neither rest nor rest from it; he ran after the chief priests into the temple, confessed that he had done evil, and wanted to get rid of it.
406L. 2,77-79. how Christ is delivered to Pilato 2c. W. XIII, 989-972. 407
He will gladly give them their money back, but they must leave Jesus alone. And since they do not want it, he throws it at their feet, so that he only gets his money back. Now this is the right kind of sin, when it awakens, that it so vehemently persuades the conscience, it starts such a terrible sermon that the heart does not know from anxiety what it should do or not do.
20 And there is still a pity. For as little comfort as the poor man has in himself, so little comfort does he find in other people. He faithfully laments his misery to the chief priests. Ah, he says, I have done evil, I have sold innocent blood. But how do they comfort him? "What is that to us? You watch," they say. Blaming it all on his neck, they leave such an unmistakable burden, and do not like to touch it with a finger, that they might be comforting or advising to the poor frightened man.
21 Then follows the third and last woe. For where sin continues to preach to the conscience, the devil does not tarry long, he scares and blows into the fire so that it becomes ablaze and all salvation seems to be in vain. He drives Judas so that he walks on the footsteps in such fear and torture and hangs himself from grief. This is the end that the devil initially sought through sin. Whoever could think of or believe in such an end soon in the beginning would bless and guard himself against it. But it is hidden; sin sleeps and does not let itself be seen at the beginning, where it ultimately wants to go. This is the story of the wretched, poor man Judas, who sold the Lord Jesus for a small amount of money, and not only does he not enjoy this money, but he also loses his life, body, soul and everything.
22 Therefore learn this example diligently, and let it never depart from your heart. For it shall serve thee, and me, and all of us, that we may actually know sin, and learn to guard against it. We can be deceived on both sides and be damaged by sin if we do not perceive this example well and learn to know sin from it: first with this.
that sin has a smooth bellow like a fine kitten; it can be stroked and patted, one has desire and love for it. But it does not last any longer until it wakes up. Then its poisonous, sharp claws come out; when it strikes them right, then toil, work, fear and distress are lifted up. Learn these two things from Judah, and do not let the smooth brat deceive you, as the world does, and neither saying nor admonishing helps.
There are many a burgher, farmer, nobleman, who has sent himself into a brave nourishment. If he sells something, he sees how he can get the highest price. If he buys something, he sees how he can get it most cheaply. If he has houses or other things that he lends, he does not leave the old thing, increases the interest 2c. This is very right in the world; it is pleasing to everyone: if he can bring in a hundred, two hundred, three hundred guilders, more or less (depending on the deal), in this way or another, and put it behind him, he has fished well. That is why you see how everyone sends himself for food and practices all kinds of speed. This is now the Judas sin, since he is first entered over.
(24) But as Judas was not afraid of it, or thought it a dangerous thing to do, so does the world to-day. Why? Sin sleeps, it does not let itself be seen soon in the beginning, as it is; it colors and adorns itself, puts on a beautiful young coat, so that one does not see anything abominable about it; this makes that everyone gains pleasure from it. But whoever could soon pull off her Schembart and wash off the color with a sharp lye, would flee from her as from the devil. No one would put up with usury, nor would he indulge in avarice, if he knew what would ultimately come of it, when sin begins to preach to the conscience and repentance comes. For there are examples before one's eyes that such people, who stand alone according to money and goods, cannot resist ordinary thoughts at their last. If
*) Schembart. Schemen - empty shadow image; dialectal - mask, larva. D. Red.
408 L. 2,7s-8i. How Christ is delivered to Pilato 2c. W. xiii, 972-974. 409
When they are comforted with God's word, they do not want to accept it, meanwhile they walk with their thoughts into the office, the market, into the vaults, thinking of this, that guilt 2c. In sum, the thorns have taken such hold of them that they cannot come out; or the consciences are so weighed down that they cannot accept any consolation.
(25) This is to be understood not only of Judah's penny or of avarice, but of all sins. For where sin goes to sleep, it finally awakens and causes such misery, as we see in Judah. Especially, however, where the right Judas pennies are, since one has acted against God's word for the sake of money and good, persecuted the gospel and given cause for false doctrine and idolatry, as the pope, his cardinals, bishops, buffoons, priests, monks, doctors and the like, press and tear themselves very hard for the Judas penny. That makes it not prickly or pointed, it is finely smooth and gentle in attack; and seems to be a very fine thing in the eyes of the world, who can bring his cause there, and thus create for him good, calm, glorious days.
(26) Again, it may be regarded as a small thing whether one goes against God's word, against confession, and against conscience in this or that; it seems as if it is easy to justify a canon standing in the choir, a preacher holding to himself, and not wanting to come out freely with the truth. For he who does so can very well enjoy this with the world and the devil. But in the truth the rebuke will not remain outside at last, and the reward will be to you just as it was to Judah, that sin will preach to you at your last, you will find no righteous comfort in anyone, and the devil will bring you to despair.
Therefore, it would be good for you to consider such journeys in time, to let go of the bishopric, the cathedral, the good life, one with the other, and to consider being a Christian, to promote God's word, to confess it, to keep yourself in good conscience. God would still provide you with daily bread and not let you die of hunger, as he says: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all the rest will be yours.
Therefore, this is the lesson of this history: because sin sleeps at first, but then awakens and causes all sorrow in the conscience, and Satan thereby drives to despair; that you should beware of sin, do nothing against your conscience, and besides ask God daily, yes, every moment for His Holy Spirit, that He will not lead you into temptation, but will graciously lead you out and protect you from sins. For, as I said, because sin is not awake in the beginning, it sleeps, so that we cannot be afraid of it, it is very easy for us to be deceived and tempted. That is why we need to pray diligently, and also to be careful and watchful in all places, so that it does not creep up on us.
29 Secondly, when the fall has happened and you have been deceived, and sin, which was asleep at first, now wakes up and confronts you and accuses you, you must also be prepared, and here you can learn from Judas how you should prepare yourself. For you ever see what he lacks. Satan makes such a big, high mountain out of sin that he cannot see God, His word, promise or grace in front of it, therefore he falls into despair. But where did such evil come from in the beginning? Is it not true that if he had not thrown God's word to the wind, had been more diligent in keeping it, he would have been able to comfort himself even in such distress? But because he despised the word and listened to it diligently, it is no wonder that now that he needs it, he cannot find it anywhere.
30 Therefore, just as on the one hand you must guard against sleeping sin with the fear of God and diligent prayer, lest you be deceived and seduced; so when sin awakens, preaches to you and makes you restless, you must defend yourself and endure with the holy gospel, which portrays Christ to you as having suffered and paid for all the sin of the world. God, the almighty Creator and Father, portrays it in such a way that he does not take pleasure in the death of sinners; but he does take pleasure in the sinner's conversion and life, that is, that he recognizes his sin, is sorry for it, and hopes for forgiveness through him.
410L. 2,81-83. How Christ is delivered to Pilato 2c. W. XIII, 974-977. 411
Lord Christ. Judah lacks this here and therefore despairs.
(31) Again, Peter had also fallen miserably and was like Judah. The sin that was asleep at first (for it seemed to him to be no special journey when he denied Christ immediately) finally woke up and tormented his heart, so that he could not weep enough, as the evangelist says: "Peter went out and wept bitterly. How is it, then, that Peter does not also hang himself, as Judas did? Peter undoubtedly remembered the word of the Lord Christ and saved himself, because the Lord first foretold such a fall and then comforted him, as Luc. 22 says, where the Lord speaks to him in particular, vv. 31, 32: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not cease. And if thou be converted some day, strengthen thy brethren."
32 Peter heard and kept this sermon. Such a word was the rod by which he held on, so that sin could not press him to the ground; otherwise sin would have done to him as it did to Judah. But with the word he saves himself. Learn this diligently, and in time apply yourself to it; hear God's word diligently, do not lie down in bed, do not get up, for you have spoken to your heart a beautiful saying, two, three or four. As, Matth. 9, 13. Christ says: "I have come to call sinners to repentance, and not the pious"; Matth. 11, 28-30.: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am gentle and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is sweet, and my burden is easy"; John 3:16-18: "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Whoever believes in Him will not be judged"; John 5:24: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him, he will be saved.
has sent me, he has eternal life, and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life"; Joh. 11, 25: "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live"; 1 Joh. 2:1, 2: "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, who is righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. "2c. If you practice these and similar sayings daily and make them known to yourself through such practice, you will have the right medicine for your soul, since the wicked Judah lacks this.
33 There are more such examples. David commits a terrible, horrible fall, and sins more grievously than Saul, the king, when he first began to fall. How is it that Saul cuts his own neck, but David is saved? Saul did not have God's word; therefore, when sin came alive and preached to him, he could not defend himself against it; he had nothing to hold on to. Sin also preached to David, when it awoke, so that he passed the sentence on himself, that he was guilty of death. But in such distress he kept the word of Nathan the prophet, who assured him that God was merciful and would not impute such sin to him.
34 Let this be the other lesson, that you not only guard against sin, but also, when it awakens, fight against it and protect yourself. But you should prepare yourself for such distress throughout your life and be ready with God's word; otherwise there will be neither help nor counsel, as the example of Jude is before your eyes. He first rejoiced in the thirty pieces of silver; it was, as they say, a mown meadow to him; for sin was still asleep. But when it awoke, the thirty pieces of silver became an unmistakable burden to him, and he hanged himself for it, only that he should no longer bear such a conscience. But by doing so, he caused it to be carried for eternity. Beware of this, do not let sin creep in, keep the fear of God and a good conscience, and listen diligently to God's word, and you will have comfort in all distress.
- now the evangelists further report how
412 2 ,83.84. Of the court trade before Pilato. ' W. xm, 977-979. 413
The chief priests held half a council about the money, did not want to put it into the treasury, but bought a trough for it and made a burial place for the pilgrims out of it. Such a thing seems to be nothing special; and yet, because the evangelist prophesied it so long before in the prophet Zechariah, such a trade must not be in vain, but have its own interpretation. This is now without doubt this:
The citizens of Jerusalem had their own burials, the foreigners, as we see, had none. If we now look at the right Jerusalem, the Christian Church, the Jews are the people of God, we Gentiles are strangers and do not belong to the Kingdom of God. But the thirty pieces of silver, when our dear Lord Christ is sold, also bring a burial for the pilgrims.
That is, through the innocent suffering and death of Christ, we Gentiles also come to the hope of eternal life. For this cost the Lord Christ his blood and death, like the thirty pieces of silver.
(37) Thus the evangelists always point out to us in history that we should not forget why the Lord was sold, suffered and died, not only because of his people to whom he was promised, but also because of our Gentiles, who had no burial place in the right Jerusalem. But through the thirty pieces of silver, which Judas redeemed from Christ, we also come to a grave of God and such a grave, where our Lord Christ will call us out on the last day and make us eternally blessed. May our dear Father in heaven, through his Holy Spirit, grant us this, amen.
The seventh sermon.
From the court case before Pilato, how Christ was accused and finally condemned.
Matth. 27, 11-31.
And JEsus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the king of the Jews? And JEsus said unto him, Thou sayest so. And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how sore they accuse thee? And he answered him not a word, so that even the governor marvelled greatly. At the feast, the governor was in the habit of releasing a prisoner to the people, as they wished. At that time he had one prisoner in particular, whose name was Barabbas. And when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them: Which one do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is said to be the Christ? For he knew well that they had delivered him up out of envy. And when he sat upon the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with this righteous man: for I have suffered much this day in a dream on his account. But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the people that they should ask for Barabbas and kill JEsum. Then the governor answered and said unto them: Which of these two do you want me to release to you? They said: Barabbam. Pilate said unto them: What then shall I do with JEsu, who is said to be Christ? They all said, Let him be crucified. And the governor said, What evil hath he done? But they cried out still more, saying: Let him be crucified. But when Pilate saw that he did nothing, but that there was a great tumult, he took water, and washed his hands before the people, and said: I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; you see. Then all the people answered and said, His blood be upon us, and upon our children. Then he released Barabbam to them, but he scourged Jesus and delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took JEsum into the judgment house, and gathered the whole company together against him. And they went
414 L. 2,84-86. Of the court trade before Pilato. W. XIII, 979-983. 415
And they stripped him, and put a purple robe upon him, and wove a crown of thorns, and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand, and bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying: Hail, King of the Jews. And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote his head therewith. *) And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of his robe, and put on his garments, and led him away to crucify him.
In the next sermon, your beloved heard the trial that was held with our Lord Christ before the high priest. Now follows, after they brought it before Pilate, what happened there. But because the evangelists are somewhat unequal in this piece and do not remember all the pieces in order, but one indicates one thing and the other another; it is necessary to draw the whole story together from all four, and to tell how it all happened, one after the other.
(2) Then John the evangelist first says, When they brought Jesus from Caiphas' house very early to the judgment house, they would not go in, lest they should be defiled, but should eat at Easter. Because they were considered unclean and had to separate themselves from others who were about to enter a house where someone had died, they were afraid that the blood would harm them, because it was judged in that house. And did not think, the blind people, that this would be a far greater sin, shedding innocent blood.
We also find such holiness in our papists, who consider it a much lesser sin to persecute and strangle poor Christians for the sake of the gospel than to eat meat on Friday or eggs during the week of martyrdom. The latter they do lightly, as if nothing much mattered. But here, since it is not a sin at all, but only a human commandment, they have a heavy conscience about it.
Since the holy people do not want to enter, Pilate must go out to them and ask them what accusation they bring against the Lord Jesus. They answer boldly and proudly: "If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered him to you. Just as if they were so conscientious and
*Marginal gloss: "Notice how the little word Christ is always used to testify to the Jews about them.
pious that one should not presume to them that they are doing something wrong.
005 But Pilate met them very delicately, saying, Take him, and judge him according to your law. As if he wanted to say, "We Romans do not have such a custom that we strangle someone without prior knowledge. If it is right with you Jews, you may kill him; I will not do it. So you can see how the Jews, after they have discussed everything according to necessity, still do not trust themselves; they are afraid that the accusation will not hold the sting.
006 Nevertheless the Jews will not leave this unsaid, for it grieveth them greatly: therefore they answer, We may not kill any man. As if to say, If we had the power, it should not have reached you; but this office is taken from us, and given to you; therefore think, and come after it.
(7) John adds, "With this word is fulfilled the word of Jesus, which he said when he foretold the death he would die. For he had foretold them how he would be delivered to the Gentiles, Matth. 20, Luc. 18.
8 But that they might nevertheless have an accusation, Lucas writes, they accused him with these words: "We find this one turning away the people, and forbidding to give the interest to Caesar, saying, He is Christ, a king." There now stands the bargain why they delivered him to Pilato. But how right they did him, history sufficiently shows. With this they could accuse Christ that they had let him in, if he wanted to snatch something against the emperor and his power; but there he says roundly: "Pray to God what is God's, and to the emperor what is the emperor's." Such things do not help the Lord at all. He has to be accused of being a rebel, of turning the people away from the emperor, of forbidding interest, and of wanting to be king himself.
416 8.2. 86-88. Of the court trade before Pilato. W. xm, p83-986. 417
(9) As the pope, bishops, monks and priests are doing today with the holy gospel, they all blame it for being a rebellious doctrine; if one watches and does not resist, secular authorities will come into contempt and no one will give anything to them. Do not be sorry for this; thank God that you know that they, as the peelers, are lying, and that the gospel has to do with other and higher things, namely: that it teaches how you are to be freed from sins and come to eternal life, only through faith in the Son of God. This is what the gospel teaches you; it does not want to have anything to do with worldly things, it leaves them as God has arranged them through worldly authority.
(10) Now when Pilate hears the accusation, he does not immediately burst upon it, but, as John says, he goes into the judgment house, and having brought JEsus before him, asks him, saying, "Art thou then king of the Jews?" JEsus answers, "Do you say this of yourself, or did others say it to you about me?" As if to say, Ah, if it were without mine enemies, thou wouldst soon have excused me. For this I know, thou regardest me ever for no king, nor for such a one as would stir up sedition. Pilate answers, "Am I a Jew? Your people and the chief priests have delivered you up to me. What have you done?" JEsus answers, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight to keep me from being delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from hence." Then Pilate said again, "So you are still a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king; I was born for this purpose and came into the world to testify to the truth. He that is of the truth heareth my voice." Pilate says, "What is truth?"
(11) As if to say: If you are only a king who should testify to the truth, one should not worry about you, you will do little harm to the emperor; one cares little for the truth, it goes begging. He who can lie, deceive, steal, comes to something.
012 Pilate, when he had sufficiently interrogated the Lord, went forth again to the
Jews, and said, "I find no fault in him, I find no cause in this man." But the Jews, as Lucas reports, continued, saying: He has stirred up the people by teaching to and fro throughout all the land of Judaea, beginning in Galilee and ending here." Pilate therefore, hearing of Galilee, asked, Whether he were of Galilee? And when he heard that he belonged to Herod's authority, he sent him to Herod, who was also at Jerusalem in those days. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he would have liked to see him long ago, for he had heard much about him and hoped to see a sign from him. But he answered him nothing. The chief priests and the scribes stopped him and accused him severely. But Herod with his court despised and mocked him, put a white robe on him, and sent him to Pilate again. And Pilate and Herod became friends with one another that day, for before they were enemies.
(13) Someone might wonder why the Lord speaks to Pilate in this way and gives good news, but will not answer a word to Herod, who was king in Galilee. But it really happened because Herod was such a wicked man, and yet a great hypocrite. For he had St. John the Baptist strangled the other day, and lived in public scandal because he had his brother Philip's wife with him, and yet pretended to be very pious. That is why the Lord calls him a fox in the Gospel, because there is nothing good but fur, a wicked and yet very cunning animal. Such people are not worth dealing with; they are not serious. They are scoffers who consider the gospel to be a jugglery and Christians to be great fools who, for the sake of faith, burden themselves with great lords and set their own in motion. Therefore let everyone be content with such people, and give them neither speech nor answer, as Christ does to Herod here.
14 But just as Pilate and Herod became friends over Christ the Lord, who were enemies before, so it is still seen today.
418 L. 2.88-M. Of the court trade before Pilato. W. XIII, 986-889. 419
day. Everything is put together against the gospel, which otherwise cannot stand together. No bishop can get along with the other, no order is friendly to the other. The princes cannot be satisfied with each other. Each one wants to be the best, to have the advantage, and to oppress and dampen others. But when Christ comes between them, and wants to bring forth his gospel, then they all become one, and are the best of friends, putting goods and blood together, as David prophesied long before in the other psalm. When the Lord of Herod was led to Pilate again, Pilate, says Lucas, called the chief priests and the rulers of the people together again and said: "You have brought this man to me as the one who turns away the people. And behold, I have questioned him before you, and find none in the man of the things of which ye accuse him; neither Herod. For I sent you to him, and, behold, nothing worthy of death has been brought upon him. Therefore will I chasten him, and let him go." For he had to release one to them according to the custom of the feast.
15 And at that time in Frohnfesten there was a confessed murderer and rebel, Barabbas. Pilate placed him next to Christ and gave the Jews the choice, hoping that no one would ask for Barabbas, as he would have been responsible for his death. But Matthew says: "The chief priests and elders persuaded the people to ask for Barabbas. Because of this, the whole crowd cried out and said, "Take this man away and let us have Barabbam," who had been thrown into prison because of a riot that had taken place in the city and because of a murder. Pilate called to them again and wanted to release Jesus. But they cried out, saying, Crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, What evil hath this man done? I find no cause of death in him; therefore will I chasten him, and let him go." But they lay before him with a great cry, and demanded that he should be crucified.
016 Now when Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, Matthew says that his wife sent to him and told him: He should not do anything with
She had suffered much on his account in the dream. This was also an excellent warning, no doubt from a good angel, who in the dream of Pilate's wife showed what misfortune and misery Pilate would bring upon himself and his own, where he would hang the Jew and strangle the innocent man on her arrest. But as the warning to Judah was in vain and in vain, so it did not help Pilate in the end. However, he saves himself for a while. And since it did not work out to leave him alone (everyone would allow the murderer his life, but they wanted Christ, the innocent man, dead), Pilate tried again and took Jesus and called him to be scourged. Then Pilate's soldiers gathered the whole crowd, took Jesus into the judgment house, stripped him and scourged him. Then they put a purple robe on him, wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand instead of a scepter, bowed their knees to him, mocked him and said, "Hail, King of the Jews!"They spat in his face, struck him on the head with the reed, and gave him cheek strokes; in sum, the wicked countrymen did all they could against the pious Lord Jesus, no doubt to the service of the Jews, who had thus instigated it.
(17) Now it was the custom of the Romans, before they put away the evildoers, to behead them first; for which reason Pilate also had Christ scourged. And yet he still has hope, and tries whether he could set him free. He therefore brings Jesus out with him, as the soldiers had beheaded him and dressed him in purple and with a crown of thorns, and says, "Behold, I bring him out again, that you may know that I find no fault in him. Behold what manner of man this is!" As if he wanted to speak: You shall be satisfied with such punishment, because your accusation is so utterly void and his innocence so pure. But this did not help. The chief priests and their servants, as soon as they saw Jesus, and perceived that Pilate was still handling how to set him free, cried out:
420 L. 2,W-S2. Explanation of several pieces of passio.n history. W. xm, 929-992. 421
"Crucify, crucify!" Pilatum was distressed by such great injustice. For, as Matthew says, he knew well that they had delivered him up out of envy. Therefore he answered them again bluntly, "Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by the law he shall die; for he hath made himself the Son of GOD." When Pilate hears the word, he is still more afraid, and enters again into the judgment house, and says to JEsu, "From whence art thou?" But JEsus gave him no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not speak to me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and to set thee free?" Then Jesus answered and said, "Thou wouldest have no power over me, except it were given thee from above. Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin."
This is also a strong warning. For Pilate is deeply challenged here, and for the sake of his power he lets himself think (as worldly authorities sin a lot with such hopefulness) that the deal is in his hands, he may do or not do what he wants. No, says Christ, Pilate, you do too much for him; be moderate. If thou hast power, thou hast it not from thyself; it cometh down from above. Therefore, if you know how to answer it, you must answer it. Pilate accepts this warning willingly and continues to try to free him.
But the Jews would not, saying, "Let him go, and you are no friend of Caesar. But the Jews would not at all, and cried out, saying, "If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: for he that maketh himself king is against Caesar."
019 When Pilate heard the word, he brought Jesus forth, and sat him down in the judgment seat, in the place which is called the high place, and in Hebrew Gabbatha. Now it was the preparation day in the paschal days, about the sixth hour, that is, about noon. And he said to the Jews, "Behold, this is your king"; as if to say, You still remain on the charge, as if he had made himself king. O God! He does not have such a reputation! You do him wrong before God. What is there in him that resembles a king or a rebel? But it was in vain. They shouted: "Away, away with him! Crucify him!" Pilate says to them, "Shall I crucify your king?" The chief priests answer, "We have no king but Caesar." When Pilate therefore saw that he did nothing, but that there was much tumult, he took water, and washed his hands before the people, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man; see ye!" Then all the people answered and said, "Let his blood be upon us, and upon our children"; that is, if wrong be done to him, let it be upon us, and upon our children. Then he delivered up to them that he might be crucified. So much was done with the Lord Christ before Pilato.
The eighth sermon.
Explanation of several pieces from the history of the Passion.
(1) In this part of the history of the Lord Christ there are many fine comforting points of Christian doctrine; but because it is too much for one sermon, and the history itself is long enough, we will take three parts in particular: the first, that in the history the innocence of our dear Lord Christ is so often testified to by Pilato and others.
The other is the confession that Christ makes before Pilate, which is praised by St. Paul, 1 Tim. 6, 13; the third is about Pilate and the Jews, how they both hold the blood of our dear Lord Christ in such low esteem, which then becomes an unbearable and eternal burden that brings them to all temporal and eternal misfortune.
422 L. 2, s2-94. Explanation of some pieces from the Passion History. W. xm, 992-995. 423
2 From the first, your love hears through and through how Pilate always insists that he finds no cause of death in Christ. His wife also sends to him and tells him that he should have nothing to do with the righteous, innocent man. And Pilate found from all the actions and after diligent investigation that it was only hatred and envy that the chief priests and elders had against Christ.
- Such testimonies are found even more and more powerful after the death of Christ, when the great, glorious miracles take place, earthquake, eclipse and others. Therefore the chief captain freely confesses publicly, saying: "Truly, this man was a devout man. And the people who were standing there beat their chests as a sign that they were sorry that the innocent man had been treated so quickly.
4 But what is the purpose of all these testimonies? Why did the evangelists describe and depict them so diligently? Undoubtedly for the sole purpose of pointing us to God's counsel and will, and to remind us to consider what such suffering of the innocent, righteous Lord is primarily for. So that, since we have so much testimony that he was innocent and did not deserve such death, we may become all the more certain in our faith and conclude: All that our dear Lord Christ suffered, he suffered for our sake, and God imposed such suffering on him and did not want to take it from him, even though he was innocent, so that we would be freed from sin and reconciled to God.
(5) Therefore, throughout the whole history of the Passion, when we hear how unjustly the Jews and the Gentiles treat the Lord Christ, how they beat him before the high priest, mock him before Herod, scourge him in the judgment hall, and mock him: when, I say, we hear these things in the whole history, we should always have the thought in our minds: Behold, he is innocent, for his sake he does not suffer, he does not deserve it. But I, you and all of us have deserved it; we have deserved death and all the misfortunes of sin.
But here comes the innocent, holy Son of God, who puts himself in my debt and wants to pay for it, so that I may be redeemed and set free.
(6) From such thoughts must come the consolation that hearts do not despair because of their sin, do not flee from God as from the executioner or a tyrant, but turn to Him with heartfelt confidence, praising and extolling His mercy, which He extols especially toward us, as Paul says in Romans 5:8, in that He gives His only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior, to die for us sinners. Who can or will doubt that God does not mean well and most graciously with us? We were in God's wrath because of our sins, under death and in Satan's kingdom; eternal life was lost, and instead of it we inherited all temporal and eternal misfortune. But the gracious, merciful Father takes care of us, does not want to leave us in such misery, sends rather his only begotten Son, lets him be born of a virgin; he throws him under the law, so that, because flesh and blood could not do God's will, nevertheless the law would not be given in vain, and would be fulfilled by this man for all other men. He finally let him die on the cross and pay for our sin with his innocent death; so that we, through him, would have eternal life and become children of God.
(7) Accept it, be comforted by it, believe it is for your sake and too good for you. For here you hear not once, nor twice, but often; what he suffers, he suffers innocently. Why does God tolerate such things? Yes, why does God decree and create it? So that you may be comforted by it. He does not suffer for himself, but for you and for the whole world, as John says: He is the propitiation, not only for our sin, but also for the whole world. For this reason the Baptist gives him a name and calls him the Lamb of God, who bears the sin of the world, that is, a sacrifice of God, set apart to take upon himself the sin of the whole world, and to rid the world of it and set it free.
424 L. 2,94-96. Explanation of several pieces from the Passion History. W. xm, 995-998. 425
make. That is why it must be so absurd. He is God's Son, absolutely holy and without all sin, therefore he should be justly excused from curse and death. We are sinners, under the curse and wrath of God, because of which we should bear death and damnation. But God turns it around; he who has no sin, since there is nothing but grace and, as John says, in whom dwells the fullness of God's grace, must become a curse and bear the torment of sin; but through him we are in grace and children of God.
8 For this reason we should hold on to this comfort, and let such testimonies of Christ's innocence be especially dear to us. For what Christ suffered innocently caused our guilt and sin. Therefore we can comfort ourselves with his innocence against sin and all misfortune. For such innocence is an indisputable testimony that we enjoy his suffering, and that the pious Lord and gracious Savior has suffered and paid for us. But of such we shall have cause to speak further, when we bring him to the cross and between the two murderers; let us now proceed to the other point.
(9) St. Paul exhorts Timothy in the first epistle of the 6th chapter. V. 13. 14. with these words: "I command thee before God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ JEsu, who testified a good confession under Pontio Pilato, that thou keep the commandment," that is, the doctrine, "without spot, blameless, until the appearing of our Lord JEsu Christ."'
(10) This saying, because it clearly indicates the confession of Christ before Pilate, and Paul thereby so nobly and seriously admonishes Timothy, gives us cause to consider such a confession, what it is and what it serves. Now it is clear from history what Christ confessed. For when the Jews accused him of having made himself king, and Pilate confronted him, he did not deny it, but confessed freely, saying to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world," "My kingdom is not from hence. When Pilate asked again, "Are you still a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king.
King, I was born for this purpose, and to come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth; and he who is of the truth hears my voice."
(11) Here you may think, What does this add to the exhortation which Paul gives to Timothy, that he should keep the commandment, that is, the doctrine, pure, and not counterfeit it? Answer: A great deal, yes, all things together, depends on this one thing, that you, if you want to be a true preacher or Christian, believe both things that Christ has confessed, namely, that he is a king, and yet his kingdom is not of this world, that he does nothing more in this world than bear witness to the truth. For from this it follows that as this king is, so must his subjects be here on earth. He has the name that he is called a king; but whoever wants to esteem him against worldly kings, against Herodem, or Pilatum, who was even lower than Herod, must consider him a poor beggar, a hard-suffering, miserable man. Herod is a great lord, who is resplendent, seeks all kinds of pleasures, has what his heart desires, and is held glorious by all the world; likewise Pilate and others are glorious before the world. But the pious, poor Christ is a beggar in comparison; they mock and jeer at him according to their pleasure; they condemn him to death, crucify him, and strangle him; therefore he well says, "My kingdom is not of this world."
But why does he have the name of a king? Answer: He is a king, but in another world. His kingdom is not giving money or goods, satisfying the body and doing other things that worldly kings do, but giving the Holy Spirit, forgiveness of sins and eternal life. He starts such a kingdom here on earth, but only in word and faith. Apart from this, it must have suffered and died here on earth, as our King himself suffered and died.
013 He that knoweth this manner of this King and of his kingdom giveth himself willingly under the cross. For he not only knows that his Lord Christ, the eternal King, also suffered in this way, but is therefore willing and ready to suffer, because the servant
426 L. 2, W-98. Explanation of several pieces from the Passion History. W. xm, 998-1001. 427
He is not better off than his Lord, but he also takes comfort in the fact that even though he has suffered here, there will be joy and glory there for eternity. This makes Christians courageous, even in the midst of temptation and sorrow. Others, on the other hand, who do not know this, have no choice when things go badly for them, but to mourn, complain, grumble, be impatient, and ultimately even despair.
14 For their thoughts are thus: If God meant well with you, he would not let so much misfortune come to you, or would soon help and save again. Such thoughts are basically nothing else, as if Christ should be a king of this world. They should, according to their office, protect life and limb and property, and keep them from misfortune. Thus Christ, the king, lets body and property, life and everything come in motion.
15 Thou shalt learn that it is because his kingdom is not of this world. Here on earth thou shalt not enjoy thy Christian faith, that thou mayest have all things, and lack nothing. For look at your King, the Lord Jesus, how is he? Wherewith doth he glory? What good life hath he? How glorious is he held? Is it not true that with him there is nothing but suffering, mockery, and scorn, and a shameful death?
(16) He has one small part where he rules with very few people, namely, with the testimony of truth, that is, with the holy gospel. Through it he gives the Holy Spirit into the hearts, he forgives sin and gives the hope of eternal life. But all this remains only in faith and word, it is not seen, it is not grasped, it is not before the hand, but in hope. But when the kingdom of the world ends and we are no longer here on earth, then his kingdom and glory shall be revealed in us, so that we may live with him forever and rule over all that is in heaven and on earth.
(17) In this way the one thief recognizes the Lord on the cross, saying, "Lord, remember me when you come into your Father's kingdom. He saw Christ hanging there on the cross, just in the sorrow, when he was in
was. The other thief on the left was annoyed by this, and began to mock the Jews, saying, "You are such a good king," thinking that because the dear Lord was so miserable and poor here on earth, there was no hope for him. But he who is at his right hand knows him well, what kind of king he is, namely, not a king of this world, and asks, when he comes to his kingdom, that he will remember him, that is, that he will help him, when he has died on the cross and has given up his spirit. So we should also believe in Christ, then we will find certain comfort in him.
18 All Christians need this comfort, so that in all kinds of misfortune and adversity they will always keep this confession of Christ before Pilate, and often repeat this word to themselves: What wilt thou weep for? What will you complain about this and that accident? Remember, what kind of a king do you have? How does he speak before Pilato? My kingdom is not of this world. Would you have your kingdom here? By no means; it would not endure; but here it must be thoroughly suffered. But glory and good life shall be found in another world. If it were found here, it would be a short and fleeting joy. For in this world here is nothing lasting nor eternal. But my King Christ Jesus is a King in that world, that is, an eternal King, there we want to save our joy and glory, and here on earth take it for good, as they do us. For we are not destined here by our King; he will have nothing to do with the world and this temporal life here apart from the testimony of the truth 2c. This comfort, I say, is needed by all Christians, but especially by those who are in the ministry and preach the word.
19 Therefore St. Paul exhorts Timothy with these very words of Christ's confession before Pilate to hold fast to the right doctrine and not to allow it to be falsified. For since the world and the devil cannot tolerate the word and do all kinds of evil against it, every preacher should and must hold to this testimony and declare Christ to be such a king.
428 2.2. ss-iW. Explanation of several pieces from the Passion History. W. xm, ivvi-1004. 429
that he may be comforted and enjoy it, but not here on earth. For thus he saith, "My kingdom is not from hence." And again, "I am a king; I am come into the world for a testimony of the truth." Therefore, whoever desires to have the King Christ, let him hold fast to the truth or to his word, and know that he will have no more of his kingdom here on earth; indeed, he will still have to suffer all the misfortunes over the word, as the King Christ himself suffered. But when this life is ended, then the kingdom of the Lord Christ shall be enjoyed.
(20) The pope and the bishops have not held to this comfort; they do not want such a king, who has nothing more than to testify to the truth; they say with Pilate, "Oh, what is the truth? we would have to go begging for it; therefore we want to have another king, who will give us money, goods, honor, authority and everything enough, let this king and the truth stay where they want. But Paul warns against such evil, and every pious preacher should take such a warning seriously, and put it on his mind: Here on earth we are not to be glorious; all our glory is to bear witness to the truth. Then the world will reward us, as it did the Lord Christ, with the gallows and the executioner. Learn to endure and bear this, and set your heart and hope on it, that though you suffer here, yet in the world to come such suffering will be well repaid and recompensed by the eternal King, the Lord Christ. This is enough of the testimony before Pilate in a nutshell.
(21) Now we must also consider the third, how Pilate and the Jews hold the blood of our dear Lord Christ in such low esteem, but finally it becomes an unbearable and eternal burden to them.
22 Matthew specifically reports that Pilate washed his hands before the people and said, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. He is satisfied with this and has Christ crucified. Just as if it were enough for him to say that he was innocent. But if he had wanted to take warning, his wife could have told him how innocent he would be,
as reported above in the history, had suffered much the whole night, that God had revealed to her what a severe judgment and sentence Pilate would cause upon himself and all his own by this death.
(23) But the blood of the Lord Christ and of his Christians is always like this. Old Herod strangled the innocent children around Bethlehem. His son strangled Saint John the Baptist. And both of them thought they would enjoy such murder. Pilate here also does not respect it very much that he sentences Christ to death. As he thinks of it, so, he lets himself think, God will also think of it and consider him innocent. But without a doubt, God's wrath will not have remained long, so that Pilate's house, tribe and name will be destroyed, and then body and soul will be cast into hell and eternal fire. There he learned how innocent he had been of this blood.
024 But the Jews are still more reckless about this murder. When Pilate saith, "Watch ye!" they go forth without all timidity, and say, "His blood be upon us and upon our children;" that is, if he be wronged, it shall be upon us and upon our children. Soon it is spoken, and afterwards it goes out to them as before, it seems as if it were spoken into the wind; but before forty years had passed, they saw that it would become another, and then such blood rose up so violently that shortly Jerusalem and the whole land were laid waste, the people slain, and all things turned back together. But this was not enough: even today, almost fifteen hundred years later, they are still in misery, have nowhere to live, and it is a small thing that they are so miserable according to the times.
(25) Hearts are embittered against the Son of God, with whom they should seek and wait for forgiveness of sins and eternal life; they have a desire for lies and error, they seek diligently, as they obscure the Scriptures for themselves, and cannot come to the right understanding. If they want to think they are calling upon God, they are serving God, they are serving the wretched devil, and God does not want to hear them.
430 L. 2, 100-102. How to carry out the Lord Christ. W. XIII, 1004-1007. 431
And finally nothing is more certain, because they do not want to be freed from sins by the Son of God, that they must die in their sins and perish eternally. At that time they did not see such misery, they thought it would be their best if Christ would only be seasoned soon. Therefore, without any further thought, they said, "If he is wronged, it will be on us and on our children. But just as Judas had a short time of joy with his thirty pieces of silver, so it soon became different with the Jews, that from day to day all their character decreased, until at last they perished altogether.
(26) Therefore, the great kings and princes in particular should consider this example, that it is such an easy, small thing for Pilate and then the Jews to shed innocent blood, but it finally pushes them down into the abyss of hell.
27 Our bishops with their idol, the pope, where they can become powerful of a pious, faithful priest and pastor, they hurry to the fire and raven stone, then let themselves think that they have founded it very well; they have a wrestling courage for it with Pilato and the Jews. But it is not yet the end of all days; see how it will end. For it is impossible for God to remain silent for long. The blood cries out too loudly in his ears that he must make himself heard and punish himself.
Pilate went down, without doubt that not one man of his name and tribe remained behind him. The Jews still carry the blood of Christ today, which will finally push them down into hell. The great and mighty emperors, the mighty princes in the Roman Empire, and everywhere else that has ever been set against the Christians, everything is miserably corrupted and dead. So shall it be with the enemies of Christ this day, who act so tyrannically and strangle the poor Christians for the sake of the gospel. Only no one should worry that the punishment will not be inflicted. If they were as powerful as Emperor Augustus, they would have to go down with all their descendants if they tamper with innocent Christian blood. Now they may well consider us heretics and think they are doing the right thing by strangling us. But Pilate, and especially the Jews, thought so too, but it did not help them. Therefore, let everyone take care of himself and be satisfied with the blood of the Christians. In the beginning it seems to be a bad sin and a small trade; but in the end it turns out that everything that is defiled with Christian blood must go to the ground, as all histories testify. May the almighty God ward off all tyrants, but graciously pacify His Church, and graciously preserve us in His Word and make us eternally blessed. Amen.
The ninth sermon.
How one carries out the Lord Christ, Simon carries the cross after him, and the women who go with him weep.
Luc. 23, 26-31.
And as they led him away, they took hold of one, Simon of Cyrene, who came from the field, and laid the cross upon him, that he might bear the cross after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of people and women, mourning and weeping over him. But JEsus turned to them and said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the time is coming when it will be said: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the breasts that have not suckled. Then they will begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills: Cover us. For if this be done to the green wood, what shall become of the dry?
4328.2, 102-104. How to carry out the Lord Christ. W. xm. 1007-1010. 433
1 These two stories took place when the Lord Christ was led out of Pilate to be judged. And all four evangelists commemorate Simon of Cyrene at the same time, no doubt because it was not a harmless trade, as it is seen, but was ordered by God out of special counsel, so that at the very time when Christ was to go to his suffering, such an example would be presented to all Christians, by which they would learn how they should fare here on earth, so that they would have to help the Lord Christ carry the cross, as Simon did here.
2 The good, pious man knows nothing of the trade that the Jews have in the city, but goes, according to his need and opportunity, into the city, there to carry out what he needs. As the Lord and the other two murderers were led to meet him, and the Lord, because of his weakness, could not leave with the cross that had been placed on him and was undoubtedly quite heavy (since a grown strong man was supposed to be nailed to it), the soldiers ran in and forced poor Simon to take the cross or the tree where Christ was to be commemorated and carry it to the place of election.
This seems to be a harmless trade, but, as I said, it is an image of all Christians, which God wanted to present to His Church at that time, when the Son of God Himself suffered, so that the common offense, which deceives us all, would be reduced. For as soon as God comes with the cross, attacking you in the body, in the goods, with evil children or otherwise, our hearts fall away, so that we conclude that God does not mean well with us; if He loved us, He would probably deal with us more kindly; but because He lets us be so pressed, afflicted and battered, we fear that it is an indication that He is angry with us and does not want to be merciful to us. This image stands here against such annoyance, that first of all the Son of God himself carries his cross, and carries it so heavily that he almost falls to the ground under it and can go away badly. Notice this well. For the calculation is soon to be made, as will follow hereafter: if this happens to the green, fruitful tree, it will happen to the dry and unfertile tree.
fruitful tree shall not nor can fare otherwise.
4 Secondly, you see how the good Simon comes to this from other people's debts; if he had not come to this just when Christ had to carry his cross, he would not have carried a cross all his life. But then he must repay the Lord Christ; because Christ carries the cross, he must also bear it. Notice this. It will never be any different with the Christians here in this world; they must bear with Simon and carry Christ's cross.
5 Now it is no less true that even if God allows the wicked a time, and lets everything happen to them that they desire and love, the punishment is not always absent; they also have to endure here on earth, and suffer that now here, now there is a bump, and does not always want to go on with them; as the 32nd Psalm says v. 10: "The wicked has much trouble, but he who hopes in the Lord will receive goodness. As we see in examples such mightily. The godless Pharaoh with his Egyptians had to suffer fiercely and hard. So the Jews in the desert and afterwards in the land of Canaan, how many misfortunes, tribulations and sorrows they had to endure, until finally the ten tribes were completely devastated by the Assyrians, and for a while afterwards the tribe of Judah also had to suffer, and the whole country was conquered by the Babylonians. But it is unnecessary to introduce many examples. Just consider what you have experienced and learned for yourself and for others. For it is inevitable that where one does not fear God and lives contrary to His word and will, it is impossible that punishment, fear, misery and hardship will not eventually follow.
(6) But you must learn to make a distinction here with this Simon between the Holy Cross and the well-deserved punishment and plague of the wicked. It is no wonder that wicked men have it bad; they would rather not have it. If a thief would stop stealing, he would be safe from the gallows and the executioner. If a man or a woman let go of their fornication, they should remain in good, honor and health. But because one does not want to be unburdened and continue in sins, he punishes them.
434 D. 2, 101-106. How to carry out the Lord Christ. W. XIII, 1010-1012. 435
God with poverty of goods, with shame, with Frenchmen and all misfortune. The wicked people do not want it, they do not want it better, through their sin and unrepentant life they give cause to all their misfortunes and promote them, yes, they force and drive God, who would like to be merciful and give everything good, that he must be angry, strike into the heap and ward off sin. Therefore Peter, 1 Petr. 4, 15. says: "Let no one among you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or one who takes hold of another's office." Make this distinction, then, so that not all suffering is called and is a cross; for what the wicked suffer is a punishment and deserved reward and not a cross.
7 For the cross is called, when the Christians come to it, as here Simon: he does not carry his cross, but the cross of the Lord Christ, and must pay for the Lord Christ; he comes to it from other people's debts and undeserved. If it had not happened immediately that he had come to meet the Lord Christ, he would have been left alone; but he must pay for it, because he comes just now, when Christ is to be crucified. So should the suffering and cross of Christians be, that they suffer, as Peter says, not as thieves and murderers, but as Christians, that is, for the sake of the Lord Christ, his word and confession. For although all Christians must recognize themselves as poor sinners, and know that through sin they have earned all misfortune, and more than God sends them here on earth, yes, they alone recognize their daily failings, weakness and transgression (for the punishment proper to sins is not this or that temporal misfortune, but eternal death), nevertheless their suffering is not called a punishment for sin, but a right holy cross.
(8) For the evil enemy and the world are not hostile to them because they are sinners, stumbling and falling here and there. Nay, both the devil and the world would well suffer and be content with them; but for the word and faith that they set their hope in the Son of God, take comfort in His death and resurrection, fear God, and desire to live according to His will;
They desire that through their confession others may also come to faith and the knowledge of Christ; neither the devil nor the world can suffer this. For this reason, Satan afflicts Christians everywhere with sickness in the body, as St. Paul himself complains: Satan's angel beats him with fists and spears him; in the conscience and in the heart with sadness, melancholy, terror and the like, yes, sometimes also with damage to property, through weather, hail, fire, as can be seen in Job. But what the world does to this is evident, especially in our own day, when poor Christians are treated so miserably and wretchedly.
(9) That is, to bear the cross of the Lord Christ, as Simon did. No doubt he was also a poor sinner, but what is that to the soldiers? With them he does not pay for it, but he must pay for the fact that Christ is there and cannot leave with his cross; he must have someone to help him carry it. So, even though you are a poor sinner, you recognize how you have acted against God here and there; nevertheless, because you believe in Christ, all crosses and suffering do not come from such sins in the first place; the devil and the world do not punish you for them. It would be their pleasure and joy if you were even with them, and not with God and His Word. The Lord Christ, his word and your faith must be repaid first and foremost and you must suffer for it.
(10) This is the first thing we are to learn here, that Simon bears the cross of the Lord Christ. It serves primarily as a consolation, and makes the hope of salvation and help finely certain, and inspires us to prayer. For those who only want to see, when they are lying under the cross and in misfortune, that they are sinners and well deserve such punishment, such thoughts will make them cold and lazy for prayer. For sin always causes hearts to be frightened, anxious and fearful, and to be unable to provide anything good for God or to comfort themselves. But whoever looks at the real main cause, why the devil and the world are so bitterly hostile to us and heap all misfortune upon us, will have to confess it because of our sin.
436 2 , 106-108. How to carry out the Lord Christ. W. xm, 1012-1015. 437
They are not hostile to us because of this; they would like to, they deal with it for and for, whether they could bring us into all sin and disgrace; that would be their air and joy. But this moves them against us, therefore they are primarily hostile to us, and do harm where they can, so that we have God's word before our eyes, confess the Lord Jesus, put our trust in God's goodness and grace, and desire to live according to His will and in His fear. This is the reason and origin of such hatred and envy.
(11) Therefore know this, and do not deny that you are a poor sinner, and that you have earned all misfortune. For God is wont to punish sin even in His own; as Peter says, "Judgment sings at the house of God." Therefore, say, Satan and the world are not hostile to me; they would suffer me to be in sins without all repentance, like a sow in dung. What then is the matter? For the sake of the man who bears the cross here, that I believe and confess him for my God and Savior.
If this is true, what should I do now? Should I despair? Certainly not. I shall have certain hope: though I am a poor sinner, yet this I am sure of, that I must suffer for the Lord Christ's sake, that he will not leave me stranded; he will graciously help me. And as I suffer for his sake, so he wills that I should come to grace and be glorified for his sake. But that I may open my mouth confidently, and cry out, saying, Lord, I am a poor sinner, and have deserved far more in my disobedience to thee than I now suffer: but behold the opinion of the wicked enemy. He is hostile to you and your name; therefore, because I had the same, I take comfort in your word, I hope for mercy because of your merit and death, he is also hostile to me. Dear Lord JEsu Christ, avenge your name on him, and help me for your name's sake 2c. With such thoughts the heart is finely quickened, and to pray confidently and courageously. That is why the holy prophets also prayed in such a way and always insisted on the name of God; as David says in the 44th Psalm, v. 23: "We will pray for the name of God.
strangled daily for your sake, and are esteemed like sheep for slaughter."
013 Now therefore let this be said of him, that Simon must repay the Lord Christ with the soldiers, and bear his cross; that thou mayest know the difference between the cross of Christians, and the punishment of sins of unbelievers.
14 Second, notice that Simon does not bear the cross of the Lord Christ alone, but he is compelled to do so. For if it had been up to him, he would have gone his own way and would have asked little about where Christ was staying with his cross. But the soldiers seize him and force him against his will to carry it.
15 This is also a fine little piece, where one can learn what is a cross or not a cross. Monks and nuns (who are serious about it) lead a hard life, and let it get very sour. But such is not called Christ's cross, which Simon carries. Cause, they put it on themselves, without God's command, by their own choice. The Anabaptists almost do the same; but as the saying goes, "What one likes to do comes easily. So one can also say of such suffering: Because they put it on themselves and could well do it, it cannot be particularly painful. But where one has to do it and does not like to do it, it comes on sourly and heavily; as the Lord Christ also says to Petro, John 21:18: "When thou wast younger, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst where thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and lead thee where thou wouldest not." For as perfect as Christians always want to be, flesh and blood cannot do otherwise than shrink back from the cross, fear it, and flee from it.
(16) That is why this one has the name Simon, which in his language means one who lets himself be told and follows. For this is a right obedience, where one would gladly be overridden by this or that, and yet willingly gives himself up to it; one follows and allows himself to be led, because one sees that God wills it so. All true Christians have such a name, that they are called Simon. For although flesh and blood would like to have peace and
438 L. 2, 108-110. How to carry out the Lord Christ. W. XIII. 101S-1018. 439
If they would gladly be subjected to suffering, they still follow, they let themselves be told, and they give themselves into God's will, and help the Lord Christ to carry his cross.
(17) Thirdly, we must learn to distinguish between Simon and the Lord Christ. Simon carries the cross of the Lord Christ to the place of election, then he goes away; but Christ hangs on the cross and dies on it.
18 This is the real difference between the suffering of the Lord Christ and our suffering. We do not earn forgiveness of sins with our suffering; only the suffering of our Lord Christ belongs to this; he alone is the right sacrifice and God's little lamb, who pays for all the sin of the world and does enough, therefore he hangs on the cross. But Simon alone walks under the cross, that is, the cross we bear serves to weigh down the old Adam and to increase sin. But that sins may be forgiven, this alone is the work and merit of our Lord Christ.
(19) So see, your love, how this Simon is an example of all Christians who must bear the cross of the Lord Christ, but because of such bearing their sins are not forgiven them. The old Adam is fed with it, so that he does not become too wanton. But if the cross is to help to forgive sins, it must not be carried by Simon, but Christ must hang on it and die on it. And this is the reason that Simon goes out unharmed. For through Christ's death we are set free from death and come to eternal life. As this is shown in detail in the other history, which we will now discuss.
020 Lucas saith, When the LORD was carried out at Jerusalem, certain women followed him, mourning and weeping over him. But the Lord turned and said that they should not weep over him, but over themselves and over their children; for the time will come when they will say that this is a blessed woman who has no child, and will go, as Hosea says, that they will wish the mountains to fall upon them and cover them. But the cause of such an accident is: If one deals with the green, fruitful tree in such a way, one will be destroyed with the
The way we deal with the scrawny, barren tree is even worse.
(21) Such a sermon, though it is preached to the Jews as it was, is primarily intended to teach us the proper use of the suffering of our dear Lord Christ, and first of all to recognize sin as a terrible burden, since the Son of God Himself must die for our sins, and then to comfort ourselves against sin through such suffering, since the Son of God paid for it on the cross and has done enough.
First of all, the Lord makes a distinction between Himself and the Jews, and is well pleased with such a distinction. He compares himself to a beautiful, young, fruitful tree that should be bought into a garden, not to mention that it should be cut down and thrown into the fire. And yet this happens. God has him cut down, that is, he now has him led to the gallows, where he shall be judged as another transgressor, and yet he is a good, juicy, beautiful, fruitful tree. He is without all sin, he walks along perfectly in obedience to God, and what he speaks and does is noble, delicious fruit; all pleases God well, all benefits us. In sum, it is all grace, life and blessedness that is in the Lord Jesus. In contrast, he compares the Jews to an old, rotten, barren, unfruitful tree, which does no more than wander in the garden, and is good for nothing, except to be cut down and thrown into the fire. and throw it into the fire. For they did not heed the word of God. John preached, but without fruit; they said he had a devil. Christ, the Son of God himself, preached with his apostles, but they did not want him either, calling him a winebibber and saying he had a devil. They therefore seized upon him with such bitter hatred and envy that they could not rest until they brought him from life to death. And nevertheless they went away thinking that they had Moses, the law and the outward service of God in Jerusalem in the temple, as if they were vain living saints and sat in the bosom of God.
- now the bill is soon to be made.
440 L. 2, 110-112. How to carry out the Lord Christ. W. XIII, 1018-1020. 441
If the Son of God, who is like a beautiful, fruitful tree, suffers such a harsh judgment, it will be far, far worse for the barren trees, the horrible, great sinners. The Lord wanted the Jews to recognize this now, not to continue in such sins, but to learn from him, who suffered innocently, to fear God's wrath and to escape from it through righteous repentance. But such a warning was of little avail; the dry tree could no longer bear fruit, and must therefore be burned in the fire; as history testifies, that an excellent, severe judgment on the Jews followed safely in forty years after Christ's death, and the whole country was devastated by the Romans because of such sin. Therefore they should have wept over themselves and not over Christ, recognized their sin and repented, as the Lord warns and admonishes them here.
(24) But let this admonition also be told us. For we must all confess together that because of sin we are all like a barren, dry tree, where no good thing is, nor can come forth. What then is fitting that we should do? Nothing else, but weeping and crying for forgiveness against God, and resisting the evil, sinful nature and disorderly lusts with earnestness and not letting go of the bridle. For there is the verdict: because the fruitful tree is in such bad shape and God allows such hard suffering to come upon His dear Son, that we should not be safe, but recognize sin, fear God's wrath and ask for mercy and forgiveness. We are not to laugh, walk in leaps and bounds, and be without all care, as the world is wont to do, when it neither sees nor knows such judgment of God. We should weep and grieve from the bottom of our hearts that we have been so corrupted by sin and have become a barren tree.
(25) This is the first thing we should do, and especially learn from the passion of Christ, that we should fear God and His wrath for sins, and not let sin take hold of us. We should do this for our own sakes, for we are barren, dry wood, good for nothing in itself but the fire.
26 But the Lord teaches us one more thing here. We should weep for ourselves and for our children, but we should not weep for him, but laugh and be merry and of good cheer. For why does he suffer? He is a right, good, fruitful tree and does not deserve such harsh judgment, but he suffers for our sake. And now, on this journey, it is his duty to carry out his priestly office, and not only to pray for sinners, but also to offer up his body and life at the altar of the cross, so that God may be satisfied by such a sacrifice, and the poor sinners may be released from God's wrath and become heirs of eternal life. Therefore, it grieves the Lord, because His suffering is so that we should weep for it; He wants us to be joyful, to praise God, to give thanks to His grace, to praise Him, to glorify Him, and to confess Him, because through such a course we come to the grace of God, are freed from sins and death, and have become God's dear children.
(27) But the one is as little in us as the other. We follow the ways of the world more than the warning and admonition of our Lord Christ. For our part, we should weep that we have been so corrupted by sin, and that we have such a heavy judgment and sentence before us. But no one's eyes are wet, and the deeper people are in the mud of sins, the more they are sure and happy; and as said above several times, their joy, air and life is that they have much cause to sin. A miser cannot get enough of miserliness; the more he can have accesses and advantages, the happier he becomes, and makes himself think that he has then done well. The same thing happens with other sins, with anger, fornication, envy, pride: no one worries about it, nor weeps; everyone has desire and love for it, and can be found willing. But how such things are advised to the Jews is plain to see. Then we should let go of such naughtiness, and on our account, as the Lord so faithfully warns now in his last, be sorrowful and unhappy. For sin must finally be punished with eternal death if one is not delivered from it.
- equal now as we did in the first not
442L. 2, 112,113. How Christ is nailed to the cross. W. XIII, 1020-1023. 443
No one weeps, no one laments because of his sins; so because of the Lord Christ no one wants to rejoice with all his heart. Money, goods, honor, and the like are pleasing to the heart, however little and insignificant they may be; and here, where there is nothing but grace, life, and blessedness, our hearts are almost dead, we have no longing, no desire, no heartfelt longing for them.
(29) Therefore, this sermon is easy and small for those who will listen to the words, but it is very difficult and impossible if we look at our hearts and sinful nature. For it is inborn in us that we turn back. When we should weep for our sins, we laugh; when we should laugh and rejoice with all our hearts that Christ died for us, and purchased eternal life for us, we weep. For either we pay no attention to such joy, before other worldly joy, which loves us more; or, where sin and God's wrath strike us right in the heart, we will and can
not let us be comforted. It does not enter our hearts that Christ says here, "Do not weep over me." We weep, lament, tremble, as if Christ had not died, as if he had not paid for our sin, had not satisfied God's wrath, and had not delivered us from the devil.
(30) For this reason, both parts require prayer. First, that God, through His Holy Spirit, may stir our hearts, disgust us with sin, draw us away from it, and ward off all certainty. Secondly, that He may kindle comfort against sin in our hearts and strengthen our trust in the Lord Christ's sacrifice and satisfaction; so that we may render God His right service, fear Him as poor sinners and stand in constant repentance, and trust in His goodness from the bottom of our hearts, as He does not mean us any harm, since He gave His only begotten Son to death and let Him die on the Cross as payment for our sin. May our dear Lord Christ grant this to us all, Amen.
The tenth sermon.
How Christ was crucified and what he did, suffered and said on it until he passed away.
Matth. 27, 33-56.
And when they came to the place called Golgotha, that is, the place of the skull, they gave him vinegar to drink mixed with gall: and when he tasted it, he would not drink. And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, and cast lots thereon, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: They have divided my garments among them, and upon my vesture they have cast the lot. And they sat there tending his. And at the top of his head they wrote the cause of his death, saying, This is Jesus king of the Jews. And there were two murderers crucified with him, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. And they that passed by blasphemed him, and shook their heads, saying: Thou that breakest down the temple of God, and buildest it in three days, help thyself. If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocked him, with the scribes and elders, saying: He has helped others, and cannot help himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He has trusted in God, who will now deliver him, let him be longed for; for he has said, I am the Son of God. In the same way the murderers who were crucified with him reviled him. And from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour cried JEsus aloud, saying, Eli, Eli, lama asabthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them, when they heard it, said: He calls to Elijah. And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and
444 L. 2,nL-ii5. How Christ is crucified. W. xm, 1023-1026. 445
put him on a reed and watered him. But the others said-. Stop, let us see if Elijah will come and help him. But JEsus cried out again with a loud voice and died. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were rent, and the sepulchers were opened, and many bodies of the saints that slept arose, and came out of the sepulchers after his resurrection, and entered into the holy city, and appeared unto many. But the centurion, and they that were with him, and kept JEsum, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, were sore afraid, and said: Truly this was the Son of God. And there were many women watching afar off, which had followed JEsu out of Galilee, and ministered unto him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Jacob and Joses, and the mother of the children of Zebedee.
(1) What happened at the cross is written by all four evangelists, but in such a way that sometimes one reports what the others have omitted. Therefore, before we come to the teaching that is presented to us here, we will first tell the story in this sermon, one after the other, as it happened.
2 When the soldiers brought the Lord to the place of the skull, where public evildoers were to be judged, they gave him vinegar mixed with gall to drink, as Matthew reports. But the word "gall" does not mean gall from living cattle, but a bitter and poisonous herb. With such a drink they forgave the people, as some think, that they died the sooner. But the Lord would not drink it; for he gave himself willingly to such death. So the word "gall" is written in Deut. 29, 18. Ps. 69, 22. Jer. 8, 14. and more.
(3) Then the soldiers immediately crucified him, and two malefactors with him, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
4 But the Lord Christ, as the right priest, who should now perform his office, prayed for those who crucified him and for all poor sinners, saying: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. This prayer, and the fruits it produced, we will hear from the thief. For this prayer was his gospel and sermon, from which he learned to recognize the Lord Christ, that he was the Son of God, and therefore hung on the cross, that he might pay for all the sin of the world, and after his bodily death with God,
*) forgive - poison. D. Red.
his Father, will live and reign forever.
5 Now the evangelists report that Pilate had an inscription made on the heads of the Lord Christ in three languages, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. Although this was done according to custom, so that everyone would know why people had been brought from life to death, and others would have been offended by it, it was in the special opinion of the Lord Christ to admonish the Jews, even then, when he was hanging so miserably on the cross, that they should not be offended by such a death, but should accept him as their king. But it was in vain. Therefore such an overwriting outraged them, that they addressed Pilatum about it: He should not write, the king of the Jews; but that he had said: He is the king of the Jews. But Pilate was displeased with them, and would not change the writing, for a perpetual testimony against the Jews, that they would not rest until they had brought their king to the cross.
6th After this act the soldiers of the Lord took Christ's garments, and divided them into four parts; for there were four of them. But the skirt, because it was unstitched, but knitted, they would not divide it, but loosed it. And John says that this was foretold in the Scriptures; he wants to give the impression that it did not happen by chance, but out of the special counsel of God and as an example to the church. For both are shown here, how first of all the world does not allow itself to be satisfied by the fact that it strangles Christians; it divides itself into its goods, as little as they are, and plunders them. As we see not only in the ancient histories, where Julianus and other despots and tyrants robbed the poor Christians of their goods.
446 L. 2, iis-117. How Christ is crucified. W. xm, 1026-1028. 447
But the examples are also before our eyes today, how tyrants and bishops may well suffer that their subjects, against their prohibition, eat meat, hear Lutheran (as they call it) preaching, receive the sacrament in both forms 2c.; for then they have cause to force them, to sell what is theirs, or to invade the goods, or they treasure according to their pleasure. But as they get rich or increase with such money, it is also evident that such unreasonable, exorbitant money eats up all that they have, and neither blessing nor happiness is left with them.
(7) But that the soldiers cast lots for the Lord's garment is undoubtedly due to the mobs and heretics. For the holy Scriptures are the garment which our Lord Christ put on, and in which he is seen and found. Such a garment is thoroughly woven and bound together in such a way that it cannot be cut or divided. But the soldiers who crucify Christ, that is, the heretics and the mobs, take advantage of it; they especially have this bad habit of wanting to have the whole garment, and persuade everyone that the whole Scripture agrees with them and is of their opinion. As we see today especially in the case of the devotees of the sacraments, who regard the words, "This is my body, this is my blood," as small words: It is only a single saying. On the other hand, they boast that the whole Scripture is full of sayings that Christ is no longer on earth but in heaven.
(8) This is the way of all the mobs: they form a special opinion without and apart from the Word; this opinion is always fluttering before their eyes, like a blue glass; what they see afterwards seems to them to be all blue and their opinion. But they are rogues, as Paul calls it, Eph. 4, where he admonishes, v. 14, that they should not let themselves be carried away by every wind of doctrine, by the roguishness of men. In Greek, the word "mischievousness" means to play with dice or to be crafty. For just as the rogues master the dice, it must bear them what they will: so also do the mobs and the fanciers with the Scriptures.
Everyone wants to have them whole, and need the cube for this. Now we have to go back to history.
009 And the Lord, hanging on the cross, seeth his mother, and his mother's sister, and John with them, and saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son. And to the disciple, "Behold, this is thy mother." At this there is great mockery from all ranks. The chiefs say: "He has helped others, now help himself, he is Christ, the chosen one of God". With such sharp, poisonous words they not only want to mock the Lord, but also to turn the people away from him, so that they will think nothing of him and will throw to the wind and despise all the miracles and sermons they have heard and seen, and consider him a blasphemer. The soldiers, when they were Gentiles and asked nothing of God, mocked him in another way, giving him vinegar as a drink of rennet, saying, "If you are the king of the Jews, help yourself." Finally, the one wicked man comes and blasphemes also, saying, "If thou art Christ, help thyself and us."
010 But the other thief punisheth him for this word. Well, he says, there is no fear of God in you! Thou shalt be in prison; thou shalt not be in heaven till two or three hours have passed. So you have been a bad boy all your life, even as I, and well deserved such punishment; would it not be time for you to consider yourself and your blessedness, and to leave such clumsy words idle? Beginning at such admonition, he turns to the Lord and says, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And Jesus answers him, "Verily I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise."
- But a terrible darkness comes, which was altogether unnatural and terrible; and the fear of death drives the Lord so that he cries out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Such things the Jews well understood; but so bitter and venomous were they, that they perverted such words unto him, saying, "Behold, now he calleth upon Elias; stop, let us see if Elias will come and help him!"
012 When Jesus therefore knew that almost all things were
448 2, 117-119. How Christ is crucified. W. xm, 1028-1031. 449
When the scripture had been fulfilled, he said, "I thirst. Soon the soldiers took a sponge filled with vinegar and put it around a Ysophen and held it to his mouth.
13 When Jesus had taken the vinegar, he said, "All is finished," as if to say, "The world and the devil have done as much as they were able; I have suffered as much as was necessary for the redemption of all men and as was prophesied in the Scriptures through the prophets; now it is finished. And cried with a loud voice, "Father, I commend my spirit into thy hands!" And when he had said this, he passed away.
14 Soon the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom, as a testimony that the right sacrifice had now been made to God, and that the law and the sacrifices of the law, which had only been a model for this sacrifice, were to come to an end. For the temple was built in such a way that first of all the people stood there to hear God's word and to sing and pray. After that, there was a difference, like the choir in our churches, where only the priests went in and arranged the service, with sacrifices and other things. This part was called the sacred, so that no one but the holy priests were allowed to enter. After that there was another difference, because the mercy seat was inside; this was called the holy of holies; such a chamber was distinguished from the holy with a curtain, into which no one was allowed to go, except only the high priest, and the same in the year only once, and sacrificed there for his and the people's sin. Now the evangelists say of this curtain that it was torn, as a testimony that such worship should all be over and come to an end; because now the true priest, the Son of God, offered up not the blood of cows or calves, but his own body and blood to God his Father for the sins of the whole world.
- Such a rupture of the curtain happened in a great earthquake, in which the rocks were torn apart and many saints' graves were opened, from which many saints' bodies rose after the resurrection of Christ and appeared to many in Jerusalem.
and have undoubtedly preached about Christ and given testimony that he is the Christ and the true Messiah. These have gone to heaven with the Lord Christ into eternal life, just as Enoch before him, and Moses and Elijah after the flood. For God has always wanted to preserve such hope of resurrection from death in His Church. But here, with the Lord Christ, it has happened in greater numbers.
016 Now the centurion that stood by the cross, and others, when they saw the earthquake, and other strange things, were afraid, saying, Verily this is the Son of God. And all the people who were present and watching, when they saw what was happening, they beat their breasts and turned back.
The gospel writers tell us that so much happened on the cross until the Lord died. But there is too much to be told in one sermon. Therefore, for this time, we will take no more than these two pieces before us: the first, why the evangelists include more Scripture than usual in the history of Christ's suffering; and the second, from the cross, why God inflicted such death on His Son.
(18) First of all, the fact that the evangelists have written so much about the whole history of Christ's suffering is because they want to counteract the annoyance that such suffering entails and that the disciples were particularly tempted by. For behold, not only the unbelieving Jews, but also the disciples of Christ themselves, are greatly vexed by the fact that Christ dies so shamefully and miserably. Both of their thoughts were: If he were Christ, he would again help up the decayed, miserable, troubled kingdom. As you can see, such thoughts remain in the disciples even after the resurrection, since Christ now wanted to go to heaven and leave this life on earth here. For just then at the Mount of Olives they asked him: "Will you at this time again establish the kingdom of Israel?
19When the Lord came into the hands of his enemies and was strangled on the cross, the hope they had for his glory fell.
450 8.2,ii9-i2i. How Christ is crucified. W. xm, 1031-1034. 451
have even gone away. As the two disciples who went to Emmaus freely confessed and said, "We hoped he would redeem Israel," as if to say, "It is finished; we hoped far otherwise than we now meet. The Jews fell even deeper into such distress. Because the Lord died so shamefully and would not save himself, neither miracles nor preaching helped; they considered him a deceiver and defied him: If he were the Son of God, if he should come down from the cross, they would believe in him. In sum, they both, the disciples and the Jews, although they were of different minds toward the Lord (the Jews were bitterly hostile to him, the disciples loved him dearly; the Jews rejoiced in his misfortune, the disciples were sorry and displeased about it); yet they both thought that it was now over with him, that he was not the true Messiah.
(20) But where did such a judgment and angry thought come from? Elsewhere (nowhere), because they had left the Scriptures out of sight and had not diligently meditated on the prophets. For it is written in the prophets that Messiah shall die and suffer, Isa. 53; it is written that he shall be counted as one of the transgressors, Isa. 53; it is written that his table companion shall betray him and sell him for thirty pieces of silver, Ps. 41, Zech. 11. It is written that the soldiers shall divide his garments and cast lots for his skirt, Ps. 22. It is written that when he complains of thirst, they shall give him vinegar to drink, Ps. 69. It is written that none of his legs shall be broken, but that his body shall be opened with a spear, Ex. 12, Zech. 12, 2c. If the disciples and Jews of the prophets had taken the scriptures before them and studied them diligently, they would not only have been unhappy about such suffering and death, but they would also have taken comfort from them and decided: Because this man is so, as the Holy Spirit prophesied beforehand through the prophets and in the Psalms, that he cannot lie nor be lacking, he must be the true Messiah. But since they leave the Scriptures out of their sight, they cannot help being astonished; it sweeps them away like a flood, so that they lose Christ altogether.
. Because the dear apostles have learned from their own experience what harm it has brought them that they have left the Scriptures and have not followed them, they therefore always refer to the Scriptures in history. As if they wanted to say: It seems ridiculous that this Son of God and the true Messiah should be the one who hangs so miserably on the cross, with whom the soldiers deal so mercilessly and do so much evil. But do not fret about it. See what the Holy Spirit has prophesied about Messiah through the prophets so long ago, and you will find in the work that this Jesus is the true Messiah, and that Messiah should not have had it any other way here on earth. For it is certainly true that he who does not abide by the word will not be able to resist even the slightest distress. The word alone must sustain us; otherwise it is absolutely lost with us.
(22) For this reason, everyone should flee these groups and enthusiasts as the devil himself, who lead us away from the Word and the Scriptures out of human thoughts, as the pope, the sacramental enthusiasts and others do. For this is called being led away from the rock onto a quicksand: the more one desires to stand there, the deeper one sinks, and it is impossible that one could finally resist falling. For God's word alone is the right, stable rock, on which one can certainly stand. Whoever then wants to go right, let him see that he has God's word. Therefore, when Christ speaks:. "This is my body, this is my blood," believe, and do not follow the deceivers who say: It is only bread, it is only wine. When Christ says, "He who believes in me shall never see death"; believe this, and do not follow the pope who directs you to the sacrifice of the Mass, to holy intercession, and to your works; then you can be sure of your cause, and you will be free from trouble.
Now we will also say a little about the other part, that the Son of God, our dear Lord and Savior, by God's special counsel, had to die on the cross, which was considered by the Jews to be the most annoying and ignominious death, and far, far more detestable than the gallows or the wheel with us. For this reason that,
452 L. 2, 121-iW. How Christ is crucified. W. xm, 1034-1036. 453
in the fifth book of Moses, v. 22, 23, 21: "If anyone has committed a sin worthy of death, and is thus put to death by being hanged on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall bury him that day; for a hanged man is accursed by God, lest you defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance."
(24) Whether God pronounces such a severe judgment on the hanged because of the future fall, that His Son Himself should be so seasoned; or because of the past accident, that man fell in disobedience to God in Paradise and ate of the forbidden tree, there is nothing special about the latter. This is the greatest and most necessary thing, that we should learn and realize that God curses all those who die on the wood. Because Christ also dies on the wood, it follows that he also became a curse and is called cursed. How then the devil and the world especially impose such a death on him, which is called a cursed death by God himself. But how this is to be understood, and whether we are to be comforted or angered by it, we will hear from St. Paul; for he acts on this very saying of Moses, Galatians 3, and says thus, vv. 13, 14: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, when he became a curse for us. For it is written: Cursed is every one that hangeth on wood: that the blessing of Abraha might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, and that we might receive the promised spirit through faith.
(25) Let us diligently consider this saying. Paul contrasts the two words, "curse" and "blessing," and leads us behind him to the promise made to Abraham, when God said, "Through your seed I will bless all the families of the world. For there we must conclude: If all the generations of the world are to be blessed through Abraham's seed, then all the generations of the world must be under the curse; otherwise what need have they of the promise of blessing? Again, such seed, through which the blessing is to come, must be the blessed seed alone, since God is not angry with it, but since there is only grace in it, and since God is not angry with it.
Now it is certain who this Abrahamic seed is. Now it is certain who this seed of Abraham is, namely, Jesus Christ, born of Mary the Virgin, the only begotten Son of the Father; he alone is full of grace and truth. All other people, from the first Adam to the last, are full of disgrace because of their nature, God is angry with them, he is hostile to them, there is no blessing but a curse with them. Cause, they are all sinners.
(26) But how is it to be done? The blessed seed of Abraha is hung on the wood, because God has said about it: Cursed are all those who hang on the wood; therefore it is no longer called the blessed seed, but the cursed seed. As Paul says these things, "He has become a curse. Why is that?
We, because of our sin, are a curse and in God's disgrace. Christ, the only begotten, is full of grace and truth. Now how does he get the wood? Why does he throw himself under the curse of God? Why does he allow himself to be crucified? For our sake, says Paul; he became a curse for us, he bore God's wrath, and wanted to pay for our sin, so that we might come to blessing, that is, receive the Holy Spirit, be freed from sin and become children of God. For here it is as with a poor beggar who owes much and cannot pay; but another who is able takes him on, and becomes guarantor and debtor himself; he must pay what the poor man owes. As Paul very finely says, Rom. 8, 3.It was impossible for the law to help us from sin and death; therefore God helped us in such a way: He sends His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh (that is, God's Son became man, taking our flesh and blood), and God condemned sin in the flesh, through sin (that is, God absolved us from sins through His only begotten Son, who became a sin offering, and was to pay for sin, and thus bring the blessing of Abraha upon us who were under the curse); as Paul finely interprets himself, 2 Cor. 5, 21: "GOD made him who knew of no sin to be sin for us, that we might become in him the righteousness that is before GOD."
454 L. 2, 123-128. how Christ is crucified. W. XIII, 1036-1039. 455
28, So both are upon Christ: that he should become a curse, and after that a sin, that is, a sin offering, since all men's sin, and consequently the wrath of God and shameful death, lie upon him, for our salvation, that we may thereby be redeemed and set free. As John the Baptist therefore calls him a little lamb, that is, a lamb for slaughter and sacrifice, appointed by God to take away the sins of the whole world. And the Lord Himself says, John 12:32, "If I am lifted up, I will draw all things to Myself"; and John 3:14, 15: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so shall the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." And Paul says: He knows nothing, nor wants to know anything, except Christ crucified. For he was crucified for this cause, that he might sanctify, redeem, and justify us, who through sins, death, and the tyranny of the devil, should have abode and perished for ever.
29 Who then will resent the cross? Who will consider such death shameful? Who will not thank God from the bottom of his heart that his Son hangs on the wood and takes upon himself the curse that belongs to us because of our sins? He hangs there like a cursed man, to whom God is hostile, whom God puts to shame, distress and fear. This is done, says Paul, for my sake and yours, so that we may come to blessing. For if the curse were to remain on us, we would be deprived of blessing; but here comes the blessed Seed, and takes away from us the curse that is upon us, and the blessing that he has, he casts upon us. Because he wanted to become a curse for our sake, no other death was due to him than this death on the wood, since God's word preaches that it is a cursed death.
(30) Learn these distinctions well, so that you do not judge according to what you see with your eyes, but according to what the word of God tells you. According to outward appearance, the death of the Lord Christ is an ignominious death and, as God Himself calls such death, a cursed death; the wood in which He dies is a cursed, accursed wood. Why
but? Because all our sins are attached to it. For sin and curse, or God's wrath, and all misfortune belong together. Then Isaiah says: "Many will be angry with him, for his form is uglier than other people's, and his appearance than the children of men"; item: "We saw him, but there was no form that we could have desired him. He was the most despised and unworthy, full of heaviness and sickness. He was so despised that people hid their faces from him. Therefore we esteemed him nothing." Behold, this is the outward appearance, and it is impossible for reason to judge otherwise, because God calls him cursed who dies on the wood. The wood is cursed; he who hangs on it is cursed. The reason why he hangs on it is also cursed. For the curse belongs to sin; and the more sins there are on the Lord, the greater the curse.
(31) But what follows from this, that Christ, the blessed seed, should die an accursed death, and become a curse to us? Paul says in very good words that it happened because of this that the blessing of Abraha came to the Gentiles, and that we thus received the Holy Spirit. There is something else, because we can see with physical eyes. The eyes resent such a shameful death, cursed by God, but it is a blessed death for us, which takes the curse from us and brings God's blessing upon us. The wood, which in itself is a cursed wood, is a blessed wood to us, a noble, delicious altar, since the Son of God offers Himself to God His Father for our sin, and lets Himself be seen as the right, eternal priest, who therefore comes to the cursed wood and makes it a blessed altar for Himself, so that we may be freed from sin, come to God's grace and become His children.
That is why the ancient teachers had such fine thoughts about the cross and the cursed wood. There in paradise, they say, a beautiful tree caused us to fall into sin and death; here is an old, withered tree, yes, a cursed wood; but it causes us to be delivered from sin and come to eternal life. For there hangs the Son of God
456 L. 2.128-127. Of Christ's prayer on the cross 2c. W. XIII, 1039-1041.726-72S. 457
with outstretched arms as a testimony that he does not reject anyone, but gladly accepts everyone and, as he says in John 12:32, wants to draw all things to himself. His head stretches toward heaven and shows us the way to eternal life. His feet hang down below him and toward the earth; for he treads on the head of the old serpent that creeps on the earth, the devil, and takes away all his power. Because he, the dear Lord Christ, hangs there, and pays for our sin with his death and does enough; he becomes a curse for us: thus the devil loses his power.
walt, who has been given power over us for the sake of sin.
Therefore, let us learn here to know and praise the gracious will and heart of our Father in heaven toward us, who did not spare His Son, but gave Him up to death, and to the death of the cross, and made Him a curse, so that we might receive blessings, be freed from sins, receive the Holy Spirit, and through Him become the children of God and be eternally saved. May God grant this to us all, Amen.
The eleventh sermon.
From the prayer of Christ on the cross and the thief to the right hand.
Luc. 23:32-43.
And there were also brought two other malefactors, that they might be taken away with him. And when they were come to the place which is called the place of the skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors with him, one on the right hand, and one on the left. And Jesus said, Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do. And they parted his garments, and cast lots thereon. And the people stood and watched, and the rulers with them mocked him, saying: He has helped others, he helps himself, he is a Christian, the chosen one of God. The soldiers also mocked him and came to him, bringing him vinegar and saying: If you are the king of the Jews, help yourself. The inscription was also written above him in Greek, Latin, and Ezraic letters: This is the king of the Jews. But one of the malefactors who were hanged blasphemed him and said, "If you are Christ, help yourself and us. And the other answered and rebuked him, saying, And thou fearest not God, who art in like condemnation? And we are justified in this, because we have received what our deeds are worth; but this man has done nothing unjustly. And said unto JEsu, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And JEsu said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
The holy evangelist Lucas reports here two pieces that are excellently comforting. Therefore, although Matthew and the others have omitted them, we will include them, so that we may have the history of the passion of Christ in its entirety. The first is that Christ, when he was nailed to the cross and the cross was raised with him, begins to pray immediately and above all things, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." The other of the thief, who heard such prayer, and learned so much from it, that this JEsus of GOD
Son and the true Christian, therefore desires that he will not forget him when he enters his kingdom. Let us now take these two things before us, for they are very comforting and can never be sufficiently considered or explained by us. So it is necessary that we not only look at the works this man does and at his suffering, but also listen diligently to the words he preaches. For by this he explains his doings and sufferings, why he is there, and what he does.
- but above all we must do this
458 L. 2, 127-129. Of Christ's Prayer on the Cross 2c. W. XIII, 728-730. 459
Suffering is distinguished from all other people's suffering. Not only because of the person that Jesus Christ is the eternal God, through whom heaven and earth were created and all things were made, but also because of the cause of his suffering, and because of the benefit or fruit that follows from such suffering, and otherwise from the suffering of no man, angel, or other creature. For he suffers (as you have heard next) not for his sake, but for ours, that we through it might be delivered and set free from sin and death. We also hear this here in his words, which every Christian should take note of and keep in his heart as the highest treasure and consolation.
(3) For that he saith there upon the cross, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do; such words clearly testify, as he dwelleth in the air upon the cross, that he is in his right priestly office, and doeth his work, wherefore he came upon earth, not only with his suffering, that he offereth himself, but also with prayer. For both are priestly works, sacrifice and prayer. The sacrifice actually means that, as He said in John 17:19, He wanted to sanctify Himself for us, so that we would be sanctified in truth and right; item, John 10:12, that He would lay down His life for His sheep. You will find many more such sayings, all of which testify that His suffering is called suffering for us, not for Himself or for His own sake. He performs this work and sacrifice with such earnestness that he also asks the Father to forgive those who crucify him, not to punish sin but to remit it, so that everyone may see why he came to the cross and be comforted by it.
4 Therefore you should first learn from this prayer that our dear Lord Jesus is a priest, and that he performed his priestly office on the cross. For to pray for sinners belongs to the priesthood. If then thou askest what priestly adornment or garment or altar he had (since Aaron in the law had his special priestly adornment, which was an adornment for splendor), thou mayest look here at the cross; there he hangs naked and bare, full of wounds, and has
not a thread on his body. And nevertheless he directs his priestly office to the very best and most diligent, that he also prays for his enemies. Whether this is unpriestly, do not be offended. Because it has with this priest absolutely another opinion, as with the Mosespriests.
5 Thus you see how above his head is the inscription that he is the king of the Jews, as he himself publicly and clearly confessed before Pilate. Such a title also rhymes badly with the outward appearance. For instead of purple, his whole body is bloody and full of wounds and welts, and instead of a golden crown, he wears thorns smitten into his head. You find such a priest and king on the cross, of which the world is ashamed, despises him, does not want to think of him as king or priest; as Isaiah says: "We saw him, but there was no form that we could have desired him. He was the most despised and unworthy, full of pain and sickness. He was so despised that people hid their faces from him; therefore we regarded him as nothing." But let it be seen in the sight of the world and with carnal eyes, as one pleases, yet let it be to us the dearest, most beautiful, most blessed ornament, that this priest offered up his own body and blood there on the cross, in a dishonest, even in an unconsecrated and accursed place. For the oxen, cows, calves, which were offered in the temple, were offered on a consecrated altar. But Christ sacrifices Himself on an unconsecrated and cursed altar. Just as gallows and raven stones are still abominable, dishonorable oerters. For thus it is written in Moses, "Cursed be he that dieth on the wood."
(6) It is blasphemous and dishonest in the sight of the world that this priest should not be allowed the place for his sacrifice that cows and calves had. But it is all done for our sake and for our good, that we may learn that he has made a full and sufficient atonement for our sins, as also reported in the next sermon. For just as our sins could not be atoned for nor paid for except through this priest, who was the eternal Son of God, so this priest did not make any atonement for our sins.
460 L. 2.129-131. Of Christ's prayer on the cross 2c. W. xm, 730-734. 461
ner honest altar nor more delicious ornament can have.
7 But this does not hinder his ministry. He not only sacrifices his life and limb, but also prays for poor, ignorant sinners. Therefore we should take hearty comfort in this priest and his ministry. For just as he suffers, so he also prays, not only for those who were present at that time and laid their hands on him and nailed him to the cross (such would be interpreting Christ's prayer much too narrowly), but also for us.
(8) For they were servants and bondservants only to our sins. If your sins and mine had not nailed Christ to the cross, they would have had to leave him satisfied. But because Christ is here as the true priest and the little lamb of God, to pay for the whole world's sin with his sacrifice or death, this makes it possible for Jews and Gentiles to do violence against him. Therefore, when he prays for those who crucify him, he prays for all of us, who with our sins give cause for his cross and death.
(9) For this reason we should not look upon the gallows and the cross on which Christ suffered as anything other than an altar, where Christ offered up his life and carried out his priestly ministry by praying that we might be freed from sin and eternal death. For he that taketh away sin taketh away death also. Cause, death has no more power, where sin is gone; so also hell. This is what Christ, our only and eternal priest, accomplished on the cross, reconciling us to God without our works, through his own suffering, becoming a curse for us, dying on the cross for our sins, and finally interceding for sinners. Remember that you also thank him from the bottom of your heart.
10 In the papacy they also preach this. But regardless of the fact that the text is so clear and the story so true, that Christ sacrificed himself on the cross and suffered for us, they preach that we ourselves should be priests, that we should sacrifice ourselves, and that we should acquire eternal life by our own works. But our doctrine, that we teach that Christ, the one, right
Priests, have redeemed us from sins and earned eternal life, they curse and condemn as heresy.
(11) But is not this a pitiful bargain? Is this not an abominable wrath, blindness and punishment upon the ungrateful world, that the papists preach that Christ sacrificed himself for us on the cross, and yet they rage against us and shed innocent blood, because we teach such doctrine and point people to such comfort? This is called (as Isaiah threatens the despisers of the word of God) being blind with seeing eyes and not hearing with open ears, and having an obdurate, incomprehensible heart. Otherwise, how could it be possible that they should pay so little attention to this sacrifice, and besides that, take comfort in their own works, in indulgences, in a lousy monk's cap? Why do they not take comfort in the fact that Christ sacrifices his life and limb and prays for us, saying: "Father, here I am, a mediator between you and poor sinners; I die for them, I sacrifice myself for them, be merciful to them?
12 Our adversaries hear and see these things, and yet they still cry and rage against them, and condemn us as heretics. Well then, it is a terrible wrath of God, so may God mercifully protect us from it. But if he will ever let us fall, let us fall into such sin as we feel and confess, and not into that which is contrary to grace, and yet is adorned and praised for holiness.
(13) Therefore let us open our hearts, and look upon our priest Christ in his proper adornment. You will find no ornament in him under the eyes, for you can see how miserable and wretched he hangs there. But look into his heart, and there you will find such adornment and treasure that you will never be able to thank him enough.
14 For first of all, he is adorned with great, heartfelt obedience to his Father, so that in his honor he allows himself to be spit upon, scourged, and bruised. Such adornment is impossible for us to see here even in this life; but still, so much we can see that all the pearls,
462 L. 2, 131-133. Of Christ's Prayer on the Cross 2c. W. XIII, 734-736. 463
all the velvet and golden piece is nothing against it.
The other ornament is the great love for us, that the Lord takes so little notice of our life and suffering, and almost does not think of it, because our cause and need are so dear to him, and he prays for us rather than for himself. Who can sufficiently understand or grasp such love, that the Lord has such a heart towards us, so full of fire, that in his greatest suffering, torture and shame he stands as if he sees or feels nothing; but he only thinks, sees and cares about your and my misery, distress and heartache? This can ever be a great, serious love, that he lets himself be commanded to such an extent that he even forgets about his ride, harm and suffering. Just as it happens with children that father and mother run through a fire to save them. There the love is so great that the heart does not think of its own need, and only cares how the child is helped. In the same way, let us see, our dear Lord Christ's heart burns, so that through suffering, as through a fire, he tears through and saves us in all love and mercy.
(16) Now this is the proper adornment, since our high and eternal priest is adorned with it. Outwardly such adornment is not seen, but inwardly it is seen, as his words sufficiently testify.
(17) Therefore, in all things pertaining to suffering, we should look to the chief article, grasping it firmly, and not be deprived of the fact that Christ sacrificed himself for us, and has nothing so warmly in mind as that he should save us, reach out to us, and run after us through all suffering, as through a fire. We need this article not only to comfort us, but also to strengthen us against the devil's poison, which the pope pours into people and wants to bring them to heaven through their own righteousness, works and merit. But if we could have accomplished this with our works, why should Christ, the Son of God, have suffered? But now he stands here, offering his sacrifice, his own body and life, in all obedience and patience, and in addition asks his Father to be merciful.
and forgive. This is enough to show that we can do nothing of the kind by our works, for the forgiveness of sins is not so easy a matter as the papists think. It soon happens that you put on a cap, watch a lot, fast, sing, all this is still easy to do: but to receive forgiveness of sins, there belongs a far different and greater thing than your own works; God will hear you slowly because of your fasting, watching, praying; but so it is, as Isaiah says: "For our iniquity he was wounded, and for our sins he was bruised. He has borne the sickness of us all."
18 Now the papists themselves must confess that the suffering and death of the Lord Christ is something else than my prayer, my good works, my suffering, my almsgiving, and my fasting. Whoever then wants to put such things to sin, will achieve nothing. It takes another man, other works and merit, as Isaiah clearly says. But he that will exalt his own merit, and use it against sin, blasphemeth the death, sacrifice, and prayer of Christ: for he thinketh as much of his own sacrifice and prayer, as of the sacrifice and prayer of Christ. One should diligently guard against such abominations.
Nineteen Now the Lord does not pray evil in the multitude, but sets apart them for whom he prayeth, saying, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Will thus indicate two kinds of sinners. Some know that they do wrong, and yet they do it without any shame. This is called sinning against the Holy Spirit, when one persists in such knowing sin, does not confess it, does not desist from it, nor ask forgiveness for it; as our junk lords, the papists, are doing now. They know that our doctrine is right, that Christ has commanded the Sacrament to be received in its entirety, has not forbidden marriage, has not commanded anything about the Sacrifice of the Mass; and yet, for the sake of such things, they condemn us as heretics, and punish their subjects when they know that they need our doctrine and Sacrament.
20 These do not sin ignorantly. The-
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he nature of such sins is such that they cannot be forgiven, for they go directly against the forgiveness of sins, since one does not want to desist from them and confess them. For forgiveness of sins wants both, that one confesses the wrong and desists from it.
(21) The rest are sinners who sin ignorantly. Not as if David did not know that it would be sinful to take Uriah's wife and have him slain. He knows it very well. But sin and the devil drive and chase him so violently that he falls into such sin before he really thinks about what he is doing. Afterwards, however, he confesses, is sorry, would that he had not done it, and desires mercy.
(22) We all carry such sin on our necks, that we are easily and unawares carried away, and fall sometimes through fear, as Peter did, sometimes through imprudence and weakness, sometimes through presumption. Christ carried such sins with him to the cross and asked for them, because they are naked, mere sins that are not against grace, since one recognizes and confesses them and asks for forgiveness. Thus it is seen that often harlots and knaves, murderers and other wicked people come to grace; for they know that they have done wrong, and will not answer for it. Such confessed sins have the sacrifice of Christ between them and God; therefore God will not impute them to us. But those who knowingly and willingly do not want to do otherwise and still defend their sin, sin against the Holy Spirit and deny the grace of God. Christ does not pray for them here, but for those who do not know what they are doing and fall because of weakness. They should take comfort in this sacrifice and prayer, and know that their sins are forgiven. For this is what Christ asked for here, and it has certainly been heard; so we should not doubt it, but take comfort and rejoice in it.
(23) Let this be said briefly of the prayer of Christ on the cross, that he might show why he suffered, that these sinners, who sin ignorantly and are sorry, may have a gracious God for the Lord Christ's sake, who will forgive their sin.
Now let us look at the story of the right-handed thief. This is such a splendid example, the like of which cannot be found anywhere. For first of all, it is to be wondered at: the poor man cannot deny his sin; he knows that he has sinned and that he must suffer death because of his sins. For this reason he cannot boast of any good work or merit against God; as he says to his journeyman when he speaks evil of the Lord Christ: "We," he says, "are justified in such punishment, for we receive what our deeds are worth. This one, however, has done nothing unskilful." Here you hear what he confesses about himself, that he well deserved such an ignominious death. This is one thing to wonder at, that he has cause to fear God because of his sins; and yet, as we shall hear, he conceives the thought that he will yet enter God's kingdom.
(25) Secondly, it is also a great wonder that this one man does not allow himself to be challenged by the great offense that the whole council of Jerusalem, secular and spiritual, mocks the Lord Christ and blasphemes him. The rulers of the spiritual government said: "He has helped others, let him help himself, if he is Christ, the chosen one of God. The soldiers also said: "If you are the king of the Jews, help yourself. For the superscription was written over his head, "Jesus Nazarene, King of the Jews. So the one murderer who was crucified with him also said, "If thou art Christ, help thyself and us also." He did not say this because he wanted help, but because he wanted to mock Christ and thus ridicule him. In sum, all the world resents Christ hanging on the cross and thinks nothing of him. For the disciples themselves, though they stood by the cross for part of the time, had no more hope.
(26) But the poor murderer on the right hand tears through the trouble and is allowed to call Christ, who hangs next to him on the cross, a Lord and King. For this reason, he tells lies to the whole world, does not consider what other people think or say about him, and proclaims him to be an eternal king. For so
466 2.2, 135-138. of Christ's prayer on the cross 2c. W. xin, 73s-741. 467
his words are: "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom". He calls him a "Lord", and says that he has a "kingdom"; and desires, when he shall be in the same kingdom, that he should remember him. Now it was ever about the time that no one could reach the evening with his life. Therefore he believes that Christ is the Lord of another and eternal life. Let this be to me a great, excellent faith and a glorious confession, since otherwise all the world rejects Christ and thinks nothing of him.
27 Here you may think to yourself, "Where did this murderer get such abundant and clear knowledge that he recognizes and proclaims Christ as the Lord of eternal life, and from whom did he learn this? But there is no doubt that he learned it only from the prayer that the Lord made on the cross. In the prophet Isaiah, in the 53rd chapter, it is both indicated that the Messiah will suffer and be counted like the transgressors, and will bear many sins and pray for the transgressors. When such a thing is found on the cross, the pious Lord, who had done nothing wrong, hangs there between two murderers and begins to pray, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. For people do not speak to God in this way; Christ alone is able to speak to God in this way, and he has taught us to do so. Therefore, the thief concludes that he is the Son of God. And because he prays for sinners, he recognizes him as the true Christian. And no doubt these sayings of Jesus and other similar prophecies, which he may have heard in the church but did not understand, will have come to him here. He now sums them up, and the Holy Spirit makes such prophecies light and clear in his heart, so that he cannot hold on to them any longer; he must come out and confess with his mouth what he believes in his heart, saying: "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. As if to say, "You are the Son of God; here on earth you suffer for our sins and must die for our sins; but afterward you will rise again into an eternal kingdom, and be Lord over all. O Lord, remember
mine. I will gladly suffer death now, for I have well deserved it: only do not leave me when you come into your kingdom. Behold, such a rich knowledge of the Lord Christ this man draws from the short prayer of the Lord; this is the sermon in which he learns this art. Just as this murderer on the cross recognizes and confesses Christ, God wants to preserve His Christian church even today. Even if all emperors, kings, popes and bishops were to fall, God still wants to preserve a small group that will have His Spirit and confess Him before the world. If the disciples, along with others who are related to the Lord Christ, do not confess or believe, but deny out of fear and run away, then a murderer must come forth, confess this Christ, preach about him, and teach other people what to think of him and what to comfort themselves with; for our Lord God does not want to leave Christ without people, even if it is only a thief on the gallows or a murderer on the wheel.
28 Therefore this is a comforting history, since we first see what kind of people Christ has who come to him and to whom he wants to show all grace, namely, those who are sinners and confess their sin and ask for mercy; they will find grace and mercy. For just as he asked before, so he proves here by deed that he is there and wants to forgive sins. And now this is his first work, that he redeems and saves a scoundrel and murderer from sins and eternal death, so that one may be sure and not doubt, because he sacrificed himself on the cross, that this is not done for the sake of the saints and the pious, but for the sake of sinners. For it was for their sake that he came to call them to repentance and not for the sake of the righteous, as he himself tells us, Matth. 9, 13.
29 Therefore whosoever thinketh that he shall go to heaven a holy man, without all sin, is deceived. For he who does not want to be a sinner has no need of the Lord Christ, for he did not die for his own sake but for the sake of sinners.
30 Therefore, this history is to be taken as an example, since Christ with the deed
468L. 2, 138.139. Of Christ's prayer on the cross 2c. W. XIII, 741-743,726. 469
proves what he sought and obtained with his suffering, because he makes a murderer a saint on the gallows, and does not want him to remain in sins or to perish. But he does not do this because he is pleased with sins, or that we should remain and continue in sins. No, because he suffers for sinners, he does not want them to remain so, but to be pious and holy and to convert. As is seen here in the case of the thief, he turns back and accuses himself of his sins, but hopes that he will enjoy the Lord's mercy, so that his sins will not harm him in eternal life.
Thus he becomes a different man, and his death, which he deserved shamefully, now becomes a service to God, so that he no longer suffers as a murderer, but as a true saint. For he dies in true confession and heartfelt trust in the grace of God through Christ, and is heartily sorry for his sin; and if God left him longer on earth, he would never do what he did before. Such faith in Christ not only makes him a saint, but also brings him to paradise and eternal life; as the Lord Christ promises him: "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.
(32) We are to follow this example, and not think, as crude, ungodly people do: I will sin, that Christ may save me, and prove his grace upon me. No, not at all, but think: I was born in sins, I am full of filth and evil desires, therefore I must not begin to sin at all, so that I may boast that I am a sinner; I am a sinner before, I am ready for sins and death. For this reason, I will hold on to Him who paid for sinners through His suffering, and through His innocent death redeemed me from the well-deserved death I had long since been guilty of and reconciled me to God.
But whoever abuses such a sermon of grace, does not refrain from sins, does not confess them, nor does not want to be sorry, let him look at the other murderer on the left, the rulers of the Jews and the soldiers, and consider how they have been advised to do this and what they have earned with the unrepentant life. For if you want to enjoy the Lord Christ and his suffering and prayer, you have to follow the way of the other sewer, who confesses his sin, asks for mercy, and confesses the Lord Christ, that he is a Lord and King of eternal life. May our dear Lord Christ grant us this, amen.
*Good Friday. )
From the prayer of Christ on the cross and thief to the right hand.
Luc. 23:32-43.
And there were also brought two other malefactors, that they might be taken away with him. And when they were come to the place which is called the place of the skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors with him, one on the right hand, and one on the left. And Jesus said, Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do. And they parted his garments, and cast lots thereon. And the people stood and watched, and the rulers with them mocked him, saying: He has helped others, he helps himself, he is a Christian, the chosen one of God. The soldiers also mocked him and came to him, bringing him vinegar and saying: If you are the king of the Jews, help yourself. There
*The preceding eleventh sermon is in the Nuremberg and Wittenberg editions of 1544 with various changes. It may follow here in its entirety for the sake of more convenient reading. D. Red.
470 D. 2, i39-i4i. Of Christ's prayer on the cross 2c. W. xm, 726-730. 471
The inscription was also written above it in Greek, Latin, and Ezraic letters: This is the king of the Jews. But one of the malefactors that were hanged blasphemed him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. And the other answered and rebuked him, and said, Neither art thou afraid of God, who art in like condemnation? And we are justified in this, because we have received what our deeds are worth; but this man has done nothing unjustly. And said unto JEsu, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And JEsu said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Since the history of Christ's suffering is so rich that it cannot be fully described in a day or a week, we will therefore stick to these two pieces today, and first speak of Christ's prayer on the cross for his enemies, and then of the example of the pious thief. For one should not only look at the works that the man does, but also listen to his words that he preaches. For with them he explains his actions and suffering, why he is there and what he is doing.
(2) For this is to be above all things, that this suffering may be distinguished from all other men's sufferings. Not only because of the person that Jesus Christ is eternal God, through whom heaven and earth were created and all things were made, but also because of the cause of his suffering, and because of the benefit or fruit that follows from such suffering, which fruit no other suffering can produce. For he suffers, as you have just heard, not for his sake, but for ours, that we might thereby be delivered from sin and death. We see this also here in his words, which every Christian should rightly remember and include in his heart as the highest treasure and comfort.
3 For thus says Lucas: When Christ was crucified, and the evildoers with him, he said thus: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. These are short words, but very comforting. For we must look at Christ hanging in the air on the cross, that he may be in his right priestly office, and spend his work, for which he came on earth, also in prayer. For this is why He came, as He said in John 17:19, that He might sanctify Himself for us, that we might be sanctified in truth and right; item John 10:12, that He might lay down His life for His sheep. Such
You will find many more sayings, all of which testify that his suffering should be called suffering for us, not for himself or for his own sake. He performs this work and sacrifice with such earnestness that he also asks the Father to forgive those who crucify him, not to punish sin but to remit it, so that everyone may see why he came here to the cross and take comfort in this.
4 Now this is the proper priestly adornment of our dear Lord Christ, that he not only suffers, but also intercedes for sinners. Aaron in the law also had his priestly ornament, which was an ornament for splendor. But this priest's adornment is that he hangs there and has not a thread in his body. And yet he does his priestly work to the best of his ability and diligently, so that he may minister even to his enemies. He prays even for his enemies.
005 So there was a title above his head, saying, He is the king of the Jews. But whoever wants to know what kind of king he is, let him look at him diligently, and he will find that instead of purple his whole body is bloody and full of wounds and welts, and instead of a crown he wears thorns smitten into his head. We find such a priest and king on the cross, of which the world is ashamed, despises him, does not want to think of him as king or priest; as Isaiah says: "We saw him, but there was no form that we could have desired him. He was the most despised and unworthy, full of pain and sickness. He was so despised that they hid their faces from him; therefore we esteemed him nothing." But let it be seen in the sight of the world and with carnal eyes, as one pleases, yet let it be to us the dearest, most beautiful, most blessed ornament, that this priest offered up his own body and blood there on the cross, in a dishonest, even in an unconsecrated and accursed place. For the oxen, cows, calves,
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sacrificed in the temple were offered on a -consecrated altar. But Christ sacrifices himself on an unconsecrated and cursed altar. Just as gallows and raven stones are abominable, dishonorable altars. For thus it is written in Moses, "Cursed be he that dieth for wood."
(6) It is blasphemous and dishonest in the sight of the world that this priest should not be allowed the place for his sacrifice which cows and calves had. But it is all done for our sake and for our good, that we may learn that he has made a full and satisfactory sacrifice for our sin. Otherwise, at least people should have had compassion on him, as one sees when condemned people are executed: if someone can help a little with refreshment, with a friendly promise, then everyone is willing. But with Christ no one has such compassion: when he desires drink, they give him vinegar and myrrh; when he cries out to God for help, they pervert his words and mock him, saying, "He calls on Eliam"; so evil and unjust is he held.
(7) So should this priest's sacrifice be, that he should be considered the worst, most wicked man, and judged like other thieves and murderers, and yet the people are still so bitter that there is no pity nor mercy. In sum, all curses were to go upon him, and he was to be executed as never an evildoer, and to make his sacrifice in the most shameful place. For our sake all this happened, because our sins deserved it.
(8) Therefore, since he is in such distress and torment, he is more concerned about our distress than about his suffering. For you hear that he prays for us sinners rather than for himself, that God may be merciful to us and forgive our sin. Of such prayer, the epistle to the Hebrews reports in chapter 5, v. 7, that Christ offered up prayer and supplication in the day of his flesh, with strong cries and tears, to Him who was able to save him from death, and was also heard, because he honored God.
(9) We should take comfort in this suffering and prayer. For as he suffers, so
He also prays, not only for those who were present at that time and laid hands on him and crucified him, but also for us. For those were only servants and slaves of our sins. For if your sins and mine had not nailed Christ to the cross, they would have had to leave him satisfied. But because Christ, as the true priest and lamb of God, is here to pay for the sins of the whole world with his sacrifice or death, Jews and Gentiles have power over him. Therefore, when he prays for those who crucify him, he prays for all of us, who with our sins give cause for his cross and death.
(10) For this reason we should not look upon the gallows and the cross on which Christ suffered as anything other than an altar, where Christ offered up his life and carried out his priestly ministry by praying that we might be freed from sin and eternal death. For he that taketh away sin taketh away death also. Cause, death has no more power, where sin is gone; so also hell. This is what Christ, our only and eternal priest, accomplished on the cross, reconciling us to God without our works, through his own suffering, becoming a curse for us, dying on the cross for our sins, and finally interceding for sinners. Remember that you also thank him from the bottom of your heart.
11 In the papacy they also preach this. But regardless of the fact that the text is so clear and the story so true, that Christ sacrificed himself on the cross and suffered for us, they preach that we ourselves should be priests, should sacrifice ourselves, and by our own works earn eternal life. But our teaching that Christ, the only true priest, has redeemed us from sins and earned eternal life, they curse and condemn as heresy.
- But is not this a miserable bargain? Is it not an abominable wrath, blindness and punishment upon the ungrateful world, that the papists preach that Christ sacrificed Himself for us on the cross, and yet they rage against us, and shed un-.
474 D.2, 142. Of Christ's prayer on the cross 2c. W. XIII, 733-73S. 475
guilty blood, because we teach such doctrine and point people to such comfort? This means (as Isaiah threatens the despisers of the word of God) to be blind with seeing eyes and not to hear with open ears, and to have an obdurate, incomprehensible heart. Otherwise, how could it be possible that they pay so little attention to this sacrifice, and besides that, they should take comfort in their own works, in indulgences, in a lousy monk's cap? Why do they not take comfort in the fact that Christ sacrifices his life and limb and prays for us, saying: "Father, here I am, a mediator between you and poor sinners; I die for them, I sacrifice myself for them, be merciful to them?
13 Our adversaries hear and see these things, and yet they still cry out and rage against them, and condemn us as heretics. Well, it is a terrible wrath of God, so may God mercifully protect us from it. But if he will ever let us fall, let us fall into such sin as we feel and confess, and not into that which is contrary to grace, and yet is adorned and praised for holiness.
14 Therefore let us open our hearts, and look upon our priest Christ in his proper adornment. You will find no ornament in him under the eyes, for you can see how miserable and wretched he hangs there. But look into his heart, and there you will find such adornment and treasure that you will never be able to thank him enough.
(15) For first of all, he is adorned with great, heartfelt obedience to his Father, so that in his honor he allows himself to be spit upon, scourged, and bruised. Such adornment is impossible for us to see here even in this life; but still, so much we can see that all pearls, all precious stones, and precious stones are nothing compared to it.
The other decoration is the great love for us, that the Lord takes so little care of his life and suffering, and almost does not think of it, because our cause and need is so dear to him, and he rather asks for us than for himself. Who can sufficiently understand such love, or who can sufficiently
How can it be that the Lord has such a heart toward us, so full of fire, that in his greatest suffering, torture and shame he stands as if he sees or feels nothing; but he thinks, looks and cares only for your and my misery, distress and heartache? This can ever be a great, serious love, that he lets himself be commanded to such an extent that he even forgets about his ride, harm and suffering. Just as it happens with children that father and mother run through a fire to save them. There the love is so great that the heart does not think of its own need, and only cares how the child is helped. In the same way, let us see, our dear Lord Christ's heart burns, so that through suffering, as through a fire, he tears through and saves us in all love and mercy.
(17) Now this is the proper adornment, since our high and eternal priest is adorned with it. Such adornment is not seen outwardly, but inwardly it is seen, as his words sufficiently testify.
(18) Therefore, in all things pertaining to suffering, we should look to the chief article, grasping it firmly, and not be deprived of the fact that Christ sacrificed himself for us, and has nothing so warmly in mind as that he should save us, reach out to us, and run after us through all suffering, as through a fire. We need this article not only to comfort us, but also to strengthen us against the devil's poison, which the pope pours into people and wants to bring them to heaven through their own righteousness, works and merit. But if we could have accomplished this with our works, why should Christ, the Son of God, have suffered? But now he stands here, offering his sacrifice, his own body and life, in all obedience and patience, and in addition asks his Father to be merciful and to forgive. This is enough of an indication that we can do nothing of the kind with our works, for the forgiveness of sins is not as easy a bargain as the papists think. It soon happens that you put on a cap, watch a lot, fast, sing, all this is still easy to do: but forgiveness of sins, there belongs a far different and greater and more difficult trade.
476 D. 2, 142. Of Christ's prayer on the cross 2c. W. XIII, 735-739. 477
God is slow to hear you because of your fasting, watchfulness, and prayer; but as Isaiah says, "He is wounded for our iniquity, and bruised for our sins. He has borne the sickness of us all."
19 Now the papists themselves must confess that the suffering and death of the Lord Christ is something else than my prayer, my good works, my suffering, my almsgiving, my fasting. Whoever then wants to put such things to sin, will achieve nothing. It takes another man, other works and merit, as Isaiah clearly says. But he that will exalt his own merit, and use it against sin, blasphemeth the death, sacrifice, and prayer of Christ; because he thinketh as much of his own sacrifice and prayer, as of the sacrifice and prayer of Christ. One should diligently guard against such abominations.
020 Now the Lord prayeth not evil in the multitude, but setteth a difference between them for whom he prayeth, saying, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Will thus indicate two kinds of sinners. Some know that they do wrong, and yet they do it without any shame. This is called sinning against the Holy Spirit, when one persists in such knowing sin, does not confess it, does not desist from it, nor ask forgiveness for it; as our junk lords, the papists, are doing now. They know that our doctrine is right, that Christ has commanded the Sacrament to be received in its entirety, has not forbidden marriage, has not commanded anything about the Sacrifice of the Mass; and yet, for the sake of such things, they condemn us as heretics, and punish their subjects when they know that they need our doctrine and Sacrament.
21 These do not sin ignorantly. Therefore the nature of such sins is such that they cannot be forgiven, for they are contrary to the forgiveness of sins, since one will not desist from them and confess them. For forgiveness of sins wants both, that one confesses the wrong and desists from it.
22 The others are sinners who sin ignorantly. Not as if David did not know,
that it would be a sin to take Uriah's wife and have him slain. He knows it very well. But sin and the devil drive and chase him so violently that he falls into such sin before he really thinks about what he is doing. But afterwards he confesses, is sorry, wishes he had not done it, and desires mercy.
(23) We all carry such sins by the neck, that we are easily and unawares carried away, and fall sometimes through fear, as Peter did, sometimes through imprudence and weakness, sometimes through presumption. Christ carried such sins with him to the cross and asked for them, because they are naked, mere sins that are not against grace, since one recognizes and confesses them and asks for forgiveness. Thus it is seen that often harlots and knaves, murderers and other wicked people come to grace; for they know that they have done wrong, and will not answer for it. Such confessed sins have the sacrifice of Christ between them and God; therefore God will not impute them to us. But those who knowingly and willingly do not want to do otherwise and still defend their sin, sin against the Holy Spirit and deny the grace of God. Christ does not pray for them here, but for those who do not know what they are doing and fall because of weakness. They should take comfort in this sacrifice and prayer, and know that their sins are forgiven. For this is what Christ asked for here, and it has certainly been heard; so we should not doubt it, but take comfort and rejoice in it.
(24) Let this be said briefly of the prayer of Christ on the cross, that he might show why he suffered, that these sinners, who sin ignorantly and are sorry, may have a gracious God for the Lord Christ's sake, who will forgive their sin.
Now let us look at the story of the thief on the right hand. This is such a splendid example, the like of which cannot be found anywhere. For first of all, it is to be wondered at: the poor man cannot deny his sin; he knows that he has sinned and that he must suffer death because of his sins. For this reason, he cannot do any good work against God.
478 L- 2.142. Of Christ's prayer on the cross re. W. xm, 73A-74l. 479
nor boast of merit; as he says to his journeyman, when he speaks evil of the Lord Christ: "We," he says, "are just in such punishment; for we receive what our deeds are worth. This one, however, has done nothing unskilful." Here you hear what he confesses about himself, that he well deserved such an ignominious death. This is one thing to wonder at, that he has cause to fear God because of his sins; and yet, as we shall hear, he conceives the thought that he will yet enter God's kingdom.
26 Secondly, it is also a great miracle that this one man does not allow himself to be challenged by the great offense, that the whole council of Jerusalem, secular and spiritual, mocks the Lord Christ and blasphemes him. The rulers of the spiritual government said: "He has helped others, let him help himself, if he is Christ, the chosen one of God. The soldiers also did the same: "If you are the king of the Jews, help yourself. For the superscription was written over his head, "Jesus Nazarene, King of the Jews. So the one murderer who was crucified with him also said, "If thou art Christ, help thyself and us also." He did not say this because he wanted help, but because he wanted to mock Christ and thus ridicule him. In sum, all the world resents Christ hanging on the cross and thinks nothing of him. For the disciples themselves, though they stood by the cross for part of the time, had no more hope.
(27) But the poor murderer on the right hand tears through the trouble and is allowed to call Christ, who hangs next to him on the cross, a Lord and King. For this reason, he tells lies to the whole world, does not consider what other people think or say about him, and proclaims him to be an eternal king. For thus his words are, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." He calls him a "Lord," and says he has a "kingdom;" and desires, when he shall be in the same kingdom, that he may remember him. Now it was ever about the time that no one could reach the evening with his life. Therefore he believes that Christ is the Lord of another and eternal life. Let me have a big one,
The first thing must be a good faith and a glorious confession, otherwise the whole world will despair of Christ and think nothing of him.
Thus, God wants to preserve His Christian Church this very day. Even if all the emperors, kings, popes and bishops were to fall, God still wants to preserve a small group that will have His Spirit and confess Him before the world. If the disciples, along with others who are related to the Lord Christ, do not confess or believe, but deny out of fear and run away, then a murderer must come forth, confess this Christ, preach about him, and teach other people what to think of him and what to comfort themselves with; for our Lord God does not want to leave Christ without people, even if it is only a thief on the gallows or a murderer on the wheel.
29 Therefore this is a comforting history, since we first see what kind of people Christ has who come to him and to whom he wants to prove all grace, namely, those who are sinners and confess their sin and ask for mercy; they shall find grace and mercy. For just as he asked before, so he proves here by deed that he is there and wants to forgive sins. And now this is his first work, that he redeems and saves a scoundrel and murderer from sins and eternal death, so that one may be sure and not doubt, because he sacrificed himself on the cross, that this is not done for the sake of the saints and the pious, but for the sake of sinners. For it was for their sake that he came to call them to repentance and not for the sake of the righteous, as he himself tells us, Matth. 9, 13.
030 Therefore whosoever thinketh that he shall go to heaven a holy man, without all sin, is deceived. For he who does not want to be a sinner has no need of the Lord Christ, for he did not die for his own sake but for the sake of sinners.
3l. Therefore, this history is to be considered an example, since Christ proves by deed what he sought and obtained with his suffering, since he makes a murderer a saint on the gallows, and does not want him to remain in sins or to perish.
480L. 2, 142. how Christ commands Johanni his mother 2c. W. XIII, 741-743.1040. 481
But he does not do this as if he were pleased with sins, or that we should remain and continue in sins. No, because he suffers for sinners, he does not want them to remain so, but to be pious and holy and to convert. As is seen here in the case of the thief, who turns back and accuses himself of his sins, but hopes that he will enjoy the Lord Christ, so that his sins will not harm him in eternal life.
Thus he becomes a different man, and his death, which he deserved shamefully, now becomes a service to God, so that he no longer suffers as a murderer, but as a true saint. For he dies in true confession and heartfelt trust in the grace of God through Christ, and is heartily sorry for his sin; and if God left him longer on earth, he would never do what he did before. Such faith in Christ not only makes him a saint, but also brings him to paradise and eternal life; as the Lord Christ promises him: "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.
(33) We should follow this example and not think about it as crude and ungodly people do.
sins: I will sin, that Christ may redeem me, and shew forth his grace in me. No, not at all, but remember: I was born in sins, I am full of filth and evil desires, therefore I must not begin to sin at all, so that I may boast that I am a sinner; I am a sinner before, I am ready for sins and death. Therefore, I will hold on to Him who paid for sinners through His suffering, and through His innocent death redeemed me from the well-deserved and long-suffering death and reconciled me to God.
But whoever abuses such a sermon of grace, does not refrain from sins, does not confess them, nor does not want to be sorry, let him look at the other murderer on the left, the rulers of the Jews and the soldiers, and consider how they have been advised to do this and what they have earned with the unrepentant life. For if you want to enjoy the Lord Christ and his suffering and prayer, you have to follow the way of the other sewer, who confesses his sin, asks for mercy, and confesses the Lord Christ, that he is a Lord and King of eternal life. May our dear Lord Christ grant us this. Amen.
The twelfth sermon.
How the Lord Christ John commanded his mother, and the soldiers did not break the legs of the Lord Christ, but opened his side with a spear, and at the same time blood and water flowed out.
John 19:25-37.
And by the cross stood Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister Mary, Cleophas' wife, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son. Afterward he saith unto the disciple, Behold, this is thy mother. And from that hour the disciple took her unto him. After this, when Jesus knew that all things were finished, that the scripture should be fulfilled, he said, I thirst. There was a vessel full of vinegar. And they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it about hyssop, and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the vinegar, he said, "It is finished," and bowed his head and died. But the Jews, because it was the preparation day, lest the dead bodies should remain on the cross through the sabbath (for the sabbath day was great),
482 2, 142-144. how Christus Johanni commands his mother 2c. W. XIII, 1041-1045. 483
They asked Pilate to break their legs and take them off. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other that was crossed with him. But when they came to Jesus, seeing that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one of the soldiers opened his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he that saw it hath borne witness, and his testimony is true; and he knoweth that he speaketh the truth, that ye also may believe. For these things have come to pass, that the scripture might be fulfilled: You shall not break his leg. And again another scripture saith, They shall see in whom they have bruised.
- St. John reports three pieces at the end of the Passion, since the other evangelists do not write anything about them, and yet they are particularly useful for teaching and comfort. Therefore, so that we may have this history in its entirety, let us also take it with us.
The first is that the Lord on the cross commanded his mother to John, and again John to his mother, that they, as mother and child, should be minded toward one another, love one another, and show all goodness. As John says, he took the mother of the Lord into his care and kept her as his mother.
(3) Such history is commonly referred to the fourth commandment, which says: "You shall honor your father and mother, and God will grant you long life and happiness. As John, who is praised here for this good work, lived longer than other apostles, namely sixty-eight years after the resurrection of Christ. Although this is not wrongly interpreted, it is much too narrow. For what the Lord does and says here on the cross is not to be reduced to a few or individual persons. With his work and words he covers the whole world, but especially his Christian church.
(4) Therefore, although Christ speaks this word to Mary and John alone, we must also let it be a common command to all Christians and the whole church, that we should all be like mother and son to one another (because Christ hangs on the cross and redeems us all from sin and death through his death), who love one another dearly, and help and counsel one another in whatever way they can. So that it is the same with what the Lord repeated very often in the last supper: "This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I love you.
A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you." For you will not find a more heartfelt and higher love than that which exists between mother and children.
5 But especially because the Lord uses the little word "mother" and "son", he looks at the church government, that is, at both parts. First, to those who speak the word, and then to the hearers. For just as a mother nurtures a child and waits with all her diligence until it grows strong, so do righteous preachers, taking pains and labor until they teach the people and make fine Christians out of them. That is why Paul calls his disciples children, whom he raised with toil and labor like a mother. Where things are right in the church, those who lead the preaching ministry should have a mother's heart toward the church. For where such a heart is not there, one becomes slothful and discontented, and especially unwilling to suffer; as the Lord very finely shows in John 21, when he makes Peter a preacher, and first asks him three times, "Simon Johanna, do you love me?" As if to say, "Unless your heart is toward the sheep, as a mother's heart is toward her children, running through a fire, only that she may save her children, you will not be fit for any preacher: toil, labor, ingratitude, hatred, envy, and all manner of suffering will meet you in such a ministry; where then the mother's heart, the great love, is not there to drive the preachers, there the sheep will be in for a bad time.
(6) On the other hand, those who do not have the ministry of preaching, but need to be taught and instructed, should be sons and let themselves be instructed, guided, nourished, and otherwise cared for, and especially treated like a godly child toward its mother. Love is well known in children.
484 V. 2,i44-i46. As Christ commands John his mother 2c. W. xm, 1045-1048. 485
Although love is not so great in relation to the mother, as the saying goes: Amor descendit, non ascendit, love is a herb that grows more under itself than over itself; yet nature drives pious children to have their parents in honor, to serve them gladly again, and to please them in everything that is dear and useful to them. So it is fine between mother and son, preacher and church.
But where there is a lack of one, that either the church servants do not have the motherly heart, or the listeners do not perform childlike faithfulness, it is not possible that it can go right, or God can have a pleasure in it. As we unfortunately experience with the pope, bishops and the whole bunch of them; they lack a motherly heart. They let themselves think that they have the office only because they are great lords and should have good days. For this reason, not only are the sheep badly cared for, but they also oppress them and slaughter them for their own pleasure in body, goods and soul, as is unfortunately evident. Again, there is also often a lack of listeners, that they, as unborn children, treat their pastors badly; as can be seen in our peasants, burghers, and especially in the nobility, that they are so exact, meager, and felt towards their pastors, and there is seldom one who willingly gives to the preaching ministry what he is obliged to give. Yet St. Paul seriously admonishes that one should not be sparing with temporal things toward those who communicate spiritual things to us. And it is not possible, such ingratitude must harm the Gospel very well, besides the fact that God does not want to let such naughty children go unpunished.
8 Therefore note this command of the Lord Christ, who on the cross provides both for the preachers and the sheep or church. He exhorts the preachers to motherly love, but the listeners and the church to childlike faithfulness, gratitude and obedience. This is how things are done, and God wants to be there with happiness and blessing. That is the first thing.
(9) The other two pieces, how Christ's leg was not broken and his side was not opened with a spear, do not look like something special. And yet, because the Evan
When St. John the Evangelist brings forth bright testimonies of the Scriptures, that Moses and Zechariah prophesied such things so many hundred years before, we must confess that such two pieces can be considered as small as they always want to be; for the Holy Spirit speaks nothing in vain nor in vain. And this is a special and true apostolic grace in St. John the Evangelist, that he so artfully guides and interprets the Scriptures everywhere.
(10) In Moses, as we have heard above, there is a clear command that no man shall be left hanging on the wood overnight, for, says God, the ground is defiled thereby. Since it was the preparation day and the Sabbath was to begin with the setting of the sun, the Jews asked Pilate to remove the bodies from the cross so that they could be buried before nightfall and before the celebration began. Pilate agreed to this with the Jews. But since the two murderers were not yet dead, John says, the soldiers, by the command of the Jews, helped them completely, smashed their arms and hands on the cross, so that they were dead. And they were willing to deal with the Lord Jesus in the same way. But before they could deal with the two murderers, he was different; therefore they did not break his leg. But one of the soldiers took a spear and opened his side; blood and water flowed out in different ways, so that everyone was amazed. This seems to have been an entirely innocent act; but, as I said, John testifies that it was not an innocent act, for Moses had prophesied long before that they would not break his leg, and Zechariah that they would stab him.
11 Now it is certain that Moses says this about the paschal lamb, in the 12th chapter of the second and fourth book. *) Now how does the evangelist John come to this, or what does he mean when he says: "This has happened, that the Scripture might be fulfilled: You shall not break his leg"? Answer: This is what he means, and what he wants to point out to us, that we should
*2 Mos. 12, 46; 4 Mos. 9, 12.
486L. 2, 146-148. how Christus Johanni commands his mother 2c. W. XIII, 1048-1051. 487
There on the cross should look at and recognize as the right paschal lamb, which that in the law has only been a model or figure.
(12) For when God wished to deafen Pharaoh in Egypt with power, and to resist his stiff-necked will and nobility, and to save his people, he commanded his people the Jews to slaughter a yearling lamb in every house that night, and to roast and eat it, and to mark the posts of the door with the blood. Wherever the angel of strangulation found such a sign of blood on the door, he was to pass by and not strangle anyone in the same house. Again, where the door was not marked with the blood of the lamb, the angel was to choke all the firstborn of cattle and men throughout the land of Egypt that night. As Moses had told his people by God's command, so it happened. In the morning, dead men and cattle were found in all the houses of Egypt; only among the Jews the angel of strangulation had done no harm, for their doors were marked and insured with the blood of the lamb.
(13) Therefore behold our paschal lamb, the Lord Christ, who will punish Pharaoh and all Egypt, that is, sin, death and the devil, and will put an end to the tyranny of his Christian church; for this reason he lets himself be killed like the paschal lamb and roasted on the wood of the cross, so that he may sprinkle us with his blood, and the angel of strangulation, who brought us to death for our sins and gained power over us, may pass over before us and do us no harm. As Paul finely says, 1 Cor. 5:7: "We have a paschal lamb, which is Christ, sacrificed for us"; that is, that we should enjoy His blood, and that the devil, death and sin should find no power over us, nor do us any harm. This is what John wants us to learn here, because Christ, just like the paschal lamb, has not had a leg broken.
(14) But let us also look at the other circumstances, how the Jews kept the paschal lamb, so that when we see how it rhymes so finely with the Lord Jesus, we may take comfort in this sacrifice made for us, and accept it all the more diligently.
The paschal lamb had to be one year old, male, and without any infirmities, healthy and beautiful, otherwise it could not be taken as a paschal lamb. This means that this little paschal lamb, the Lord Christ, will produce and build a church for himself; for year-old lambs are fertile and can produce others. But the Lord Christ is without change, for he is the Son of God, and has not, as we have, sinful flesh and blood, but is holy altogether.
16 Such a little lamb was taken from a flock and kept alone until the fourth day. So Christ came out of the host of God, the Jews, as he was named and called a son of Abraham, David 2c.; that he was set apart in the four years before his suffering for the but ministry of preaching the kingdom of God among his people, the Jews.
(17) The paschal lamb was eaten in the evening to signify that Christ was to come in the last days, when the people of God, the Jews, were to perish, and Moses and his worship were to cease. For this reason the Lord sometimes compares his gospel to a supper or night meal; and the apostles call the time of the New Testament the last time and days.
The paschal lamb was neither boiled nor eaten raw, but roasted. The fire is called suffering and temptation everywhere in the Scriptures. So the roasted paschal lamb is Christ, who suffers death on the cross. It is not to be eaten raw, that is, whoever wants to enjoy it must not be crude, safe and godless; like our Epicureans, who think that if they do what they want, they will still be good Christians. But they do not eat the paschal lamb properly, they cannot enjoy it; just as little as those who eat it boiled in water, that is, those who do not keep the doctrine pure and counterfeit the doctrine of faith with the doctrines and statutes of men, as the pope does.
(19) For the paschal lamb also they had to eat unleavened bread and sour salts. So, says Paul, we should also keep Easter, not in the old leaven, so that we let sin have its reins and do not want to improve ourselves;
488 8.2, 148-iso. How Christ commands Johanni his mother 2c. W. xm, 1051-1053. 489
nor in the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we should deal in hypocrisy, and not be converted from the heart: but we are to keep Easter in the sweet dough of sincerity, that we may keep ourselves in good conscience, and live in the fear of God; and in the truth, that it is not hypocrisy, but a right earnestness, that we should call upon God for his grace to such things, and desire from the heart to keep his word. This is unleavened bread and sweet dough.
20 The salse means the holy cross, because, as Paul says, it is not absent; all who want to live godly in Christ must suffer persecution.
(21) Nothing of the paschal lamb was to be left over; it was to be eaten whole, or what remained was to be burned with fire, and not a bone was to be broken in it. It is the same with the Lord Christ: whoever wants to be a true Christian must not eat this and leave that; he must accept and believe everything that Christ says, and not eat it piecemeal, as the fanatics and the mobs do. Arius put up with everything, but he did not want to believe that Christ was eternal God. Anabaptists do not put up with the baptism of children, despise such first baptism and seek a better baptism. Today's sacrament devotees accept everything that Christ says and make themselves believe that they are good Christians. But they do not like it and do not want to believe that Christ, when he gives the bread, says: "Take, eat, this is my body"; and when he offers the cup to them: "Drink from it, all of you, this is the New Testament in my blood. Such things are not to their taste, they do not leave them alone (since it is God's command that one should not overload anything on this little paschal lamb, but eat it all, or burn the rest with fire), but break the legs, that is, they torture, crucify and break the word of our Lord Christ as they please, only to make a pretense of their shameful error. Thus it is found in the Anabaptists, in the pope, and in all the mobs, that they eat what they like of this paschal lamb; the other, which they do not like, they leave over, or break.
- But what was to be done with the blood is indicated above, namely, that this lamb's blood should serve us, so that neither sin, death nor hell should harm us, and Pharaoh the devil, with his Egyptians, the world, should no longer oppress or oppress us. For this is why Christ was offered up, that he might make us free, John 8, and dissolve and destroy the work of the wicked devil.
23 John reminded us of this when he said, "It is now fulfilled that Moses said, 'You shall not break his leg. In this way he wants to show us the whole custom and the true fruit of the suffering of our Lord Christ, that he was sacrificed for us, and that through his blood we are purged from sins and death and the devil, which, as Pharaoh held and afflicted the children of Israel in Egypt, always press us and afflict us and drive us. But through the blood of our paschal Lamb Christ JEsu they are satisfied, and we are pacified, so that we are freed from all burdens and come out of the shameful Egypt into the Promised Land and to eternal life.
(24) Now let us consider the third part, in which, as can be seen, the evangelist is particularly concerned, since he not only includes the testimony of the prophet Zechariah, who prophesied of such sideways stitching, but also with so many earnest words testifies to the miraculous sign that blood and water flowed out of the dead corpse. For both are unnatural: as soon as a man dies, his blood is also cold and dead, and no longer flows; and this is even more contrary to nature, that blood and water should flow differently from a dead corpse. Therefore John says, "He that hath seen hath borne witness, and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye also may believe." The purpose of this miraculous work, as there was much to it, is that we may diligently meditate on it and finally learn to believe from it; that is, as we said above about the little paschal lamb, we may hope for forgiveness of sins and eternal life through the Lord Christ and his death. This is the main purpose of this story, and it is true
490L. 2, 150-152. how Christus Johanni commands his mother 2c. W. XIII, 1053-1056. 491
the prophet is extremely fine with the evangelist, as we will show hereafter.
(25) Therefore, first of all, you must drop these thoughts, as if it was a harmless (accidental) act that the one soldier went and stabbed the dead body. It was harmless to him, he had no special thought about it; but it happened out of God's special order, otherwise the Holy Spirit would not have prophesied about it so many hundred years before. Thus we see that the Lord Christ keeps such wounds in His body after His resurrection, and especially instructs His disciples that they should know Him thereby. Therefore it is not a harmless act, it should have meant something special, should have had an effect and should have had an effect, that the Lord was thus stabbed in the side and blood and water flowed out.
26 Therefore take heed that you do not do as crude men commonly do, and think, What is it to me what has flowed out of the Lord Christ's side? It is enough for me that I know that he died on the cross. So do not think, but for the honor of the Holy Spirit and for your comfort, listen diligently to what such a transaction entails, which John so faithfully describes and Zechariah so long before prophesied.
First, it is certain, and no one can deny it, that it is unnatural for a dead body to sweat or bleed. For as soon as the blood cools, it no longer flows, but stops. But here we have a special dead body; therefore it is different from others. He is flesh and blood, just like our bodies, and dies. But because his flesh and blood are without sin, he dies in such a way that even in death a sign of life remains. Otherwise the blood would cool down and stop, but in the body of the Lord Christ it remains warm and alive, so that as soon as the side is opened, it jumps, as if one were to open the vein of a healthy person. This is what John wants us to notice diligently, and to learn from it the right kind of blood of our dear Lord Christ, namely, that it flows, lives and has its effect even after death. Just as the blood of the paschal lamb was enjoyed by the
Jews not because it was alive, but because it had died and they had eaten it; for the angel went through Egypt by night and choked all the first births; but the houses of the Jews, when the lamb's blood was on, he left and choked no one in them. So the blood of our dear Lord Christ still lives and flows, it is not stagnant or cold; it flows and leaps after he is dead, and all who are sprinkled by it have forgiveness of sins and are children of eternal life.
28 Learn this. For this unnatural flowing indicates that the blood of our dear Lord Christ, the true paschal lamb, should have and retain its effect, power and virtue even after his death, that it should flow, leap around and mark the faithful standing by the cross, so that the devil, death and sin may leave all those on whom they find such a mark satisfied and not harm them. This is the true nature, power and virtue of the blood of our dear Lord Christ, and it remains in the church forever after his death.
29 Why is it that not only blood flows out, but also water? This was undoubtedly done to show that no one would sprinkle the blood of our dear Lord Christ except those baptized in his name. As our Lord Christ himself says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." That therefore both are together: where the blood of Christ is and worketh, there is the water, blessed baptism, also; again, where the water floweth not, that is, where holy baptism is not, there is the blood of Christ also not, it floweth not, as, among Turks, Jews, Gentiles 2c. For and for blood and water will and should flow with each other and none without the other.
(30) Mark this very well, for much is at stake: not for those who died in the Old Testament and did not experience baptism, for they had their own baptism and were saved by faith in the Blessed Seed; nor for our infants, who in their mother's womb and before they are baptized are overtaken by death, who no doubt, because God has given them a baptism, are not saved.
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But for our own sakes, that we should not slight such a sign of grace, nor keep ourselves and ours from it. For where the water of this baptism is, there the blood of our Lord Christ is; for here both water and blood flow from his side. But the purpose of his blood is shown above, namely, that we may be protected against the strangler angel, be cleansed from sins, and live forever. The prophet indicates this very finely and agrees with the evangelist. For thus he speaks in the 12th chap. V. 10: "Upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, I will pour out the spirit of grace and of prayer: for they shall look upon me whom they have bruised, and shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for a child, and shall be grieved for him, as one is grieved for a first child.
First of all, it is undeniable that the prophet speaks of the New Testament times and the grace that is to come to us through the death of Christ. But such grace is that God gives the spirit of grace and the spirit of prayer, that is, by his Holy Spirit he comforts our hearts, so that through Christ we provide ourselves with all grace and mercy to God, and in all troubles call upon him and seek help, as little children do to their father.
On the other hand, John shines a true apostolic spirit in front of us and says: The stabbing, which the prophet further reports, was fulfilled at that time at the cross. But what will follow from such a stabbing, the prophet indicates, and says: "They will look at him", who have the spirit of grace and prayer, and "will mourn him, as one mourns for a child, and grieve over him, as one grieves over the first child. Such mourning and grieving is nothing else, but that we may rightly learn in our Lord Christ the sin for which he suffered on the cross. For the fact that they look upon him as he is bruised, and mourn and are grieved for him, is a sign that he is innocent and suffers all things for our sake.
(33) Such suffering causes us to recognize our distress and misery and to deal with it.
We must not go safely into the world in sins, but lament our sinful heart and evil life, ask God for forgiveness, hold on to the suffering of Christ and console ourselves with it, as the one who is holy and obedient to God, and for this reason was not guilty of such death, and yet took it upon himself and suffered it out of unspeakable love for our sake.
34 We need such compassion, sorrow and lamentation; Christ also needs it, for otherwise he has no Christian church. This church alone, as Zechariah says here, looks at the bruised Christ and weeps over him, not like the women of Jerusalem, who wept over Christ so that they did not think of themselves. But the Christians or Christian church weeps because it recognizes its sin, for which Christ suffered death. Thus the prophet finely points to the fruit of Christ's suffering. And soon after, in chapter 13, v. 1, he says: "At that time the house of David and the citizens of Jerusalem will have a free and open fountain against sin and impurity."
(35) Behold, how finely the prophet joins the sting and the fountain, that is, the blood and the water, or holy baptism. If then thou wilt rightly interpret this history, say, Out of the side of the Lord Christ flows blood for the washing away and remission of my sins, as the Lord himself testifieth in the Lord's Supper, when he offereth the cup; and water also floweth out. So that his body is an open fountain. For what purpose? Against sin and impurity. For through baptism the blood of our Lord Christ is administered to us, as St. Paul speaks of it, saying: "We were baptized into the death of Jesus Christ, that is, so that the death of Jesus Christ might be ours and that we might enjoy it, so that through it we might be freed from sin and death and live forever.
From this the holy fathers took the beautiful sayings. Augustine says: John uses the word "open" ("one of the soldiers opened his side") to indicate how the door of life was opened at that time, since the holy sacraments of the church flowed here, without which one could not attain to life, which is the right life.
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cannot enter. The holy sacraments, he says; for he speaks not only of baptism, which is signified by water, but also of the supper, where one drinks the blood of the Lord Christ inside. As Chrysostom also says and says: "Since the holy mysteries have their origin here, when you go to the holy chalice, you should go as if you were going to drink from the side of the Lord Christ.
(37) Such a saying is not used by the sacramentalists, who boast that the whole ancient church held to its opinion that in the supper there is only bread and wine, and not the body and blood of Christ. But how does this rhyme with Chrysostom? For they cannot be so blind and foolish as to say that wine flowed from the side of Christ, just as they say that in the Last Supper one does not drink the blood of Christ, but only wine. Yet Chrysostom says: "Whoever goes to this cup should go as if to drink from the side of the Lord Christ; there they will find not wine but His blood.
(38) And hence it came to pass, that in the supper of the Lord the cup was mixed with water, because blood and water flowed together out of the Lord Christ's side. Cyprian argues strongly that such mixing should not be omitted as a special command of Christ, and the Armenians have been condemned as heretics for it. But because Christ did not command such, and
In the supper there is nothing more than that Christ took the cup and gave it to the disciples, it is unnecessary to make such a necessary commandment out of it.
(39) Therefore let us leave these things, and keep the doctrine to which the holy evangelist directs us, namely, that the blood of our dear Lord Christ shall keep its power and effect in us after his death, and preserve us against death and sin, if we are baptized with water according to the commandment of Christ. For there the blood of Christ is actually found, as it is indicated here, that blood and water flow together: where the blood is, there is the water also; and where the water is, there is the blood also, and accomplishes what it should, namely, that it washes away sin and makes completely clean. As Zechariah prophesied of the open fountain against sin and uncleanness.
40 Therefore we should thank God for His unspeakable grace and mercy, that He has allowed us to come to such a fountain, to be baptized in the name of Jesus, His Son, and thus washed away all our sins with the blood of our Lord Christ, so that from now on we may provide ourselves with everything good to God through the Holy Spirit and cry out to Him through the spirit of prayer in all kinds of distress; until finally the last fruit of Christ's death is found, so that through Him we may come out of this miserable life to eternal life. May God grant this to us all, amen.
The thirteenth sermon.
How the Lord Christ was taken down from the cross and laid in a new tomb, and the tomb was kept by the soldiers.
Matth. 27, 57-66.
In the evening there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that it should be given to him. And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in clean linen. And laid it in his own new sepulchre, which he had hewn out of a rock, and rolled a great stone before the door.
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of the tomb and went away. And Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, and sat down by the sepulchre. The next day, after the day of preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees all came to Pilate and said: Lord, we thought that this deceiver spoke while he was still alive: I will rise again after three days. Therefore command that the sepulcher be kept until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead; and let the last deception be worse than the first. Pilate said to them: There ye have the keepers; go and keep as ye know. And they went and covered the sepulchre with keepers, and sealed the stone.
This is the end of the history of the passion of our Lord Christ, how he was taken down from the cross, laid in a new tomb, and the tomb was kept by the soldiers. But it rhymes exceedingly well with the conclusion. For there it is seen what the death of our dear Lord Christ has wrought, both in his friends and in his enemies. The enemies become restless and fearful, and visibly fall deeper into sin. But those who love the Lord Christ and faithfully believe in him, even though they are weak and fearful people, become confident and bold through the death of Christ, and now dare to do what they could not have dreamed of before. But as the death of our dear Lord Christ wrought these things at that time, so it is to this day, as we shall hear hereafter.
(2) The trouble was very heavy and great, that the Lord Jesus should die so shamefully on the cross; therefore his enemies blasphemed him to the utmost. His disciples, however, who had stayed with him until then, were not allowed to be seen, because they could not think of anything else than that it was now over with him. His mother, the dear Virgin Mary, stood there like a sorrowful woman, and with her other women. Even though she had firmly adhered to the angel's sermon and the holy people's prophecy about the infant Jesus, her heartache was so great and her sorrow so painful that she would not let herself hear anything special. So that for the sake of the multitude that had stayed with the Lord Christ and had been around him until then, there is complete silence; no one is allowed to stir or be heard. The enemies of Christ keep the field, they are confident and of good cheer, the cry is all theirs alone, otherwise everyone must be silent.
- But why such weakness and stupidity?
For the sake of the goodness of the devout heart, it has been said above that no one should be presumptuous or have too much confidence in himself. For if these pious hearts are in such a state here that they almost forget all comfort and are drowned in sorrow and lamentation, how much more can such stupidity be found among us when we have to dare and suffer something for the sake of the gospel. Therefore, we must keep in the fear of God and ask the Holy Spirit to cheer our hearts, fill them with comfort, and make us bold enough to dare and suffer for the sake of the glory of God and His Word.
4 When the trouble was at its greatest, and those who had been the finest Christians and had always kept themselves unashamedly around the Lord Christ were cringing and cowering, and did not know what to do or where to stay because of fear, sorrow and displeasure, first Joseph of Arimathea (which is otherwise called Jos. 15, and in the book of Judges, chapter 9, v. 41, Aruma) was found. He dared to go to Pilate and asked that the dead body be granted to him, that he might take it down from the cross and bury it on earth. Nicodemus, who had been so fearful before, although he loved to hear the Lord and loved him, came to him only at night. He brings myrrh and aloes for a hundred pounds, which is our coin for three and a half florins, so that the Lord may not have a bad but an honest burial. For it was the custom of the Jews, as reported by John, because they had the hope of resurrection and eternal life from the Word of God, to bury the deceased bodies honestly in the ground, and to bury them with myrrh and aloes.
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They were prepared so that they would not only remain long and slowly decay, but also smell nice and pleasant.
Now Lucas and Marcus report especially of Joseph that he was a disciple of the Lord Christ, that is, that he had diligently listened to his preaching and had put up with it, and that he had waited for the kingdom of God. We must have good regard for this piece of evidence, for it will be found what moved him to do such a thing, that he dared and went before Pilate. For it was not a bad bargain.
The chief priests and the whole council of Jerusalem had complained to the Lord Jesus as a rebel, a deceiver and a blasphemer, and Pilate had passed judgment on such a complaint. That Joseph should now come forward, who had previously spoken out against all actions taken against the Lord Jesus, and had not wanted to be present, and now asks for the body of Christ, so that he may bury it honestly in the ground: such a thing could not have been dared well; for he had thereby burdened the whole council, even Pilate himself, who had condemned the Lord, and had sufficiently given to understand that he believed it to have been a pious, righteous man, who had been wronged in the sight of God and the world.
(7) But what moves him to do such a thing, that he dares to be so arid? Nothing else, but that he waits for the kingdom of God. That is, he still has the hope, although Christ hangs miserably on the cross and dies, that God's kingdom will not remain outside, but will come, and that God will accomplish through this dead Christ everything that is promised in the prophets about the Messiah and his kingdom. For if the centurion, who stood at the judgment and saw the Lord pass away, learns so much from these and other things that he freely confesses, "Truly, this man was the Son of God," Marc. 15:39, then this same Joseph and the pious Nicodemus will undoubtedly have grasped such thoughts as well, and not only from the sermons of the prophets, but from the words of the Lord Christ, which they have heard several times and have now first of all brought to their hearts through the remembrance of the Holy Spirit, they will actually have learned the
The Lord had hope that it would not be over with him, but that God would establish his kingdom now, when everyone thinks of it the least. As the Lord preached a good sermon to Nicodemus about such hope, John 3, when he held up to him the likeness of the serpent in the wilderness and said that he too would have to be lifted up on the wood.
At that time, the Holy Spirit kindled such thoughts in the weak and stupid hearts and heated them to such an extent that Joseph went before Pilate and asked for the body of the Lord Christ, whom he had condemned as a rebel and blasphemer. Nicodemus, however, brings myrrh and aloes, so that the Lord may have a delicious, honest burial, and so that they may testify to all the world that their hope is not all over, that God's kingdom will still be found, that the world will defy it as it wills, and that Christ will present himself as weak and miserable as he wills.
- Now this is the fruit of the death of our Lord Christ, that the weakest, most stupid hearts come forward without all shyness and fear, confess Christ, bury his body, which hangs there in all dishonor, in the most honest way; as a testimony that against the Jews, the high priests, Pilate and all the enemies of Christ, they consider him to be the Son of God and praise him, hope in his kingdom, and take comfort in him even now that he is dead, and everyone believes that he is completely gone. For this is what Marcus and Lucas say, that Joseph waited for the kingdom of God, that is, he hoped that God would establish a new kingdom on earth through this man, forgive sin, give the Holy Spirit and make him eternally blessed. For this is actually called God's kingdom, which is promised in the prophets that the Christian or Messiah will establish it.
(10) Just as Isaiah prophesied of Christ, "He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoldering wick," so Joseph and Nicodemo are seen here. Until now, they have been weak, stupid Christians; fear has hurt them so much that they were not allowed to make themselves known publicly. Nicodemus only came to Jesus at night, which is why John calls him a secret disciple. But Christ
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The Holy Spirit is too good for them and does not want to push them away from such fear. But now that the danger is greatest, and those who were otherwise strong and courageous Christians were not allowed to let themselves be seen anywhere, the Holy Spirit works through the death of Christ, so that the smoldering and almost extinguished little light flares up and shines like the beautiful sun. For what Joseph has secretly believed and held about Christ, he now lets everyone see, and does not shy away from the Jews or the Pilates. He cares more about Christ, who died in all dishonor, than about the whole world. Let this not be a small work nor bad fruit of the suffering of Christ.
- But this is an example for all of us, that we should follow this Joseph and Nicodemo, and when Christ hangs on the cross, that is, when the gospel is persecuted and the poor Christians are martyred over it, we should come forward and, regardless of the tyrants, praise the Son of God and his word, and honor it with public confession; until the dead Christ is seen with his glorious resurrection, and then the fainthearted, stupid, fearful Christians will also be comforted, and come to confession again.
For this change will always remain in the church. Some and the strongest will be weak and will not be able to hold on to their anger. Again, the weakest will stand out and make themselves heard with joyful confession, so that there will never be a lack of people who recognize and confess Christ. The strong will not or cannot do it because of the astonishment; they must learn and experience how nothing a man is, whom God sets apart from us with His Spirit: so the very weakest, who do not have the reputation, must do it. For God, as a rich householder, wants to have all kinds of servants in his house, not only the strong and the strong, but also the small and the weak. So that the strong may not despise anyone, they must learn their weakness from themselves; and that no one may judge another, the Spirit of God comes upon the weak, comforting, consoling and strengthening them in such a manner that
Everyone must see and praise the divine power in them. This is what our dear Lord Christ's suffering does for and in his church, so that his Christianity may not perish, but remain, grow, and expand.
(13) But how is it on the other side, when one is hostile to the Lord Christ, and cannot rest until they bring him to the cross? There the contradiction is found. For just as the sun has its effect on matter (it softens and melts wax, but makes dung hard and dry), so it is here also. Through the suffering of our Lord Christ, the pious hearts become confident and bold, and now dare what they could not dare before Christ lived. But the godless Jews, who therefore hastened with the Lord Christ to death, hoping that when he was down there would be no more need, when they have accomplished their will, and Christ is now dead on the cross, and laid in a new sepulchre, they are at first troubled, and all run before Pilate, saying, "Lord, we have heard that this deceiver spake while he yet lived: Therefore command that the sepulcher be kept until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him away, and say to the people that he is risen from the dead, and that the last deception be worse than the first.
(14) Mark these words diligently, and thou shalt see what manner of heart they have. They have well noted and rightly understood the preaching of the Lord Christ, but what fruit does it bear them? Joseph and Nicodemus, who undoubtedly kept the same sermon and comforted themselves with it, are cheerful and happy about it and hope for all the best. But these peelers become restless and begin to fear the dead man, since it is natural when someone knows his enemy is dead that he no longer worries about him. This cannot and will not be the case with the godless Jews, as you see, they are afraid of the dead Christ now that he lies in the grave.
- In Pilato's case they pretend that his disciples want to steal him, saying,
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But in their hearts the word of the Lord Christ is a sharp and piercing thorn, so that they fear, "Dear, how if it were true? How if he were the Messiah, and rose again from the dead? How would it be for us? They become restless and restless because of this. But they do not amend such thoughts, they do not think: Oh, what have we done! Let us still crawl to the cross, and not despise such an excellent warning and miraculous work, which have now been seen with his death. No, such thoughts will not enter into them; but as they have sat with hatred and enmity toward the Lord Christ, so they remain, and become visibly angrier and angrier, seeking ways and means as they can, that they may dampen the Lord and hinder his glory.
1,6 This is also an example and warning to us here: when we see such things in the enemies of the word, that we are not frightened by them. For so it shall be: Whoever knowingly goes against the word, the longer, the deeper he will fall into sin, and the more he seeks rest, the more restless and anxious he will become. As we have heard above about the blood of our Lord Christ. It was easy for the Jews to bring Christ to the cross and let him be strangled; with well-considered, light, little courage they said: "His blood be upon us and our children. But afterwards it was found how small a thing it had been that Jerusalem and the whole land had to be turned back because of it. So it is here also. All their thoughts were: If only this Jesus were dead, there would be no more need. God hanged them and let Christ die on the cross. But at that time, the trade increased, and they had less peace than before. The word of the Lord Christ, which they did not believe, was in their hearts like a burning fire and a gnawing worm. They could not believe it, yet they could not despise it. So it shall be with the enemies of the word. The more they seek rest through their tyranny, the deeper they will fall not only into trouble but also into sin. After that, there will be more trouble.
- when they berathschlagt everything best
they shall only make their cause worse, and promote the holy gospel against their will; as happened to the Jews here. They desired the Pilate Guardi, or soldiers, to the tomb for three days, and sealed the tomb to prevent the disciples of the Lord Christ from committing a mischievous act and stealing his body. Very wisely it was thought of, but how did it work out? Just as they were concerned, so it happened to them. When Christ rose from the dead early on Easter day, and the angel came from heaven to the tomb, and there was an earthquake, and the stone was rolled away from the door by the angel, the guardians were frightened and lay there as if they were dead. But as soon as they came to themselves, they got up and ran out, one from there, the other from there, and came to Jerusalem, bringing the message to the chief priests about what had happened to them.
What do you think they will have thought? How will their hearts have trembled and shaken? They could not think it was a joke, because their own witnesses, the Pilate Guardi, appointed by themselves to the grave, were standing there; from them they not only heard what had happened, but they could also see it; for such a great fright cannot be recovered so soon, one hears it in the speech, one stands it in the face, the whole body is full of it, and it staggers away. Therefore it is easy to assume that such a message would have made the chief priests and elders afraid.
019 But there is no recovery yet; they go deeper into sin and evil conscience. For as soon as they hold council on the Sabbath, they give enough money to the soldiers to help them lie, saying, "You have fallen asleep, but his disciples have come and stolen the body. Behold, this is the consolation which poor men make for themselves, and thus make do. They know in their hearts that Christ, whom they innocently gave up to death, has risen from the dead. What care they have had for him, everyone may consider for himself; for the heart must have been troubled by this.
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will be. And yet they spend a lot of money to help them lie and to persuade people otherwise. These can be wicked hearts, possessed more than with a devil, which so wantonly oppose the truth, and adorn and comfort themselves with knowing lies. Learn this, that you may be accustomed to it among the enemies of the word; for as I have said above, he who opposes the truth cannot help himself but with lies.
20 Meanwhile our dear Lord Christ comforts his Christianity, and lets himself be seen that he is no longer dead, but alive; and the lies of the enemies of the word must help that the word may advance and have the more reputation. For if the Jews themselves had not preserved the tomb, such a lie would have had a subtle appearance, the body of the Lord Christ would have been stolen. But since the guards are around the tomb and the tomb is sealed with all diligence, the lie that the body of the Lord Christ was stolen can no longer take place. The transaction itself is sufficient proof that there was a higher and greater force than Pilate and his soldiers; otherwise they would not have fled.
21 Thus it shall be for and for, with lies the enemies of the gospel must help themselves; but such lies shall not only do no harm to the word, but shall even promote it, so that everyone may learn to know and flee the lies, and hold to the word of God and the right truth. As, praise God, has happened in our time, and the papists have only promoted the gospel with their lies, cries and writings. For they reveal their lies too coarsely, and drive people to the truth with them. This is also the fruit of the suffering of our Lord Christ, that the longer the enemies of the word go on, the more they have to promote the truth against their will.
- But that the evangelists particularly report how the tomb where the Lord was laid was in a garden, and a new tomb, where no one had laid it before, and Joseph had himself made it.
This was done not only so that the testimony of Christ's resurrection would be all the more certain, but also because there was a special body here, the like of which had never been seen on earth before, so that it had to have a special and new place to be buried.
Our dear Lord Christ had flesh and blood like us, but it was holy flesh and blood, in which the Son of the eternal Father was clothed. Since such flesh and blood should have had its rest, a new grave was due to it. And yet this tomb was not his own, but Joseph's. For as Christ was not made man for himself, but died for our sakes: so also for our sakes he is in the grave, and his grave is our grave; that we, being raised up by him at the last day, should live with him for ever.
24 The example of Joseph, who had his tomb made while he was still alive, should also be noted. From this it can be assumed that he did not forget his last hour, as people commonly do. For everyone sends himself into the temporal life in such a way, as if we should remain here forever. On the other hand, the godly regard their whole life here on earth as a pilgrimage, since they have no lasting things and must always stretch out their heads toward the right and eternal fatherland. He who travels overland, even if he gets a good inn, does not desire to stay there; he knows that he is not at home there. Christians do the same: they consider life here to be an inn for the night; if they are treated kindly, they accept it with thanks; but if it is a cold, evil, unfaithful inn, as commonly happens, they console themselves that it is only for one night, and that things will get better one day. So did the pious Joseph. He was rich and a well-to-do citizen of Jerusalem, but his thoughts were always there: Here you have no lasting, you must also go down. Therefore, in his garden, where he had his greatest desire, he prepared a tomb for himself, where he would await the joyful resurrection through the Lord Christ with all the saints.
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(25) Rich people should think of such things and put such monuments in their pleasure houses, which would remind them of the future and take them away from the temporal. But there we learn that everyone shuns such things and thinks only of pleasure and joy.
(26) Thus your love has the history of the passion of our Lord Christ, in which we are to learn first of all how great and terrible a burden sin is, since the Son of God Himself bore it so heavily and had to pay for it with His own death; so that we may keep ourselves in the fear of God and beware of such a burden.
27 Secondly, we should learn to comfort ourselves against sin with the sacrifice of the Lord Christ, so that, even though sin or death may afflict us, we may still have the comfort of knowing that Christ has paid for our sin, and that for his sake God will be pleased with us and remember our sin no more. Sol
These are the two most important lessons that should be held up to us in such history and practiced by us forever.
- After that, this history can be used for patience and suffering, since the Son of God presents us with His own example here; item, for love toward one's neighbor, as the Lord Himself often admonishes, saying: "As I have loved you, so love one another. But who will or can tell all for what we may well need the suffering of our Lord Christ?
Therefore, we should thank God for such teachings from the bottom of our hearts, and ask Him to kindle them in our hearts through His Holy Spirit, and to make us stronger in faith, love and patience day by day, until we are eternally saved after this miserable life. May our gracious Father in heaven, through his Holy Spirit, grant this to us all for the sake of his dear Son and our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
On the holy day of Easter.
The first sermon.*)
Matth. 28, 1-10.
Now in the evening of the Sabbath, which dawns on the morning of the first feast of the Sabbaths, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the sepulcher. And behold, there was a great earthquake. For the angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and stood by, and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat upon it. And his form was as lightning, and his raiment as white as snow. And the keepers were afraid, and became as though they were dead. But the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not: I know that ye seek Jesus crucified. He is not here; he is risen, as he said. Come and see the place where the Lord lay, and go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. And, behold, he shall go before you into Galilee, and ye shall see him there. Behold, I have told you. And they went out hastily unto the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, Hail. And they came unto him, and took hold of his feet, and bowed themselves to him. Then said JEsus unto them: Fear not: go and tell my brethren, that they may go into Galilee, and there see me.
*) Held publicly in 1531.
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Of the fruit of Christ's resurrection.
Because today's feast holds before us the comforting and joyful article of our faith, in that we confess that Christ rose again from the dead on the third day, it is necessary first of all to grasp and know the history in the most simple way, and then also to learn why this happened and how we can enjoy it.
For the sake of history, this is how it happened. Christ was betrayed by Judah there on Green Thursday in the evening, when he got up from supper and went into the garden. There he was captured by the Jews and led from one high priest to another until they finally decided to hand him over to Pilate, the governor, who was in charge of the court. Since it was now about three hours to the day, the sentence was passed on him, and he was carried out to the court and crucified. At the sixth hour, that is, at noon or an hour above, the earthquake and the darkness of the sun came. Then, at the ninth hour, which is approximately three hours before sunset, Christ died on the cross. So Marcus divides the hours and time; the other evangelists do not show it so actually.
But now it is written in our faith, that Christ rose again the third day. This is said somewhat differently than: after three days. For the Lord Christ did not die for three whole days and nights; but on Friday, about three hours before night, he died, as has been said. Such three hours are called the first day. After that, all night and all day of the Sabbath, he lay dead in the grave; and after the Sabbath, the night until the following morning. The same night is also counted as a day. For the Jews begin the day with the night, and to them the night and the day are one whole day. We turn it around and make day and night a whole day. Although it is not held so in the church. For there, today's day always belongs to the
Evening! to the following day, and go to church festivals the night before, before the day comes.
(4) Therefore, since it is very early on Sunday (which is the third day from Friday, when Christ was crucified), that the dawn is about to break, and the soldiers are lying around the tomb, the dead Christ rises to a new and eternal life, and rises from the dead, so that the soldiers lying around the tomb do not see such a resurrection. For from Matthew it is good to assume that the Lord Christ did not rise in the earthquake, but that the earthquake began when the angel came down from heaven and removed the stone from the tomb. But Christ came through the closed tomb, and without breaking any of the seals that were pressed against the tomb. Just as he came to the disciples the same evening through closed doors.
(5) Above the earthquake and the angels, the soldiers are so terrified that they lie there dead. But as soon as they come to themselves again, they run out of the tomb in heaps, one here, the other there. For the angel was not there that they should be glad; but that they should be afraid of him, and be afraid. But there were other people whom the angel was to comfort and to speak kindly to them.
6th Now as the soldiers are running away from the tomb, Mary Magdalene, Mary Jacob and Salome, with Peter and John after them, are going to look at the tomb. Then the angel comforted and told the women that Christ was no longer there, that he had risen, and that they should see him in Galilee. And they commanded that they should go in haste and proclaim these things to his disciples. As they are on their way back, the Lord Christ meets Magdalene in the form of a gardener. Item, as John reports, he also appears to Petro. And towards evening he comes to the two of them
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He reveals himself to them when he breaks the bread or presents it to them at the table. When the same two disciples hurriedly ran back to Jerusalem and wanted to tell the others what they had encountered, how they had seen the Lord, and they were amazed, yet not all of them could believe, Jesus came through the closed doors and stood among them, John 20.
(7) So much happened on the holy day of Easter with the revelation of our dear Lord Christ, as can be seen from the evangelists. And therefore it is necessary that it be well known; for it is an article of our faith, in which, as we shall hear, much depends.
Now it is not enough to know the history: one should also learn what it serves us and how we should use it. Of the same we will now also say a little. For even though it is preached daily throughout the year, no one can preach it or learn it sufficiently, for it is such a rich subject.
(9) But if we are to understand the custom of the resurrection of our Lord Christ, we must have two different images in mind. One is the sad, miserable, shameful, miserable, bloody image that we heard about on Good Friday, of Christ hanging in the midst of murderers and dying in great pain. We are to look at such an image, as your love has heard, with an undoubted heart, that it all happened for the sake of our sins, that he, the true and eternal priest, gave himself as a sacrifice for our sin and wanted to pay for it with his death. For every man ought to know that his sins have wounded Christ and made him miserable, and that his sufferings are nothing else than your sins and mine. Therefore, as often as we think of or look at such a sad, bloody image, we should think of nothing else but that we see our sin there. If such a sorrowful image should always remain, then it would be terrible.
(10) But just as in faith we put these two articles together in the most precise way: Christ was crucified, died, and was buried.
He was dead, went down to hell, and on the third day rose again from death: so we see that this image of sorrow does not remain long. For before three whole days are over, our dear Lord Christ brings with him another beautiful, healthy, friendly, joyful image: so that we may certainly learn the consolation that not only are our sins wiped out and strangled by Christ's death, but that through his resurrection we shall be justified and eternally saved; as St. Paul says to the Romans in chapter 4, v. 25. Paul says to the Romans in chapter 4, v. 25: "Christ is dead for our sins, and is raised again for our righteousness"; and 1 Cor. 15:17-19: "If Christ be not risen, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins; they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are lost. And we are the most miserable of men, if in this life alone we hope in Christ." For just as before sins hung on his neck and pinned him to the cross, so now you see in this other image that there is no longer any sin in him, but righteousness; no pain or sorrow, but joy; no death, but life; and eternal life, which is far, far above this temporal life. This is the image we should ever rejoice in.
(11) To look at the first image by heart is a little terrible, but look at the cause, and we should not wish it otherwise. For there you see that God has taken away from you your sins, all of which were too heavy for you to go down under, and has laid them on His Son, who is eternal God and strong enough for sin. There let your sin lie. For you will not be able to lay them better, since they will press you less nor weigh you down. Then take this other image also before you, in which you see how your Lord Christ, who before was so horrible and miserable because of your sins, is now beautiful, pure, glorious and joyful, and all sins have disappeared in him. Continue your calculation: If your sins are not in you because of the suffering of Christ, but are taken from you by God Himself and put on Christ, and are today on Easter Day after His resurrection on
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Nor Christ anymore: where will they be? Is it not true, as Micah says, that they are sunk into the depth of the sea, that neither devil nor any creature shall find them any more?
(12) Now this is the glorious, joyful article of our faith, which alone makes Christians, and yet is a mockery to all the world, and is profaned and blasphemed by everyone. For popes and cardinals are commonly of the kind that they consider history itself a laughter and a fairy tale, are good Pliniani, who laugh even more when one speaks of another and eternal life, after this life. So you see in our nobility, item, burghers and peasants that they believe it more out of a habit than that they are serious that there is another life. Otherwise they should ever keep to it, and not take so much care of this temporal life, food, honor and other things, but rather strive for the eternal. But let them preach and say what they will, and reason will think it foolishness. So this article resists, and does not want to go so deeply into the hearts as would be necessary.
(13) But we, if we would be true Christians otherwise, should make this article firmly certain in our hearts, that Christ, who bore our sin on the cross and paid for it with his death, rose again from the dead for our righteousness' sake. The more firmly we believe this in our hearts, the more joy and comfort we will find. For it is impossible that this image should not rejoice you, that you now see in Christ such a beautiful, pure, healthy man, who before was so wretched and miserable because of your sins. For then you are sure that your sins are gone and no longer exist.
(14) Hence the fine beautiful hymns, Latin and German, were made by the ancient Christians; as when we sing: Christ is risen from his torture to all, we should all be glad, Christ should be our consolation. And in the sequence: Agnus redemit oves, Christus innocens Patri reconciliavit peccatores. Mors et vita duello conflixere mirando, dux vitae mortuus regnat vivus: The innocent little lamb Christ has reconciled us poor erring sheep with his father, and is ever a
wonderful war, that death and life fight with each other, and the Lord of life dies, but still lives and reigns again 2c.
(15) Whoever made the song must have had a high and Christian mind to paint this picture in such a fine way, how death attacked life, and how the devil also stabbed life. Well, the life, our Lord Jesus Christ, suffered and let himself be killed. But death struck unjustly. For life was eternal. Death did not see that behind the mortal body an eternal power and divine strength should be hidden. So he played the game and attacked the person who could not die, and yet died. So it happened that the corpse was dead and buried, but the person remained alive. For this must be especially understood, that this person is at the same time bodily dead and yet eternally alive. Death had accomplished as much as it could and could go no further. Because the person is alive and cannot remain in death, he comes forth again and throws death and everything that helped death, sin and the devil, under himself, and reigns in an eternal, new life, to which neither sin, the devil nor death can harm anything anymore.
This is a strange, unheard-of sermon, which reason cannot grasp; it must be believed that Christ lives, and yet is dead, and so dead that death must die in him and lose all its power. But these things are preached to us for comfort, that we should believe and learn that death has lost all its power. For once, praise be to God forever, such a man is found whom death attacks like all other men, and strangles him: but in the strangulation he himself must die and be devoured, and the strangled Christ shall live forever.
17 St. Paul praises this in very fine words, Col. 2:14, 15: "Christ hath blotted out the handwriting which was made by the law, and was against us. He took it away and nailed it to the cross; he stripped away the principalities and the powers and carried them away.
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publicly, and made a triumph of them by themselves."
(18) This saying includes two things. Firstly, it says that Christ, with his suffering, erased the handwriting that we had to give of ourselves because of the law. This is what St. Paul means: We all know through the law what God requires of us, what we should do and not do. Wherever we do wrong, either by not doing what we are commanded to do or by doing what we are forbidden to do, we cannot pass by; our conscience stands there and convicts us that we have done wrong. So that our conscience is like a book of guilt, in that we bear witness to ourselves that we have been disobedient, and for this reason must bear God's wrath and disfavor. The handwriting, says St. Paul, comes into being through the law; for if the law were not there, there would be no transgression. So then both sin and the handwriting are there, which commits us, so that we cannot deny that we are guilty; like a merchant to whom one puts his own handwriting and seal. Then, says St. Paul, we enjoy our dear Lord Christ, because he takes such a handwriting and attaches it to the cross, that is, he makes a hole through it, and tears it so that it is no longer valid, nor should it accuse and damage us. Cause: He, the Lord Christ, hangs on the cross because he stepped into our sin and wants to pay for our sin with his body. This is the first thing.
- Secondly, Christ has "stripped" the principalities, that is, he has taken away the devil's power, so that the devil should no longer drive and coerce Christians to sin, as he did before they came to Christ. For they can resist the evil spirit through the help of the Holy Spirit, and resist him through the word and faith, so that he must leave them satisfied. For this reason Christ gives us his Holy Spirit. Just as the devil has departed and has been deprived of his power, so have the powers departed, that is, the death that subdues us all has also been subdued by Christ. So that Christians henceforth make a mockery of the devil and death.
can. For even though they are both wicked and angry, and turn all their power against the Christians, they can do nothing, as Paul says to the Romans Cap. 8, 1: "Those who are in Christ JEsu, there is nothing condemnable about them."
20 Just as the Lord Christ overcame death, so he also overcame sin. For in his own person he is righteous; but because he takes upon himself the sins of others, he becomes a sinner, as he laments, Ps. 41:5: "I said, O Lord, be merciful to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee." This is the cause of sin attacking him. And he, the Lord Christ, gladly lets himself be seized and brought to the cross, so that he dies, not otherwise than as if he had forfeited death himself and had sinned himself. As Isaiah says, Cap. 53:12, "He is counted as one of the transgressors," yet he has not sinned, but we have sinned; and he does no more than take upon himself strangers and take upon himself our iniquity. But there the holiness, which is hidden under foreign sin, is so great that sin cannot overcome it. Therefore, sin runs up and strikes the unrighteous man like death; therefore, it becomes weak and dies in his body, as St. Paul says.
The devil also wanted to prove his dominion over Christ, therefore he needs his power against him and wants to bring him under himself. But he finds a higher power that he cannot overcome. For even though the Lord Christ presents himself as weak, and does nothing else but fall to the ground and give way to the devil, there is still an insurmountable power hidden in such weakness. The devil does not see this and therefore loses all his power, so that our Lord Christ can boast that he is both above and below, and therefore these three powerful enemies, death, sin and the devil, must lie at his feet.
This glorious victory we celebrate today. Now it is up to us to take this to heart and firmly believe that in Christ God fought with the devil, righteousness with sin, life with death, good with evil, honor with blasphemy.
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and conquered. We are to let this image be our command and look at it often. For as we see in the first image on the silent Friday how our sin, curse and death lie upon Christ, and make of him a wretched, miserable man: so we see another image on Easter Day, where there is no sin, no curse, no disgrace, no death, but only life, grace, blessedness and righteousness. With such an image we are to lift up our hearts. For it is presented to us and given to us that we should not think of ourselves otherwise than as if God Himself had raised us up with Christ today. For as little as you see sin, death and cursing in Christ, so you should believe that God also wants to see so little in you for Christ's sake, if you accept and take comfort in this resurrection of His. Such grace is brought to us by faith. In that day, however, we will no longer believe, but will see, grasp and feel.
23 Nevertheless, because we are still here on earth, sin, death, shame and disgrace, and all kinds of lack and infirmities remain in our old sackcloth; these we must suffer. But they do not go any further than into the flesh, for according to faith we are already saved. And just as Christ was raised from the dead, without sin and death, in everlasting life; so are we also in faith. For sin is gone, and we have become children of God through Christ. Therefore there is nothing lacking, but that we lay down our heads and let ourselves be embraced, then our bodies also will rise to eternal life and be pure and holy without all sin; since we are now just as frail and sinners as other people, unless by the help of the Holy Spirit we do not give the flesh its lust and shun gross sins. For though Christians sometimes fall, they do not remain in sins, but rise again through righteous repentance and obtain forgiveness of all sins through faith.
(24) Therefore a Christian cannot be judged by the outward life. For in one case it is as unclean and dilapidated as the life of the unbelievers, which is why they pray daily: Forgive us our
Guilt. But whoever wants to look at and judge a Christian rightly, let him do it according to faith. For we are sinners by reason of our flesh and blood, and must likewise die and expect all kinds of misfortune here on earth, and probably more than other people who are unbelievers. Because we feel sin more than the world, which lives in safety and does not care about sin.
025 Yea, sayest thou, how then can we boast that we are holy and without sin? So that through Christ, who bore our sins and rose from the dead, we believe and ask forgiveness of sins. No one else can do this but Christians. For believing and asking for forgiveness of sins is the work of the Holy Spirit. Where the Holy Spirit is not, it will be done slowly. As can be seen in the enemies of the gospel, in the pope and his crowd; they are great, horrible sinners, but they do not feel it and therefore do not ask for it. But once they have to feel it, they will not be able to stand, but will have to despair. Since they know nothing of this image, that Christ is risen and has no more sin in him. But a Christian, as much as he grasps this image with faith, has so much blessedness in Christ JEsu, who rose from the dead, no longer bloody nor stained, but beautiful, lovely and glorious. For just as before he was bloody and hung on the cross for our sins, so now for our comfort he is beautiful and pure and has eternal life, so that we may rejoice and be comforted in him, because it was done for our sake.
(26) So it is with one another: according to faith in Christ we are clean and holy; according to the old Adam we are unclean and sinners. We should throw such filth into the Lord's Prayer, and then we will be holy, even though we are sinners. For we know that whatever we lack, our Lord and Head, Christ, has risen from the dead; he has no more sin or death in him. Therefore, through faith in him we have neither sin nor death. But he that believeth not, and hath not Christ, he
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must be and remain a sinner with all his works and worship, nothing helps for that.
27 Therefore, we should diligently and carefully contemplate and form in ourselves this joyful, lovely, comforting image of Easter. For in the same image there is neither sin nor death. If then sin should trouble thee, and conscience afflict thee, because thou hast done this or that, and art weak in faith; stand here, and say, It is true, I am a sinner, I am weak in faith, I cannot deny it; but again I take comfort in knowing that Christ Jesus hath taken my sin upon him, and bare it. But on Easter Day he rose from the dead in such a way that all sin and punishment for sin disappeared. Tell me then, you sin, you death, you devil, what did this man do to you, that you accused him before Pilato and brought him to the cross? Did you also do right in this? Then sin, death and the devil will have to confess that they have done wrong and wronged him.
Then you can say to sin, death and the devil, "Roll over and let me be satisfied," or settle it with him and ask him where he has gone with my sins, whether he has not been able to bear them,
but had to put them back on me. He therefore that can turn away the devil unto the Lord Christ, on whom he hath burned his mouth, is healed.
(29) This is the true doctrine of the faith, which every man imagineth to have, and to know. But there are truly few of them who can do it rightly, for it cannot be spoken in or out of words; the Holy Spirit must do it. If then you can do this art, you are a Christian. But if you cannot yet do it, thank God that you are among those who like to hear such things and do not like to blaspheme, as the Turks, Jews and Papists do: they want to be so pious for the sake of their person that they may stand before God's judgment, and without this image they fight with death, sin and the devil. Then faith must perish. But learn that you do not rely on your holiness, and that you imagine this image of Christ as if you knew nothing about yourself; just as your eyes do not see themselves when you look before you; so that you alone may have Christ in your heart, who rose from the dead and overcame sin and hell; and then you will be healed. May our dear Lord Christ Jesus help us to do this, amen.
On the holy day of Easter.
The second sermon.*)
- your love has heard about the resurrection of Christ, how it is done, why it is done, and how we should use and enjoy it. Of such use of the resurrection this gospel also teaches.
(2) For this is first of all a great thing, that the dear angels are the first messengers to win the glad tidings that Christ is risen and is no longer in the grave; and
*From the explanation of the 28th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew.
remind the women that Christ had foretold them this, even though they did not believe or understand it. Such a message is a certain sign, although the angels are pure and holy spirits, but we are poor sinners, that they nevertheless neither flee nor despise us, but want to be good friends with us, since Christ died for us too well and rose again.
- If God had not wanted us to accept such a resurrection, and had not wanted us to
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he would have kept his messengers, the dear angels, in heaven and not let us know about it. But because the angels are ordained and sent to be the first preachers to proclaim to us the resurrection of Christ, this is a certain sign that the Lord Christ, as we have heard before, has risen to our good, and that God's will is that we should comfort ourselves and believe the angels' preaching. So first of all the work stands in itself, because the angels are sent, that we must conclude: The resurrection of Christ is to serve us as well as his suffering, and was done for our sake.
(4) Besides the work, we can also hear from the words what they think about the resurrection of Christ. For the angels come with two commands: the first is to the women, that they should not fear on account of themselves, but rejoice that Christ is risen; the other command is, that they should not keep this resurrection secret, but should go quickly and proclaim it to the disciples. This is to rejoice greatly for both parts.
5 For the angel to say first, "Fear not, for I know that ye seek Jesus crucified: for he is not here, but is risen from the dead" is as much as to say, "What foolish, simple folk are ye, that ye should be astonished and afraid? Christ is alive and has risen from the dead. Therefore you should be happy and not worry about anything else. For that Christ liveth, he liveth well for you, that ye may enjoy him, be protected by him, and be preserved from all distress. For this is the way of languages: he who is not to be afraid should be cheerful and of good cheer, hoping and waiting for the best. But he that is afraid must wait for a worse thing, which he would rather have. So you see, whoever is afraid of the executioner, of death, of sins and of the wrath of God, there is no joy, no hope, but only lamentation and mourning, worry and unrest. These things shall be no more with you, says the angel, because Christ is risen. This is to indicate that we should
The resurrection of Christ comforts us against the devil, sin, death and hell. For where these enemies should or could do more harm, it is impossible that we should not fear. This is the first command, not only to women, but to all baptized and believing Christians who believe and know that Christ is risen, that they should not fear.
(6) The other command seems to be different from this, but it is just an opinion that the angel tells the women to go in haste and proclaim to his disciples how Christ has risen from the dead. For this is also a certain indication that the disciples should rejoice and accept the resurrection. But now, behold, who are the disciples? Aren't they poor sinners, who have wronged the Lord, and in his greatest trouble have shamefully forsaken him, and Peter has denied him altogether? Above this they are now with each other, not to be seen before the Jews. There is no thought that Christ should live again and first establish his kingdom. And since the women are already coming, saying that they have seen the Lord, since Simon Peter and those from Emmaus are also coming, no one wants to believe them and thinks it is a fable. Yes, when the Lord himself comes and shows them hands and feet, lets himself be felt and attacked, they still do not even want to believe that it is true, they think it is a ghost.
(7) The fact that the angel was so anxious that the resurrection of Christ should be proclaimed to the disciples, who were drowned in unbelief and had an evil conscience, is a certain indication that the Lord Christ has risen as a comfort to the poor weak believers, even to those who are completely unbelieving, so that they may enjoy his mercy. They should seek and find help and protection with him.
(8) Therefore, if we find such weakness, sin, and unbelief in ourselves, let us not despair on that account, nor think that Christ does not want us; for here we see that for the comfort of such poor, weak, miserable sinners the angels come from heaven, and must order through the women that they may know that Christ is risen, and therefore draw comfort and joy from it.
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should be. For, as heard in the next sermon, where the resurrection of Christ is, there must be comfort, joy and a good conscience, since neither death, sin, nor the wrath of God is found in such an image.
(9) Now these are the sermons of the dear angels concerning the resurrection of Christ, which come from heaven for this reason, so that the poor, frightened consciences may become aware of them and rejoice and be comforted. Such preaching and testimony should be enough for us. But Christ himself comes to the women and preaches to them like angels, greets them in the most friendly way, and also tells them not to be afraid. With this he wants to teach us all how we should rightly use his resurrection, that we should cast out all fear, be joyful and of good cheer.
(10) For there is nothing in the whole world that can frighten a Christian who has Christ for his Lord. Sin will not do it, for we know that Christ paid for it. Nor will death, for Christ has overcome it. He has torn hell asunder, and bound and captured the devil. Whether the world then is hostile to the Christian by its nature, and puts on every plague, how shall we do to him? It is only a temporal suffering, since we know that we shall enjoy the resurrection of Christ to eternal life. Therefore this sermon of the angel, and after that of our Lord Christ, shall go and remain among Christians forever: Fear not, be glad, give thanks and praise to God; for Christ is risen and is no longer here.
Now Christ does not leave us with this comfort; he goes further and makes it much greater and more glorious. For thus he says, "Go and tell my brethren, that they may go into Galilee, and there they shall see me," or as John tells us in the 20th chapter, v. 17, that he said to Mary, "Go unto my brethren, and say, I ascend unto my Father, and to your Father, and to my God, and to your God."
(12) This can ever be called comforting preaching, that he calls his disciples "brethren. Such a name is nothing special among men. For where one calls another brother
If we call ourselves brothers, such a name brings nothing more with it than an advantage of money and friendship. But when Christ calls us brothers, who is the Son of God, then it is first of all an excellent, high, unspeakable name. For if he calls us brethren, he will also have to share with us, and not only keep the inheritance that he has, but also throw it in with us. For this we must take care of the Lord Christ in every way, that he does not use such a name only for appearance, as the world is wont to do, since one often writes to another: Dear brother, and yet in his heart he is his worst enemy, to whom he wishes all unhappiness. We should not be so unkind to Christ. If he calls us brothers, he means from the bottom of his heart that he is our brother and wants to consider us brothers and deal with us as brothers.
(13) How then did the apostles get such honor? Did they deserve such a name because they so shamefully ran away from him, denied him, and no longer had a heart for him, that he should live again and establish his kingdom? This should ever have given the Lord cause to consider them his enemies and not brothers. But, as said before, he wants to deal with poor sinners, and wants the poor sinners of his resurrection to receive and comfort themselves; otherwise he would not call his disciples brethren in truth, who had behaved so very badly against him and did not deserve such a name; just as little as we, who are also poor sinners, and yet should accept this name. Just as Christ commands all Christians, when they want to pray, to say: Our Father, who art in heaven. For if we call God in heaven "Father," we must ever be Christ's brethren, as he says here, "I ascend unto my Father and your Father, unto my God and your God." But the difference is that Christ is the natural and eternal Son of God for Himself; but we come to glory through Christ, because He died for us and rose again for our good, so that through faith in Christ we become God's children, filii adoptati, non nati, adopted ones.
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but not born children, as Paul distinguishes.
14 Now the word that the Lord calls his disciples brethren is the right absolution, that he may absolve them from all sins, that they may forget them, and fear them no more. For Christ has never had any sin. If then the disciples are to be called brethren of Christ, they must also have no sin; otherwise Christ would have an advantage in the inheritance and would not be properly our brother. But because he says we are brothers, it follows that we belong to the same inheritance.
15 What then is the inheritance of Christ? It is not money, goods, great power and splendor. For experience teaches us that such goods are also possessed by those who are not children of God nor brothers of Christ. Therefore such cannot be the rightful inheritance of Christ, which he and his brothers alone have. Rather, this temporal thing is like the sun, the rain and other gifts of God, which God gives equally to the pious and the wicked. But the true inheritance of Christ is this, as Paul says of it, 1 Cor. 1:30, 31: "Christ is made unto us of God wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; that, as it is written, he that boasteth, let him boast of the Lord."
We poor people are so blinded by sin that we know nothing certain about God, about sins, or about righteousness. And although there is still a little knowledge of God in us, as Paul says in Romans 1, we can see how soon it is lost, so that we fall into error and idolatry. This is now the first part of our inheritance, to which we come through Christ, that we learn to know God rightly; as he says, Matth. 11, 27: "No one knows the Father, except the Son, and to whom the Son wills to reveal it." Now this is the highest and greatest wisdom, whereas all the wisdom of the world is mere foolishness. For though it has great renown before the world, it will last no longer than here on earth. But this wisdom, that Christ teaches us to know God, that God will be gracious and merciful to us, is eternal wisdom, and eternal life itself, as Christ says, John 17:3;
and serves us to defend ourselves not only against men, but also against the devil himself, and to know and judge him.
The other part of our inheritance is that Christ made us righteous. For we do not live in sins alone, but were also conceived and born in sins. But through Christ we come to this, that God will not see such sin nor impute it to us, but give it to us and forbear it. This is what it means to be righteous, if God considers us righteous, even though we are poor, miserable sinners.
The third part of our inheritance is that Christ has been made holy for us by God. Not only by sanctifying Himself for us and offering Himself as a sacrifice, as John 17:19 says, but also by giving us His Holy Spirit, who establishes a new life in us, resists sin and drives us to heartfelt obedience to God.
The fourth part is that he is made unto us also unto salvation. There are temptations, hardships, troubles, persecutions, whatever they may be, but Christ is with us and holds us up, so that we may finally be victorious and experience salvation; not only temporal, but eternal salvation.
20 We should accept and rejoice in such a rich, eternal inheritance. For Christ calls us to such hope, because he calls us his brothers. But it is a pity above all pity that we have more joy when a hundred guilders are given or created for us by a man than when the Son of God places us in such a rich and eternal inheritance. Now it is true that we should be content with this if Christ would let us be his disciples, his servants, his disciples, or if he would call us his friends. For who would not want to take on such a great Lord and Master? But he lifts us higher, and will not let it remain with a lowly one, and calls us his brothers. Therefore, we should not forget this great comfort, and always remember this rich, eternal brotherhood, and take comfort from it in all hardships and in the midst of death.
21 But what does the devil have to do?
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He drives the pope and the false, seductive teachers to not report such brotherhoods, and in the meantime they make other brotherhoods in the name of the devil, because they distribute good works as an inheritance to the deceased saints, monks and priests. Such punishment befalls them justly. For whoever does not want to rejoice or be comforted by this brotherhood is worth nothing better than to put his heart and trust in other godless, idolatrous, earthly and futile brotherhoods.
(22) Therefore let us be thankful for this blessed doctrine, and accept it with all our hearts, and so depend on the resurrection of Christ, that we may have a firm confidence in Christ as our brother, that he will use his life, now that he is alive, for our salvation, and, as Paul says, keep us from all wrath. Whoever could firmly believe this, would not let any misfortune trouble him. For whatever may be the need or the want, we know that Christ lives, and we also shall live with him. What can temporal suffering trouble us, if we have eternal life through Christ so surely? Why should we be angry with those who do us wrong? Is it not true that it would be better for us to grieve with them and have compassion on them, since their hatred and envy of us is sufficient proof that they are not in this brotherhood and should not enjoy this eternal inheritance? What good is their temporal inheritance, their power, money, goods and splendor, which they misuse for more sins and more severe condemnation?
So, if we could believe in this brotherhood, we would not care so much about the temporal, but would always look more to the eternal inheritance, which is offered to us in this brotherhood. As St. Paul very finely admonishes when he preaches about the resurrection of Christ in the 3rd chapter to the Colossians, and says vv. 1-3: "If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, and seek the things that are above, and not the things that are on earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid in Christ, in God."
For if we want to take this brotherhood seriously and boast that we are children of God, then we must always do our Father's will and not be disobedient children. And, as Paul says, we must put to death and put off our members on earth, that is, evil lusts and works, and, as God's elect, saints and beloved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, so that one may bear with the other and forgive 2c.
(24) For this cause we have before remembered, under the inheritance of Christ, sanctification also, which is to follow in all things, both in faith and life; as Paul also saith in another place, 1 Cor. 5:7, 8: "We have a paschal lamb, which is Christ, sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep Easter, not in the old leaven; neither in the leaven of malice and wickedness; but in the sweet dough of sincerity and truth"; item: "Let us sweep out the old leaven, and be a new dough, as ye are already unleavened." This is strangely said; but it is just what we heard above from Paul, that Christ is made unto us for righteousness and sanctification. For because we believe in Christ, that he paid for our sin, by such faith we have forgiveness of sin, and are justified, or, as Paul calls it, we are without leaven. Nevertheless, we still have flesh and blood on us, which is not yet dead, but full of leaven and evil desire. We are to sweep them out and kill them, not to cling to them, but to keep ourselves holy. For to this end our Lord Christ gives us his Holy Spirit, that we may resist sin and keep ourselves according to God's word and will.
(25) Thus your love sees what the resurrection of Christ is to accomplish and work in us, namely, that we should not fear henceforth, and should recognize and glory in Christ as our brother, and take comfort in the right inheritance which he has given us. And we are also to be careful in what we do, so that we do not lose this inheritance again through disobedience, like children who have gone astray. That is, then, to make right and good use of the joyful resurrection, and to make the
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Celebrate Easter properly. But where this does not happen, either because we lie in sins and disobedience, or because we do not want to reach for this consolation in hardships and temptations, nothing is more certain than that we have nothing of this resurrection and this glorious inheritance.
nor knows. May God grant us His Holy Spirit through Christ, that we may take comfort in such a resurrection, and that in such faith, confidence and hope we may increase from day to day, and that we may finally be saved, amen.
Easter Tuesday.
Luc. 24:36-48.
While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them: Peace be with you! And they were afraid, and thought that they saw a spirit. And he said unto them: Why are ye thus terrified? and why do such thoughts come into your hearts? Behold my hands, and my feet, it is I myself: feel me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see that I have. And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And when they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he saith unto them: Have you anything to eat here? And they set before him a piece of broiled fish, and honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. And he said unto them: These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you: for all things must be fulfilled which are written of me in the law of Moses, in the prophets, and in the psalms. Then he opened their understanding, so that they understood the Scriptures. And he said unto them: Thus it is written, and thus Christ must suffer, and rise from the dead the third day, and preach repentance and remission of sins in his name among all nations, and begin at Jerusalem. But you are all witnesses of this.
(1) This history also took place on the day of Easter, just then, when the two disciples came again from Emmaus to Jerusalem, and announced to the disciples what they had encountered and how they had seen the Lord; and is precisely the history which will be preached on the coming Sunday from John; without this being reported there by Thoma in particular, and the history which followed about eight days later also being appended. Now, one could probably make many pieces out of it, since it is a rich material; but since we have done the article on the resurrection, we will leave it at these two pieces, which are the most distinguished.
- The first, that the disciples, when the Lord comes to them unexpectedly through closed doors, are frightened by him, and think that it is a ghost. From these words we have that it is not new to see spirits. For he himself, the Lord, does not deny it, as if the spirits should not let themselves be seen.
He confirms this by making a distinction between the spirits and himself. For thus he says: "Why are you frightened and think like this? Behold my hands and my feet. A spirit has neither flesh nor bone.
This is useful and necessary, so that it is known that we are not alone, as if the devil were over a hundred miles away from us. He is all around us, and sometimes puts on a larva; as I myself have seen that he lets himself be seen as if he were a sow, a burning straw mop, and the like. This must be known, for it serves us not to make superstition out of it, and not to take such spirits for human souls; as has happened hitherto, and the papal mass has been greatly promoted and exalted by it. For everyone thought that if the devil thus let himself be seen and heard, they were human souls; as one has good testimonies of this, not only from the pope's Scribes.
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The first part of the book is not only about the devil, but also about Gregory and other old teachers, who did not consider it to be a ghost of the devil, but rather about believing souls. Unfortunately, we know only too much about the horrible error and idolatry that followed from this.
For with it one has received purgatory. Through purgatory, one then received the merit of one's own and other good works, as if these were to benefit the deceased. But how by such false teaching the death and resurrection of Christ was diminished and honored as the work of men, is easy to see. Thirdly, the abominable abomination of the mass followed from this, by which the sacrifice of Christ was completely obscured and the Lord's supper was turned into an abominable abuse, as if it were to be enjoyed by the dead and not by the living. Such misery all arose from the superstition that where the devil put on a mask and let himself be seen now in one place and now in another, everyone believed that it was not the devil but a human soul. Otherwise, if it had been thought to be the devil, it would have been believed slowly, because it is known that he is a murderer and a liar. For this reason Christ did not want his testimony even then, when he spoke the truth; as can be seen in Marc. 1, 25. and in other places, when Christ forbids him to speak, and does not want his testimony, even though he spoke the truth.
5 It is therefore necessary that we know and believe that it is true that the devil sometimes lets himself be seen, now one way, now another. As the dear holy angels also do. For we always walk and stand between angels and devils. The devils watch and seek how they may choke us, tempt us, and do us harm; but the good angels are around us, if we are pious and God-fearing, so that they may protect us from harm and keep us safe. This serves to teach us to fear God and to bless ourselves more diligently every day, and to call upon God more earnestly for protection against the evil spirits, so that they may not harm us, poison us with pestilence or otherwise, or cause us other misery.
(6) Whoever desires to be safe from such things, the best and most certain thing is to live in the fear of God, to pray diligently, to speak much and gladly of God's word. This is the right cross, so that we may bless ourselves and protect ourselves against the enemy. For he cannot stay there, where God's word is in his heart, he must troll himself. In the church he does not remain now either. For thus says Christ, "Where two or three are in my name, there will I be in the midst of them." But where Christ is, the devil will not be able to stay long. This is certainly true. Therefore, we should gladly hear God's word, remember it often and often, and gladly speak of it. But whoever tells lies, after-talks, lives in sins and an evil conscience, the evil enemy will not tarry long, but Christ and His angels will depart from it. Therefore let no one deny that the devil does not let himself be seen, that he does not frighten or deceive people or harm them secretly. But when he does this, learn and make the holy cross, not only with your hand before you, but seek to have it in your heart, to comfort yourself with God's word and to pray. And let him paw and bang at it as long as he pleases; you shall remain safe from him. Only tell him confidently in your heart, and say, Thou art a devil, and remainest a devil; but I am a Christian, and have a stronger Lord over me than thou art: therefore let me alone.
(7) It has often happened to me that he has caused a disturbance in my house and has wanted to frighten me. But I took my profession before me and said: I know that God has placed me in this house, that I should be master inside. If you have a stronger profession than I have, and if you are master here, stay there. But I know that you belong in another place, namely, in the abyss of hell. So I fell asleep again and let him be angry, for I knew well that he could not do anything to me. Now this is the first part that we cannot omit, since the disciples and the Lord himself speak of spirits that are evil spirits and therefore appear to frighten and make people afraid.
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The other part is that Christ says: "Thus it is written, and thus Christ had to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day, and to preach repentance and remission of sins in his name among all nations, and to begin at Jerusalem.
(9) At Jerusalem, saith he, let this preaching begin, and afterward let it go forth into all the world, that Christ must die, and rise again from the dead. For what purpose? To preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name, and in no other name. So that no penance, no indulgence is valid, neither in St. Peter's nor St. Paul's, much less in my name, that I would become a monk, do this or that work to earn forgiveness of sins with it; but it is said: In his name one should preach the indulgence that he has earned through his suffering and resurrection. Therefore, whoever desires forgiveness of sins should believe that Christ suffered for him and rose again from death. This should be the right sermon.
(10) But that it may be known that such a sermon cannot soon be grasped and learned once it is heard, therefore the evangelist diligently adds these words, saying, "He," the Lord Christ, "opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. Such things belong to it; otherwise the people go in and out of the sermon like cows. There is no understanding there, nor can there be any, unless Christ is there first and opens the understanding.
(11) Now what is the meaning of the Lord's putting repentance and remission of sins together, and saying in plain words, Let such preaching begin at Jerusalem? This is a very annoying command to start preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jerusalem, where the greatest saints, the Levites, the chief priests and the people of God were. Surely everyone would think that there was no need for such preaching of repentance and forgiveness of sins.
012 But the Lord will say this much, Ye Levites and Jews, ye shall be first, and repentance shall be preached unto you, that ye may amend yourselves, or ye shall never be forgiven of sins.
come. For preaching repentance means nothing else than punishing sin and teaching that it is impossible to be saved, so we convert and believe in Christ that God will be merciful to us for his sake.
The Lord wants such a sermon of repentance to go throughout the world. For this reason no man can excuse himself; we must all accuse ourselves of being sinners and give ourselves up. What else would it be to preach repentance to us? Yes, he wants such preaching to begin at Jerusalem, among the people of God and in the most holy place; that the Pharisees should be told to mend their ways. For they do worse than harlots and knaves, since they still consider themselves pious and holy, as if they had no need of such preaching of repentance.
14 In sum, Christ condemns the whole world by this command, and reproves them all sinners; and if we desire otherwise to be sanctified, he wills that every man fall on his knees, lift up his hands, and submit: Lord, I am a sinner; I am in need of correction, but I cannot; therefore, Lord, have mercy on me and help me.
(15) When this happens, that we despair of all our life and deeds, then comes the other part, which is called the forgiveness of sins. This is what the Lord wants to be preached. That it is therefore primarily a matter of recognizing that we are sinners and then asking for mercy. For in this building, where one wants to make a Christian, this must always be the first stone, that one recognizes sin. For otherwise one will not be able to rejoice or be comforted in forgiveness. So the Lord wants to show both here, that all the world is under sin, and that through Christ alone it becomes righteous and holy.
Reason has its own special judgment. One man makes himself believe that he is pious by fasting and praying much; another by giving much alms, and so on. But the gospel makes all these things sins and says, "Repent. Then the quarrel arises. The pope does not want to be a sinner, nor does a monk in a monastery; and we ourselves would also like to live in such a way that we could not be accused of anything. But there is no end to it.
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Now, what shall we do to him? Shall we therefore despair? For we are sinners, and know that God is hostile to sin. No, but because forgiveness of sins is commanded to be preached beside repentance: that forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in the name of Christ to all who hear and believe; accept this and be comforted; say, Lord, I am a sinner; but spare me for thy Son's sake. I will live by the mere grace offered me in the name of thy Son. So do thou right unto him, and thou shalt be saved. For there is a promise that all who accept the gospel will have their sins forgiven and remitted. For one shall ever preach forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ. But where Christ is not, there can be no remission of sins.
(18) Therefore the indulgence of the pope is a lie and a fraud, which he sells in the name and merit of the dead saints. For here it is written: In my name it shall be preached, who died for you, and rose again from the dead; otherwise no man died for you.
19 The pope calls this preaching heresy, as you know, and blasphemes us for forbidding good works. But how shall we do to him? We have not invented these words ourselves, nor have we made them, that repentance should be preached to all nations in the name of Jesus. But what need would there be to preach repentance if we had or could do good works? The righteous do not need repentance preached to them, but sinners do. But now such a command goes over the whole world, that repentance should be preached in all the world. It follows that in the whole world there is nothing but sinners and sin, and no good works. Why else would one need repentance and forgiveness of sins?
020 But blind men will not hear, and always blaspheme that good works are forbidden. Therefore it is necessary for God to open our minds, so that we may say: Lord, have mercy on me, I am a poor sinner; but I take comfort in your grace, that you have commanded forgiveness of sins to be preached in your name. He who thus recognizes himself praises God, and gives
praise him for being true in his word, which accuses us all of being sinners and exhorts us to repentance. On the other hand, he also praises God by believing in the forgiveness of sins through the name of Christ. On the other hand, the impenitent and unbelieving blaspheme God, and will finally receive their punishment because of it.
(21) So let our faith be before God, and let Christian conduct follow faith, that we may do good to others, gladly help, be obedient, and wait each one for his profession; thus we shall become righteous saints, holy before God by faith, and afterwards, for the sake of life, also blameless before men. Otherwise, if a person is not first pure and holy by faith, how can he be called to do good works, because the source of the works is evil and impure? For the heart first of all does not believe that God is true, who is called to preach repentance in all the world; and because you do not want to consider yourself a sinner, it follows that you will not desire nor seek forgiveness of sins.
(22) Those who recognize themselves as sinners and hope that God will forgive such sins through Christ are the true Christians, with whom repentance and forgiveness of sins are found. About such teaching we are called heretics and condemned. But we should thank God that we can come to grace, recognize ourselves as sinners, and be comforted by the grace of God; and after that, in such faith, do righteous good works, which therefore proceed in repentance and faith. For where such preaching and teaching is, there Christ will be also; there no devil shall come, yea, neither shall we any more fear the devil, nor death, nor be afraid of him. For there is forgiveness of sins and a joyful, peaceful heart, which gladly does all that it should.
(23) But the rest, who believe not, do no good work. And even if the work itself is not evil, the heart is. These are displeasing and unkind works, since God cannot have any pleasure in them. But the heart does not become pure, because only through faith in Christ do we recognize ourselves as sinners, but through him
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Hope forgiveness of sins by pure grace.
(24) From this it follows that a Christian is both a sinner and a saint; he is both wicked and pious. For in our own persons we are in sins, and in our own names we are sinners. But Christ brings us another name, in whom is forgiveness of sins, that for his sake our sins are forgiven and given to us. So it is both true: sins are there; for the old Adam has not yet even died: and yet they are not there; because God does not want to see them for Christ's sake. They are before my eyes, I see and feel them well. But there is Christ, who tells me to repent, that is, to confess myself as a sinner, and then to believe in forgiveness of sins in his name.
(25) For repentance, contrition, and knowledge of sin, though it may be present, is not sufficient; it must come to pass that one believes in the name of Christ for the remission of sins. But where there is such faith, God no longer sees sin. For you stand before God not in your own name, but in Christ's name, who adorns you with grace and righteousness, even though you are a poor sinner in your own eyes and person, and are full of weakness and unbelief. But this should not frighten you to death, for how else would you be able to hear this sermon on repentance? Therefore say, O Lord, I am a poor sinner: but thou sayest it shall not be so with me: for thou hast ever commanded to preach also forgiveness of sins in thy name 2c.
26 Now this is the right article that makes a Christian. For even if you want to fast to death and make yourself a beggar by giving alms, this will not help you, you will not become a Christian with it, you will not go to heaven with it, you will not make God gracious to you with it. For here it is: In my name, says Christ, repentance is to be preached, so that people are frightened, and forgiveness of sins, so that they are comforted again. So that our Lord Christ alone may be the robe of grace that is put on us, so that God our Father may not
We ask you to consider us sinners, but to accept us as righteous, holy, pious children and to give us eternal life.
27 This doctrine, you know, before this time, before the coming of the gospel, was very secret in the world and known to few people. It was said that one should preach forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ; but all life and teaching went against this, that whoever wanted to be saved should accomplish this with good works, and pay for his sin himself or do enough. That is, to put away sin in his own name. But this is vain and wrong. For it is the name of Christ alone in which one should preach forgiveness of sins. Monk's name, nun's name, pope's name, fasting name, alms name, yes. St. Peter and Paul, the name of the Virgin Mary should not do it.
28 We can see here what poor people are still in the papacy and how miserably they are deceived. When they go to confession and let themselves think they are the most pious, and believe that they will be absolved of all their sins after confession, such release or absolution is not only in the name of Christ, as it should be, but in the name of the Mother of God, the holy apostles and all the saints. But what kind of absolution is this? It is an abomination, since one should flee from it as from the devil; so one still wants to force and drive people to it as to the highest service of God. But whoever wants to obey the command of Christ, he hears here, forgiveness of sins is to be preached in the name of Christ JEsu alone. Cause, because he alone died for us. None of the other saints died for your sin; what do you need their name for the forgiveness of your sins?
29 This is the teaching of today's gospel, that those who confess their sins, and know that they are sinners, shall have forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ. This seems to be an easy art, how to come to forgiveness of sins. For one must not carry stones, build churches, say mass, but only hear the word of God, give glory to God,
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if he lets us preach repentance, that he is true and that we are poor sinners; and then learn to build on God's grace, and to look to the name of Jesus, in which forgiveness of sins is preached. Whoever believes this cannot be harmed by sin, for he has Christ and his name and is righteous. Not because he has not sinned, but because sin is forgiven through Christ, and we are counted holy and righteous by grace because of Christ. As we pray and confess in our faith: I believe indulgence or forgiveness of sins. For such grace we should thank God that we have come to the kingdom of Christ and His Word, which is a kingdom of grace, in which all sins are forgiven through the name of Jesus.
- and shall yes this teaching actually and
This is to be distinguished from the other doctrine, which teaches about good works. Not because those who desire to be saved should not do good works, as the papists wrongly interpret it, for such obedience is laid down for us long before in the law, but because such good works cannot serve to forgive sins. For Peter and Paul and all the saints, however pious they may be with their lives, it does not help them in the sight of God, who does not want to be paid by works alone; he wants to have a pure heart. But this helps all Christians, that they believe in Christ and hope for forgiveness of sins and eternal life through his death. So that both must be: good works must be done, and yet forgiveness of sins must be believed in the name of Christ alone. May our dear Lord Christ grant us this, amen.
*On the first Sunday after Easter, Quasimodogeniti. )
John 20:10-31.
Now in the evening of the same Sabbath, when the disciples were gathered together, and the doors were shut, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them: Peace be unto you! *And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands, and his side. Then the disciples were glad to see the Lord. Then said JEsus unto them again: Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Gemini, was not with them when Jesus came. Then said the other disciples unto him, We have seen the Lord. And he said unto them: Unless I see in his hands the marks of the nails, and put my finger into the marks of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will see him. I will not believe it. And again his disciples were there eight days, and Thomas with them. When Jesus came, and the doors were shut, he entered into the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he unto Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord, and my God. saith JEsus unto him, Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that see not, and yet believe. Jesus also did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life in his name.
- this history your love has heard in the next sermon, that it happened on Easter day, after the disciples of Emmaus
Held publicly in 1533.
came again to Jerusalem, and told the others how they had seen the Lord. Now John has the way before other evangelists, that he not only tells the history, but also the sermon of Christ.
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and adds words that are most important and most needed. So he reports the words here, since one does not find anything in the other evangelists, like the Lord at that time, after he wished peace to his disciples and showed hands and feet, he said to them:
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
2 These are excellent words with which he commands them to preach, and brings the passion and resurrection of Christ into its proper use and practice. For if, apart from the ministry of preaching, history or history alone had remained, history would have been of no use to us at all. As can be seen in the priesthood, history is right and good there, as we have it; but because it is not conducted in the preaching office, as Christ commands here, it remains without any fruit, just as if it were a story by Dieterich of Bern, which one hears and teaches; but one has nothing more from it than knowledge. Therefore it is up to him to bring the story of the passion and resurrection of Christ into its proper use.
3 But this is done in the way that the Lord preaches here, saying: "I send you as my Father has sent me. How the Father sent Christ is taught long before by St. Isaiah, in chapter 61, v. 1, 2: "The Spirit of the Lord is with me; therefore the Lord hath anointed me. He has sent me to preach to the wretched, to bind up the brokenhearted, to preach a release to the captives, an opening to the bound, to preach a pleasant year of the Lord" 2c. This is the command, since Christ is sent with. And here he says that he also sends his disciples in the same way as he was sent, and commands them again until the end of the world such ministry as he led, that they should preach just as he preached. So this command and sending here is only about the teaching, that the disciples are to lead the same from Christ, just as he led them in the world.
(4) What then is this doctrine, Isaiah says in fine, glorious, clear words, that Christ is anointed and sent for it,
That he may comfort the affrighted, the foolish, the desponding heart. Which sermon then goes differently, that is not the right sermon of Christ; Christ certainly did not command it, but it is a sermon of Moses. For Moses preaches in such a way that the frightened, stupid hearts become even more frightened and despondent. But this sermon is called Christ's sermon, by which the miserable are comforted. For Christ came with a new command, so that the works he did were new works, such as had never been done before in the world, that the Son of God suffered and rose again from the dead. Just as Isaiah prophesies about the teachings of Christ, so we also hear here about Christ. For thus are the words of the evangelist and his words:
And he breathed on his disciples, and said unto them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven them; but whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
(5) This is the right spiritual government, which is to be distinguished from the temporal government as far as heaven and earth are from each other. Now those who are in this spiritual government are right kings, right princes, right lords, and have to rule. But here see and learn how such rule is limited and how far it goes. Namely, as the words clearly state, as far as the world is; and yet shall have nothing to do with anything else but sins. It shall not deal with money, nor with goods, nor with food, nor with all that pertains to food. This is what secular emperors and kings, princes and lords are to do with, ordering and doing everything as is best for the common good and peace. But this spiritual regiment is based solely on sins. Where sin is concerned, this government should also be concerned, and not otherwise.
(6) For we must beware lest we mix them together, as the pope and his bishops have done, who have so used the spiritual government that they have also become temporal lords, and emperors and kings must bow down to them. Christ did not command his disciples to do this.
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He did not send them out for worldly rule, but commanded them to preach and to rule over sin. That therefore the ministry of preaching is its own definition, that one should preach the gospel of Christ, and forgive sin to the broken and fearful consciences, but retain sin and bind the impenitent and secure.
(7) Such binding the pope has also miserably perverted and led far from that which is called "binding" in the Magisterium; for he has interpreted it as if he could make law and order not only in the church, but also in the secular government, as it seemed good to him. But the opinion does not have it at all. I, as a preacher and messenger of Christ, am not to teach you about housekeeping, agriculture, food and other things, for God has given you your reason for such things. But if you are not able to handle many things properly, then you may need worldly people who can advise you. But my command and rule is based only on sin, that I teach you how you should have been eternally lost because of your sins, if Christ had not paid for them and done enough.
(8) Therefore, the whole point of this doctrine is to know what sin really is; that sin is not money, nor goods, nor kingdom, nor food, nor bread, nor wine, nor any other such thing; but it is a burden that weighs down your heart and conscience before God, that you must fear His wrath and await eternal damnation. For we are speaking here of true, right sins, which God considers sin and worthy of eternal death; not of Mr. Simoni's sins, since the jugglers handle pabst and bishop, that one does not juice or eat meat on a forbidden day, that a monk goes without a Scheppler, a nun without a Weihel (veil). Such are papal sins, which are sins before the pope and his consecrators, who have devised them; but before God they are not sins, and condemn no one, for God has nowhere forbidden such things. But here we speak of sins, which are real and true sins, which no man has devised, but
in which we are born and live, which are against God's commandment, and against which God's commandment testifies, and not only man's commandment. With such sins, says the Lord here, the apostles are to deal, that they may forgive, or bind and keep. They are not to deal with money and goods and worldly affairs. That therefore in an apostle's or preacher's mouth there is heaven and hell at the same time: if thou wilt be impenitent, sure and wicked, that they may cast thee down to hell; again, if thou knowest thy sin, and comfortest thyself of the passion and resurrection of Christ, heaven shall be open unto thee, and such a sentence shall be pronounced upon thee by the minister of the church, as the devil himself must fear, and count thee free from all sin, if thou accept it with right faith.
(9) Now this is such authority, against which emperors and kings are nothing, that an apostle, even every disciple of Christ, may pronounce a sentence on the whole world, that sin shall be done away. And such judgment shall be as mighty and sure as if Christ himself had spoken it; as his words here testify, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."
(10) Now this is one thing, that sin is not to be called a worldly thing, but a fear and burden of the conscience, which bewails and makes us guilty before God. This also serves to prevent us from committing the foolish sins of which I have spoken above. For if you wanted to be released from the same foolish and lying sins, it would follow that you would then also have to turn to foolish and lying righteousness. Therefore, notice this definition well, that sin means that which exposes God's law to us and accuses us of it. If it is not such a sin, then it is not a real sin, but an imagined and made-up papal sin, since God knows nothing about it and harms us nothing.
011 But now it is seen that there are many of them in right, great, public sins, such as avarice, adultery, thievery, usury, wrath, envy, gluttony, blasphemy, and the like; and yet they care nothing for them, go on always, and leave roses.
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wear. There is no lack of sin, but the fact that one does not recognize it and does not want to let go of it. Such sin cannot be forgiven, but binding belongs to it, and the other force, since Christ says here about: "Whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
(12) Therefore a certain distinction is to be made here, and the proper sins are to be divided in this way: that some sins are sins both before us and before God; but some are sins only before God, and not before us; for we do not want to recognize them, nor to be concerned about them, nor to ask forgiveness. So David says: Tibi peccavi: "Lord, I have sinned against you and done evil in your sight. There it is both together, that David sees that he has done wrong, and knows that it displeases God. As if he wanted to say, "I recognize and feel sin, not only by remembering it, but also by seeing and feeling the power of sin, what it is capable of, that it is an evil devil and a terrible burden that wants to accuse me before God, drag me into hell and eternal death. As Paul also speaks to the Romans in chapter 7, v. 8, 9: "Without the law sin was dead, but I lived without the law." This means that sin is always in us, but because the law does not come, sin is as if it were asleep, for it does not hurt, it does not bite or gnaw. Hence it is that you go and gather one over another; otherwise you would fear God and become more godly.
(13) But when the thunderbolt, the law, comes into the heart and stirs the conscience, then sin comes to life in a moment, so that you see what a mighty thing it is, that it takes away God from you, gives you over to the devil and pushes you into hell. Therefore Paul says: "When the commandment came, sin came to life again. But I died, and it came to pass that the commandment was unto death, which was given unto me for life," v. 9, 10.
014 Now this is the true sin, which is sin before God and me. So also David, when he sinned with Bathsheba, went and cared little for it, because
Sin was asleep and still dead. But when Nathan came and struck thunder into his heart, "You are the man," sin began to live in David's heart. He began to die. But Nathan comforted him, saying, "Nay, thou shalt not die."
(15) This is called the apostles' rule, a rule which is not over life and limb, money and goods, and what belongs to this life, but over real sin, which you and God consider to be sin. That therefore all the sins of the world are subject to the apostles and all church servants, and in case of need to all Christians; that you can be sure in your heart when you hear from your pastor, or if you cannot have him, from another Christian, that in the name of Christ your sins shall be forgiven you, that it is certainly true, and can just as easily be lacking as if Christ himself had promised you, or had had you promised by an angel from heaven.
(16) But such a command and power shall not serve the apostles and ministers of the church for hope or glory, for they have nothing of it: but they shall serve thee thereby, that thou mayest be delivered from the enemy, who is too strong for thee, and shall hold thee captive for ever without this consolation. Therefore it is a great and glorious power that a poor man, who is himself a wretched sinner, may presume to drive out the enemy, to whom otherwise all the world must give way. For thus saith Christ, "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them"; item, "Whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, the same shall be loosed in heaven." Because now the words are clear: "As my Father sends me, so I send you," so let no one ever doubt that as he hears forgiveness of his sin, so he shall surely have it. But where sin is gone, the devil's power is gone; he must depart.
(17) This is also the reason why your love is often exhorted, because Christ has given such glorious power to his church that you should use it and by no means despise it. For this is why the Lord Christ instituted this ministry, so that all sins may be forgiven, provided they are true sins and are recognized and believed in the words of the Lord Christ. For the other foolish
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Sins of man do not belong here; they must be sins that stir the heart and make it anxious.
(18) As Adam also preacheth unto his son Cain, in the first book of Mosiah, saying, "Is it not so? if thou be godly, thou art pleasant; but if thou be not godly, sin resteth at the door." That is, you are standing there now, and you are a sinner; but you do not yet feel it: sin sleeps, but in a very uneasy place. Therefore watch, if it wakes you up once, it will be much different with you. For it sleeps not because it wants to sleep always; but it is to make out, that is, to give you a conscience, to frighten and gnaw you, so that you do not know where to go in or out.
(19) Those, then, who do not accept their sins, have true sin, but not forgivable sin. Therefore their sins are kept and bound for them; for they do not desire to be forgiven, or they would cease from them.
20 In the papacy they preached thus: Whoever desires forgiveness of sins, he should consider his sin and make a repentance or sorrow for himself. The forgiveness of sins was then based on such repentance. Now it can happen that such a way is taken from the example of the ancients, who, just like us, do not want to absolve anyone, saying that he confesses to be a sinner and that it is seen that he is sorry for his sin. This is right and should be so. But to say that such sorrow and repentance deserve that sin should be forgiven is wrong and unjust. For repentance is not merit, but it is sin itself and the regiment of sins. There is no need to build forgiveness of sins and grace on it.
(21) For before such repentance comes, sins are not taken care of. For although sin is there, it is only a sleeping and dead sin, as Adam says of Cain. But when sin comes to life, and no longer sleeps, but attacks and terrifies the heart and conscience, this can never be called a meritorious work, but, as Paul calls it, it is the
real living sin. But who will say that sin can deserve mercy?
(22) Therefore the people of the papacy have been miserably deceived and seduced, that they have been absolved on such repentance as on merit and good works. As in all Pabst's bulls the words are: contritis et confessis, those who have repented and confessed shall have forgiveness of sins. For repentance, if it is right, is nothing else than the kingdom and rule of sins, which can never earn anything. Therefore one has forgiveness of sins, if one believes the command of Christ here, and accepts the word, which is proclaimed to us out of such command and in his name, with hearty trust. Although it is necessary for those who sincerely desire forgiveness of sins to be sorry for their sins, such sorrow and repentance deserve nothing. Indeed, if God did not restore consciences through the comfort of the Gospel, such repentance and sorrow would even tear us away from faith and make us full of fear.
(23) That is, to awaken sin, to make it greater and stronger, and to make it do what sin is supposed to do, so that the longer it goes on, the more it grows, and one sin is added to another. Just as when a thief has stolen and is hanged by the hangman, it does not stop there; other sins add to the stealing, so that one becomes hostile to judgment and justice, to the authorities and to God Himself. Paul speaks of this in Romans 7 with a fine word, and says, v. 13: "Sin becomes exceedingly sinful through the commandment," that is, it then becomes a real sin. Where sin has its effect, and from one sin the world becomes full of sin, so that there is no rest or resting place, this is what they called repentance and sorrow.
(24) When this is right in the heart, then Christ comes and says, "You are full of sins, and the longer you think of falling from me, the more you think of falling from me: should I forgive your sins for this? Oh no. There must be such repentance and sorrow. For otherwise thou canst not be at enmity with sin from the heart, neither wilt thou ever desire from the heart that it should be forgiven thee. But this is
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the right way, that you may find yourself where my word is, and hear it, and receive it with faith; and thereby you shall be delivered from sins.
(25) In this way they did not preach in the papacy, but sent the people to St. James, to Rome and to other places, and after that to their own repentance and satisfaction. But they did not say the least thing about the word and command of Christ. But here it is: "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. Therefore we should not seek forgiveness of sins anywhere else, but only in the words of the Lord Christ. But whoever looks elsewhere, as happened in the papacy, will not find it. For what has it helped that we have toiled so hard with fasting, singing, praying, watching, reading the Mass, and other things, so that we might come to the forgiveness of sins? If my works, repentance and confession can do it, what need is there of Christ's word? And what need is there for him to give the command here? So let us be Turks and Jews, who also believe that they want to be saved, even if they do not have Christ. But the pope is worse than Turks and Jews, since he still misuses the name of Christ for such error.
(26) Therefore, let us be careful to remember that Christ's forgiveness of sins is found here in his word, and not in pilgrimages, masses, almsgiving, or other works, call them what you will. If anyone then desires forgiveness of sins, let him go to his parish priest or to the nearest Christian, where he knows and finds God's word; there he shall certainly find forgiveness of sins. For it is decided that we cannot overcome sin by any work, but everything we can do, even if we torture ourselves to death, is in vain and futile. As we have learned in the papacy: Whoever had a bad conscience and therefore entered a monastery or did other works to help him and make him happy, had to confess that neither orders, prayers, fasting nor other torture could have remedied such suffering.
27 What is the cause? Nothing else, except what is written here: that sins may be retained, or forgiven, by the word. Therefore, whosoever cometh not into this word, where there is remission of sins within, must come into the other, whereby sins are retained; for there is no other way nor means of remission of sins, but by the word. Therefore, do what you will, but those who do not go to the Word and try to help themselves with their own works will keep their sins. For our Lord God did not put the forgiveness of sins in any work that we do, but in the one work that Christ suffered and rose again. But the same work he hath put in the apostles' and his ministers' mouths by the word, yea, in the mouths of all Christians in time of need, that they should shew forth the forgiveness of sins, and preach it to all them that desire it.
028 If then thou wilt seek forgiveness of sins, thou shalt surely find it. For the command is there to forgive sins. But if thou wilt not get it there, thy sins shall be retained, and thou shalt do what thou wilt. For, as has often been said, apart from the word there is no forgiveness of sins. Christ put the same word into the mouths of his apostles, and indeed of all Christians. If anyone will not take it from this and believe the word, let him do and do what he will, and his sins shall be retained for him. For there is a strong command that the Lord take away the forgiveness of sins out of all the world and all works, and put it into the word, and there it shall be found.
Now this is not to be understood of absolution alone, that one may be absolved from sins; but as reported in the beginning, the Lord here summarizes the whole ministry of preaching or church office with this command, that forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed and distributed in preaching and in the holy sacraments. For this is why the gospel is preached, so that people may recognize their sin and become pious and righteous. Baptism is preached for this reason, so that our sins may be forgiven through the death of Christ. Item, the Lord therefore institutes his supper, that we may
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believe that his body was given for us and his blood was shed for our sins, and so not to doubt the forgiveness of sins. So that faith may be established that you and I are forgiven of our sins, Christ has decreed that not one should be baptized or go to the sacrament for another, but that each one should do it for himself. So also let each one hear the word for himself, and seek and desire absolution. And let him not doubt when he hears the word of forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus, so that his sins may be taken away from him and he may be delivered from them in heaven and in the sight of God.
(30) Thus the word and the sacraments are not to be separated. For Christ also put the sacraments into the word. And if it were without the word, one could not take comfort in the sacraments; indeed, one could not know what the sacraments were. Therefore it is not only a great blindness and error, but also a terrible pity that the papists preach forgiveness of sins, and yet forget the word, since it is all about, and point people to a monkey game, that they should seek forgiveness of sins with their own devotion and works.
31 Because our dear Lord Christ has put the forgiveness of sins into the Word, and, as has often been reported, into the mouths of the ministers of the church, and, to some extent, of all Christians, it follows that one must believe in the forgiveness of sins, and that one can come to it through faith alone. As then the reason of our doctrine is this, that we are justified and saved by faith alone in Christ alone.
For you must ever confess that the word of our dear Lord Jesus Christ has been spoken,
which he puts into the mouths of his dear disciples, cannot be grasped with hands, nor with works, whether it be fasting, praying, almsgiving, or whatever works it may be. It is faith alone that can grasp such a word; and the heart alone is the right box for it, into which it can be closed. That it is therefore true and certain that we must be justified by faith alone, since forgiveness of sins is fasted in the word alone, but the word can be accepted by faith alone.
The pope and his crowd do not know this; indeed, they are so stubborn that they do not want to know. Therefore, faith and word have been left behind, one with the other, and the poor people have been directed to their own work, piety and merit. Now preach that God command you to be silent, all of you boys. But it is highly necessary that we always hold such papal doctrine against our true doctrine and do not forget the papal abomination, so that we do not fall into it again, and seek forgiveness of sins apart from the Word, in our own works. For the Lord does not point us here to works, but to his word, which he puts into the mouths of his disciples, and sends them just as he was sent.
(34) Wherefore, when sins are forgiven, and hearts, as Peter saith, are purified by the Holy Ghost, then shall righteous and excellent fruits grow and follow out of an excellent and good heart. For faith does not celebrate, and the Holy Spirit, according to his nature, always drives to obedience, and against the flesh and sin. May God grant us His grace through Christ to believe and experience these things, amen.
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*On the second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias Domini. )
John 10:12-16.
I am a good shepherd; a good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. But a hireling that is not a shepherd, that owneth not the sheep, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the sheep. But the hireling fleeth; for he is a hireling, and regardeth not the sheep. I am a good shepherd, and know mine own, and am known to mine own; as my Father knoweth me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. And these I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and shall become One fold and One Shepherd.
This gospel, like other works of Christ, can be interpreted in two ways: first, from faith, and then from love. According to faith it has the opinion that Christ alone is the right shepherd, who dies for his sheep, and no one else. For this work, for which Christ dies for us, no man, no saint, nor angel has been able to do, that he could have finished the man who was strangled by the devil through sin in paradise. Such is this shepherd's own work, which no one can imitate. Just as other works cannot be imitated by him, so that he has revealed himself to be the Son of God.
2 Therefore no one can speak these words which Christ speaks here: "I am a good shepherd; a good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. For this reason he wants to draw us to himself and teach us to believe that the suffering of all the saints is not comparable to his suffering. Moses and the prophets were great men, who preached and taught rightly what one should do and believe. They also suffered much for it. But in the work that Christ says here about dying for the sheep, they are all vain hirelings and cannot save the sheep from the wolf. For you can see that Moses and the prophets, when they preached and preached long
*) Held in house in 1534. item in 1533.
they have done their best, yet they remain dead and cannot save themselves. How would they save a sheep or help it against the wolf, the devil and death? Christ says: "A hireling who is not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf catches and scatters the sheep. But the hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and respecteth not the sheep." Therefore, whoever endures in such a journey and does not want to be torn apart by the wolf, the devil, must be careful not to rely on the law or on good works, on this or that saint. For the law does not abide, it departs; yea, that is more, it is yet well against us, and condemns us. The good works also do not keep the sting, even they disappear. Therefore let all comfort fall on holy living and good works, and learn that by a right faith we may find our way to this one who says, "I am a good shepherd, and lay down my life for my sheep." For this one does not flee from the wolf, and would rather be torn to pieces over it than leave a lamb to the wolf. Therefore, in such a journey, we should look to him alone and hold on to him, knowing that through him, against the devil, sin and death, as through the faithful shepherd of our souls, we shall be preserved to eternal life. This is one thing that must be grasped with faith: there is nothing we can do about it;
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But he, the good shepherd, our Lord Christ, has done and arranged it all, and commanded us to accept it and cling to it with firm faith.
The other lesson is that all the deeds of our dear shepherd are also presented to us as an example. For just as Peter says about faith, 1 Peter 2:24, 25.Christ himself offered up our sin in his body on the wood, that we might be freed from sin and live unto righteousness; by whose wounds ye were healed, because ye were as sheep going astray; but now are ye converted unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." So soon after he says also of love, saying, "Christ suffered, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps." Just as Christ died for us, saving us from sins and eternal death through his own work, without our doing, so we should also serve one another, no matter how evil he may be. This then means to follow the example of Christ, and every Christian also becomes a good shepherd. For even if I cannot save others from death and sins with my own death, for this is the work of the one true shepherd of Jesus Christ, as you have heard above, I can still lay down my life so that others may be drawn to the word and brought to the confession of Christ through such examples. For we see how the world and the devil are hostile to the word; but especially the pope turns all his power to suppress the word by force. There the pious shepherds must suffer and in part give up their lives because of it.
4 Therefore devout, faithful preachers belong to them, because they are redeemed by the death of Christ, so that they quickly follow the example of Christ, and also die for the sake of the sheep, leaving their necks above the word. Such dying does not make the others blessed. For salvation comes only through the death of Christ. But nevertheless it strengthens the others; and thus God is praised through my blood and death, and the neighbor is strengthened in faith by it, although he is not redeemed from death by it. For
The same must have happened before by the death of the one and right shepherd, Christ JEsu, as is now often reported.
Here, then, are found hirelings and wolves. Before, in the first doctrine of faith, Moses, the law, the prophets and all men are hirelings, be they ever so pious. For none of them can protect himself, let alone others, from the wolf, the devil and sin. But here, in the doctrine of love, wolves are called the false teachers and tyrants who persecute and condemn the doctrine. Wherever there is a devout Christian, he will not be deterred when he sees the wolf, but before he would let his neighbor be deprived of the word and the right knowledge of Christ, he would rather leave his life and limb over it. As the holy apostles and dear martyrs did: they did not flee, but ran into the jaws of the wolf.
6 So it shall be. Whoever wants to be a preacher, let him mean it with all his heart, that he alone seeks God's honor and his neighbor's betterment. If, however, he does not seek them alone, but wants to consider his own benefit or harm in such a ministry, you must not think that he will stand. Either he will flee from it shamefully, and leave the sheep and run away; or he will keep silent, and let the sheep go without pasture, that is, without the word. These are the true hirelings, who preach for their own profit and avarice, and are not satisfied with that which God gives them daily for food as alms. For we preachers should have no more of our ministry than abundance. But those who want to have more and preach for the sake of money and good are hirelings who do not respect the herds. On the other hand, a pious preacher leaves everything above, even his life and limb.
(7) This is the other doctrine of the example, and applies not only to those who are in church offices, but to all Christians. For let them all confess the word, and rather lay down their life and limb, than let the word press them into idolatry. For they know that they have a shepherd, who for this cause hath laid down his life: whether they have already laid down theirs
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They must also let them receive it again through him and never lose it again in eternity.
8 Now the Lord goes on and preaches a sermon about his sheep, distinguishing them from all other sheep. He also wants to separate his teaching from heresy and all other teaching, and says:
I am a good shepherd, and know mine own, and am known to mine own; as my Father knoweth me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for my sheep.
009 As if to say, All things are for this cause, if ye will be my sheep, that ye may know me your shepherd aright; and there shall be no need of you.
010 Therefore a good preacher shall not preach any other thing unto the people, but Christ only, that they may know him, what he is, and what he giveth; that no man depart from his word, and that he only be accounted a shepherd, laying down his life for his sheep. This is to be preached diligently. After this we are also to set an example, so that, just as Christ did and suffered everything for our sake, we also should gladly do and suffer everything for the sake of the word. Whoever hears these two things and understands them is called Christ's sheep. As he also said above, "My sheep hear my voice." He who preaches and teaches it is called a good shepherd, without which he cannot lay down his life for his sheep, as Christ did.
(11) But they that will not hear such doctrine, or will not shew it unto the sheep, are not Christ's sheep, neither are they right shepherds; but where they are best, they are hirelings, or even ravening wolves. They are not to be listened to, but to flee like the devil himself. Thus is the Pabst's sermon by all means. He does not purify the words of Christ when he says: "I am a good shepherd, and lay down my life for my sheep"; but teaches that if we want to be safe from the wolf, the devil and death, we must be our own shepherds and protect ourselves by our own works. As you know, what has been preached about the sacrifice of the Mass, almsgiving, pilgrimages, monasticism and other things in the papacy.
(12) If we want to be true Christians, then
we must be like a little sheep that knows its shepherd's voice and hears only him; it knows other voices and hears them not. Let us therefore say to the pope and such preachers: I do not know your voice; I hear a wolf that wants to tear me away from my shepherd and devour me. Always away with the cry of the wolf; I will keep to my shepherd.
- For thus Christ says here: "They shall hear my voice." And above he saith, "The sheep follow not a stranger, but flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." For it is impossible that a little sheep, having once begun to believe, and having heard and apprehended the voice of its shepherd, should hear the preaching which is contrary to the voice of Christ. It hears the commandment of emperors and kings, the commandment of princes, the commandment of cities, but it knows that it does not serve salvation, for it is not for this reason that one enters eternal life by such outward obedience. But when a preacher comes and teaches, "If you want to be saved, you must do enough for your sins, say mass, give alms," 2c. the little sheep does not hear, and says, "I do not know your voice; it is not the shepherd's voice, but a wolf's voice.
- For a sheep has the nature and characteristic above all other animals that it has a certain and sharp ear. If there were ten thousand sheep together, they would flee and shy away, but they would not shy away from their shepherd's voice, which they knew and followed. So, if a thousand sheep are in a bunch together and their mothers are all bleating, each little lamb knows its mother's voice and follows her until she finds it, so that it can actually and surely hear.
(15) Christ looks at this kind and quality, and says, "I also have such little animals, for I am a shepherd, and my sheep also have this kind of nature, that they know my voice very surely and truly. Therefore, where my voice is not, there no one brings it. Will therefore teach us,
*) From a sermon preached in the house in 1533.
558 D. 2, 220-222. on the second Sunday after Easter. W. XIII. 1222-1225. 559
If we want to be his sheep, we must also have certain ears that separate the voice of Christ from all other voices, be they bright, beautiful and friendly.
(16) Therefore, we are to learn here and be careful to hear the word of God and to base ourselves solely and surely on it, so that we do not give way to the devil's temptation of all evil, which is in his power to devour us, and also beware of false doctrine. For the wolf does not let go of his wiles: if he cannot fell or catch you with false doctrine, he will do it inwardly in the heart by evil thoughts. Then you must act like a little sheep and say: I do not accept the voice; it is the wolf's voice and not my shepherd's voice. My shepherd's voice means, "I am a good shepherd, and I lay down my life for the sheep." So you, wolf, would gladly lead me to despair, to fear my shepherd and run away from him. So you will be able to resist the temptation, since the devil would gladly weigh down your heart and make it mislead, or sad and fearful.
(17) So let us learn to hear and know the voice of our Shepherd with certainty; then we will know him rightly, and he will know and love us again. For how can he be an enemy to us, if he lay down his life for us, and give us eternal life, and take away from us death, and sin, and all unhappiness? We will not find such things in any other voice, therefore we should be all the more diligent to do so.
(18) Then this sermon is also comforting and fine in the case that the Lord calls himself a shepherd, but us, who have and hear his word, his sheep. For no Christian ever has cause to complain that he is forsaken. It may well be that one lacks money and goods, another lacks health, a third lacks something else, so that it seems as if we are in the midst of wolves and have no shepherd. As Christ said to his disciples, "Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves"; and we see it daily before our eyes that the Christian church is in no other condition than that of the wolves.
a little sheep that the wolf has now caught by the pelt and wants to eat. It does not seem that we have a shepherd who will take care of us.
019 But it must be so, that we have no other comfort than the voice of that shepherd, and his little pipe, as the Lord saith here, My sheep know my voice. Whoever then turns to the voice and follows it can then boast that he knows his shepherd well and that his shepherd also knows him. For whoever heeds the word and follows it, the devil will have to leave him satisfied. For let it be with life and limb, with money and goods, with wife and child, as God wills, then he will always hear his shepherd's voice crying out to him: You are my dear sheep, because you listen to my voice and recognize me, and I also recognize you. So that such knowledge is in the word and faith, and in nothing else. As the Lord himself says, "I know them, even as my Father knoweth me, and I the Father."
For when Christ, the Son of God, walked on earth Himself, He walked as if He had been given to all devils and evil men, that they might do their will with Him as they pleased. God poses as if he had forgotten him, as if he knew nothing about him and did not know him. But since Christ himself laments: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me"; since he dies on the cross and is buried, and the devil is now in hope that God has forsaken him: then one sees that the Father knows him; for he brings him out of hell and death.
21 So then, says Christ, so shall it be with you, my sheep. Do not be deceived, though it may seem that I do not know you. For a Christian must remain on earth so covered with misfortune, heartache, sin, and all kinds of infirmities and afflictions, that it may be seen as if there were no difference between him and an ungodly man. For life and death are the same in outward appearance; and what is more, it seems that a Christian is worse off with our Lord God than a heathen, for he is worse off and has more troubles and trials. But do not be mistaken, but
560 L. 2, 222-224. on the second Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 122S-1228. 561
remember what he says here, "I know my sheep."
(22) Yea, saith the devil and reason, how can he know thee, seeing thou art so ill? Then answer thou, I know that he knoweth me, and shall not hinder me in such faith, that I must die, and suffer all manner of mischief. For I know his voice, and I hear it; and I hold to it, that he saith unto me, as a shepherd unto his lamb, I am thy shepherd, I died for thee, I laid down my life for thee. I hear this word and believe it; this is my sure and certain sign that he knows me and I also know him. Whether I feel differently than Christ says here, there is no harm in that. After all, all of this is only a temporal challenge. On the other hand, the word of eternal life teaches me that even if I feel death and must die like others who do not believe in Christ, what of it? For here I have the voice of my shepherd, which most kindly assures me, "He that believeth on me shall never see death"; item: "I lay down my life for my sheep". Therefore I do not doubt at all, my faithful shepherd - Christ Jesus, knows me.
(23) But such knowledge remains hidden, that there may be room for faith; otherwise, as soon as we were baptized pure and immortal, we would have no need of either word or faith. But because the word still remains, it must be believed and not even experienced until that day when we no longer believe it, but will see and experience it in the work. So there is no doubt that when a person is baptized, he becomes as beautiful and bright before God as the dear sun, so that no sin remains, but vain and eternal righteousness. For thus Christ Himself says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." But such things cannot be seen outwardly. And yet it is true, if we judge by the word and the voice of the shepherd. Therefore, it is all up to us to hold fast to the word and remain true to it until the time when it will be revealed in another and eternal life, as we now hear and believe in the word. For as the present life and that life are two distinct lives: so it is not possible to
It is important that you feel here in this life what you will feel and experience there.
Therefore, it is a great art to know a Christian. Yes, one cannot really know him here on earth. For what man can say that he is in eternal life? And yet we must confess that this same child, who is still burdened with death, sin and all misfortune, since he is not considered to have eternal life, immediately begins to live eternally from his baptism. How does this happen? One does not see it, but one sees only the old life. But over the same old and sinful life God has made an eternal life, so we already live in it (according to the word and faith), even though we do not yet see or feel it.
(25) To know a Christian aright is not to judge him nor to look at him with the eyes of the flesh, but by hearing and by the word. Like a little sheep, which have their life by hearing; if they hear not the voice of their shepherd, they go astray, and are led among wolves. For without the voice of the shepherd it cannot be kept. Where it has the same, it remains safe. But if it loses the voice of the shepherd, all joy and security are gone, and it must fear and be afraid everywhere. It is the same with a Christian: if he loses the word, his comfort is also gone. But if he holds fast to the word, he sees his shepherd Christ, and all that Christ has purchased and promised him, namely, forgiveness of sins and eternal life. So he goes in full, certain hope, eats, drinks, works, and does what he is commanded to do, yes, even suffers with joy what he is commanded to suffer. For he hangs his ears on the voice and mouth of his shepherd, and is accustomed to judge not according to what he feels or senses, but according to the voice and how he hears. Now this is what Christ says here: "I know mine own, and am known to mine own, even as my Father knoweth me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for them."
(26) Let us learn this, and so accustom our hearts that we may not be offended at it, though Christians suffer and die.
562 D. 2. 224-226. on the second Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1228,1229. 563
like other people. For this alone is the art of Christians, that they can say, "For the sake of the outward life I see no difference between Christians and unbelievers; indeed, Christians are generally worse off, and have to suffer and suffer a hundred times more than other people. But in the word I see a great and excellent difference, namely, that Christians and unbelievers are distinguished, not according to their noses or outward piety, but that they have and hear the voice of their shepherd. The Gentiles do not hear it, nor the Turks nor the Jews, but only the sheep of the Lord Christ. Otherwise, counting by the nose and worldly things, no difference will be found.
(27) The Lord gives such glorious comfort to his Christians in that he calls himself a good shepherd, saying, He knows his sheep as his Father knows him, and lays down his life for them. It should also follow that we, like the sheep, should keep ourselves right with such a devout and faithful shepherd; that is, we should follow our shepherd's voice alone. He comforts us, he has given his life for us; we should believe such comfort and not despair because of sins, as the devil and our sinful flesh always want to do and often make us fainthearted and timid. Then we also love one another, and so love that we should also lay down our lives for one another's sake. But how many are there who hear such a voice? Most of them listen to the devil's voice and follow him when he incites them to be stingy, unfaithful, deceive, lie and do other things that are completely contrary to Christian love.
Such people prove with their own lives that they are not true sheep of Christ, because they do not hear his voice: he warns so faithfully that we should be patient in suffering, firm in faith and fervent in love, and not hear the voice of the devil and of our own flesh, which tempts us to sin; it is the wrong way that will lead us to destruction. But most of it acts like a mad sheep: it cries, it whistles, the shepherd does whatever he wants, so it always runs toward the wood, goes astray and is given to the wolf. Let us all beware of such naughtiness, and be pious, faithful sheep, who know our shepherd as he knows us, that is, who love him, gladly hear his word, gladly follow his word, and do what he tells us. But that the Lord says of other sheep, which he also shall lead, that they may be one shepherd and one flock, this began immediately after Pentecost, when the gospel was preached in all the world by the apostles, and continues to the end of the world. Not as if all men should be converted and accept the gospel. For nothing will come of it; the devil will not let it come to that. So the world is hostile to the word without that and wants to be unpunished. For this reason, there will remain in the world all kinds of faith and religion. But this is called One Shepherd and One Sheepfold, that God will receive all who accept the gospel into children for Christ's sake, whether Jews or Gentiles. For this is the right, one religion, to follow this shepherd and his voice. May the faithful Shepherd of our souls grant us this through the Holy Spirit, Amen.
564 L. 2, 226.227. On the third Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1230-1234. 565
On the third Sunday after Easter, Jubilate.
The first sermon.
John 16:16-23.
Over a little one ye shall not see me; but over a little one ye shall see me: for I go unto the Father. Then said some of his disciples one to another, What is this that he saith unto us, Over a little thing ye shall not see me; and over a little thing ye shall see me, and that I go unto the Father? Then they said: What is this that he saith concerning a little one? we know not what he saith. Then Jesus perceived that they were about to ask him, and said unto them: Of this ye ask one another, that I said of a little one ye shall not see me; and of a little one ye shall see me. Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye shall weep and wail; but the world shall rejoice. But ye shall be sorrowful: but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. When a woman gives birth, she is sad, because her hour has come. But when she has given birth to the child, she no longer thinks of sorrow for the joy that the man is born into the world. And ye also now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing.
This gospel is a part of the comforting sermon, which the Lord preaches to his disciples at night over the table, because soon after he was betrayed in the garden of Judah and captured by the Jews. And especially this consolation goes like this: although the disciples should be angry and sorrowful over the shameful death of the Lord, yet such sorrow shall not last long; for he, the Lord, shall be but a little one of them; after that they shall see him again when he rises from the dead, and shall rejoice in him, and enjoy such joy forever.
Now John tells us in many words how the disciples did not understand such a sermon, and how they were not able to understand what the Lord was talking about. Therefore the Lord must explain it to them, and they still do not understand. Just as the disciples were sore, so we also learn that we can never get out of the small things, and that the very things that prevented the disciples from understanding them lie in our way.
003 For when the temptation came upon them, and they saw the Lord Jesus die so shamefully and miserably, they could not think that it was but a small thing; but so
Their hearts were troubled: the Lord Christ was finished, and it would now be in them that they would be treated and dealt with like their Master.
4 But that they should have thought that it would only be two days, when the Lord would rise from the dead into eternal life, and help them here on earth against the world, the devil, sin and death, until he finally made them blessed: nothing came of it. Therefore John reports afterwards how on Easter Day, for fear of the Jews, they locked the house and refused to believe that Christ had risen from the dead, although the women and Peter and the other two disciples told them so. In sum, they could not believe that it was only a small thing. They thought that Christ would remain eternally in death, like other people; otherwise they would not have mourned so much, but would have waited for his resurrection with joy and consoled themselves with it.
(5) It is the same with us; when God lets a disaster come upon us, the first thought that comes to our mind is: we must stay at the hilt, there is neither help nor advice. We neither want to say nor sing that it is only a small thing that needs to be done, and
566 8.2, 227-23". On the third Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1234-1236. 567
God will soon and unexpectedly let himself be seen with his grace and help. Therefore we become fainthearted and can do nothing but cry and complain. Yet, as St. Paul says, we should rejoice and glory in our trials, not only because of the help that is to come, which cannot be withheld if we only believe and keep the word, but also because through the cross, as the most certain test, we may know that we are God's children, as we will report below.
(6) So this gospel is a beautiful sermon of comfort, not only for the disciples, but for all Christians, that they should learn the word modicum (about a small thing), and practice it in all their trials and comfort themselves with it: It is only a small thing to do, then the suffering will disappear, and all comfort and joy will be found.
In order that such consolation may be grasped all the more firmly, let us now speak in general of the cross and suffering. Reason thinks that if God had an eye on us and loved us, he would prevent all misfortune and not let us suffer at all. But because now there, now there, all adversity grows upon us, it concludes: God has either forgotten us or is hostile to us, and does not want us; otherwise he would help us and not let us lie and wriggle so miserably.
But against such thoughts, which we have by nature, we must equip ourselves with God's word, and judge not according to what we think, but as the word tells us. For if we judge apart from and without the word, our judgment is wrong and deceives us. What then does the word say? First, that not a hair of our head can perish unless it is the will of God. Whoever then will judge according to such a word of our dear Lord Christ will have to conclude: No matter how powerful and strong the devil and the world may be, they are not able to do anything against a Christian, unless it is the will of God. As the Lord Christ gives the simile of the sparrow, which is a useless bird that does more harm than good; and yet, says Christ, none of them fall to the earth and perish, unless it be the will of the Father in heaven.
A Christian must certainly conclude that God is more interested in one person than in many sparrows, if he does not want to prove Christ wrong, as Christ Himself says in the same place. For this reason, he will keep them in good watch and guard, and will not allow either the devil or the world so much power that they can do whatever they want against a Christian. But if they do something to him, God will know about it and will have given his will beforehand, otherwise they would have to leave it alone. This is one thing, mark it well, lest you think, when things go badly for you, that God has forgotten you; if he remembered you, things would go differently for you; for he remembers you, and yet lets things go badly for you.
(9) Soon another thought is found, which is even more dangerous. For if I am to believe that the misfortune I am suffering has been inflicted on me by God, then reason continues and concludes: God must not mean well with me, otherwise he would not let me suffer so much, he would hand me over to suffering and be merciful to me. When the conscience strikes here and the sins come to our attention, it is especially difficult to despair of God, to become an enemy of Him, to turn away from Him, and to seek help elsewhere, since God has forbidden it. For it seems to us that it would be much more tolerable and far less,' where the misfortune was inflicted on us by the evil enemy or evil people, than that God should thus impose it on us.
(10) There is need again for us to be in harmony with God's word and not to follow reason and its judgment. For then we would certainly either fall into despair, or become enemies of God and pay no attention to Him at all. Now, what does the Word say about this? Paul says in 1 Cor. 11, 31. 32: "If we judge ourselves, we will not be judged. But if we are judged, we shall be chastened of the Lord, lest we be damned with the world." This is a clear saying that God chastises and punishes those whom He wants to preserve and keep for eternal life, and cannot be an enemy to them, and that they must nevertheless suffer all kinds of misfortune, crosses and trials.
568 L. 2, 230-232. on the third Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1236-1239. 569
(11) Therefore, in the time of temptation, we should keep this saying. One has this, the other another concern, which he would like to be overridden; but if he rightly considers, "Behold, if it were not for this temptation, you would fall into this or that evil; God does it for your good, that he may keep you in his fear, drive you to word and prayer: then it will be found good that God does not punish us for being hostile to him, but that he shows his love toward us and keeps us from eternal misery. In this way the epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 12, 5. ff., brings up the saying of Solomon, Prov. 3, 11. 12.: "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, and chasteneth every son whom he receiveth. If therefore ye endure chastening, God beareth you as children. For where is there a son whom the father does not discipline? But if ye are without chastening, which they all have received, then are ye bastards, and not children"; item: "If we have had our fathers in the flesh for chasteners, and have chastened them; ought we not much more to be subject to the spiritual father, that we may live? And they chastened us a few days according to their pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might obtain his sanctification. But all chastening, when it is there, 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." This saying testifies not only that the punishment God inflicts on us is a love punishment and not a wrath punishment, but that it is a fatherly love punishment. Therefore, when we feel the punishment, we should not think that God is angry with us or does not want ours. For for this very reason He punishes us, that we are children, and remain with the inheritance, and are not to be cast off from it.
- But just as the word of the cross and suffering preaches to us, so we also see it in examples. Who can, may, or will say that the almighty, heavenly Father did not love His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus? And yet
see his life and death, is not the love so hidden, that whoever would judge according to the outward appearance, would have to say that God was hostile to him from the heart, and ' respected him far, far less, than the godless Jews, who exercised all their will to anger against him? As Isaiah says, "We respected him as the one who was smitten by GOD." And the Jews at the cross mocked his: "If he is the Son of God, let him come down from the cross" 2c.
Just as God kept His Son here on earth, so He will keep all Christians. As Christ himself says: "The servant is no more than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you." And the epistle to the Hebrews, as now heard, says exceedingly well: "If ye be without chastening, which all the children of God are made partakers of, ye shall not be children, but bastards." So you can see how Scripture and example harmonize finely, that we should recognize God's gracious will, and not think, when things go badly for us, as if God had forgotten us and did not want us; but should accept the challenge as a certain indication of God's love, and not doubt, because God thus calls us home, we are His dear children.
14 Now one should also learn the reason why God deals with His children so mercilessly (as it seems) and keeps them constantly under the rod. Paul indicates such a cause when he says, "We are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." Item David, Ps. 119, 71: "It is good for me, O Lord, that thou hast chastened me, that I might learn thy judgments." And Isaiah, chapter 28, v. 19: Vexatio dat intellectum: "The accident alone teaches to heed the word." For it is certain that if God gave us everything we would like to have and protected us from all misfortune, we would certainly not pay attention to our sin and would not think of the word or prayer. But if now here, now there the hail strikes, and now this, soon another adversity is found, then one has cause not only to hurry to prayer, but also to remember how we
570 L. 2, 232-234. on the third Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1239-1242. 571
We have deserved such punishment by our sins, and for this reason we should henceforth be more diligent in our efforts to improve our lives, so that the punishment may be taken away or alleviated. As the epistle says to the Hebrews, "Our Father who is in heaven chastens us to use us, that we may obtain his sanctification.
(15) Therefore, when a Christian feels the cross, he should not allow himself to be softened that he would not weep and mourn. He should remember: I have a merciful God in heaven, who holds me like all his children, and through such temptation, harm and adversity will remind me of my sins, and admonish me to repentance, so that I may become more pious and keep myself from sinning, and remain his child. Whoever does this needs the cross rightly and does not become impatient in suffering; therefore, he is not moved by impatience to seek forbidden means and help, but waits for God's help and asks for it.
- for this is the fourth part: that after it is known that nothing can happen to us apart from God's will, and that it is God's gracious will where He allows something to happen to us: that then one should further know and believe that God will also bring about the end and salvation with the temptation; as St. Paul very finely speaks, 1 Cor. 10:13: "God is faithful, who will not let you be tempted above your ability, but will make an end of temptation so that you may be able to endure it." And it rhymes especially with this passage that the Lord says here of the modico (the little one): "It shall not last long; your sorrow shall become joy, and everlasting gladness.
(17) But there are two excellent reasons why we cannot consider it a small thing, and therefore do not want to follow it with faith. The first is that the temptation is so great and severe that it seems to us that we must remain above it, that there is no strength or power left to hold out any longer. As is seen in Hezekiah the king, Isa. 37, when the king of Assyria's archenemy summoned the city of Jerusalem, Hezekiah sent to the prophet Isaiah and told him these words
saying, "This is a day of affliction, reproach and blasphemy. For the children have come to birth, and there is no strength to give birth," v. 3. And the Lord also uses the same simile here of a woman giving birth. There it can be seen as if child and mother must remain with each other. For the temptations of Christians are not bad, small temptations; as can be seen in the 69th Psalm, where Christ himself laments and cries out, v. 2, 3: "God, help me; for the waters are come up to my soul. I am sinking in the deep mud, for there is no bottom. I am in deep waters, and the flood wants to drown me."
(18) The other is that we see no way, means, or manner by which we can be helped. So we conclude that we are finished, and cannot believe that it is only for the sake of a little thing. The likeness the Lord gives of a woman in childbirth serves this purpose especially well. For there it can also be seen as if there will be no end and the mother must remain. But in a moment, instead of death, a twofold life comes forth, the mother has recovered, and a beautiful, healthy child is born. Therefore, all sorrow disappears immediately and there is joy. This can be seen every day before one's eyes. For even though things may sometimes go badly, such things seldom happen. The common course, as Christ says here, is that a constant, long-lasting, heartfelt joy soon and unexpectedly follows the sorrow and pain. This is what the Lord wants us to learn, and when we are in sorrow, temptation and distress, to remember it: Let it be for a little thing, and after that it shall be better. As the epistle to the Hebrews also says: "All chastening, 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."
(19) So, first of all, it is called a "little one" for the sake of the sudden, rapid change that is to come sooner than one thinks, if we only persevere with prayer and do not drop our trust in God's gracious help.
572 ' 2.234-236. On the third Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1242-1245. 573
let. After this, the trial is also called a small thing, so that it may be confused with eternal joy. For what is it that poor Lazarus is poor and miserable for ten or twenty years, compared to the fact that he will live for eternity? So Paul says to the Romans in chapter 8, v. 18: "I consider that this time of suffering is not worthy of the glory that is to be revealed in us"; and 2 Cor. 4, 17. 18: "Our affliction, which is temporal and light, creates for us an eternal and exceeding glory, which we see not in things visible but in things invisible." And Peter, 1 Pet. 1, 6. 7.: "Ye shall rejoice in blessedness, which now for a little season are sorrowful in divers temptations; that your faith may be found righteous, and much more precious than corruptible gold"; and afterward on the 5th chapter, v. 10. Chapter 10: "God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will prepare, strengthen, fortify and establish you who are suffering a little while.
(20) Therefore, if anyone believes and believes it to be true that it is a matter of a little, he has a certain comfort to which he can turn in the face of adversity and suffering. Therefore it all depends on this, that we trust our dear Lord Christ and believe his word to be true, that although misfortune and temptation are upon us, it is only a matter of a little; so that we may comfort ourselves in suffering, as one comforts a woman who is in childish distress, that she should have confidence that God will soon relieve her of the burden, and restore her with a joyful sight.
idols. For it is not possible to come to joy, one must first have pain and suffer something. As I said before, our reason may always plague us and want to interpret such suffering and pain as if God wanted to let us perish in it, but this is not the opinion. For the very pains and travail that a woman in childbirth has, come because a new fruit is to be brought into the world. So God allows the temptation to come so that we may find salvation and rejoice because of it.
21 Now it is especially good that the Lord tells the disciples what joy is to come to them. "I," he says, "will see you again." This happened on the holy Easter day, when they saw him in a new, eternal life. So Christ also sees us, and our heart rejoices when we see his resurrection before us, and see how he has overcome us to good sin, death, and the devil, that through him also we should live forever. This is the true lasting, eternal joy, which turns away all sorrow and shall never be taken away from us.
22 Therefore we should not be impatient or fainthearted under the cross, but hold fast this comfort, that though we suffer, it may be for a little. For Christ is risen from the dead and sits at the right hand of his Father, to ward off the devil and all misery, and to make us eternally blessed. May our faithful God and Father grant us this through His Son and our Redeemer, Christ Jesus, amen.
574 L. 2, 236.237. On the third Sunday after Easter. L. 2, 237. 575
On the third Sunday after Easter, Jubilate.
The second sermon.*)
In today's Gospel, your beloved hear a prophecy and warning about the fate of the Christian church and all devout Christians on earth, namely, that they will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice.
(2) Such a prophecy does not rhyme at all with our reason, for we know the difference between Christians and the world. The world does not know God, and either persecutes or despises God's word, and devotes all its diligence, effort and work to having good days here on earth and to having everything to the full, thus going in the highest security, doing what it reveals, regardless of whether God is pleased or displeased, as we can see, not by bad, lowly people, but by those who are the most pious in front of the world, such as the pope and bishops, and the same spiritless crowd of all, along with their followers.
It is certain, however, that the Christian church is such a small group that knows God well, has only comfort in Him and puts all hope in Him, considers God's word to be the highest and noblest treasure, and turns its whole life, all diligence and care, towards resisting sin and the flesh and keeping to God's will. Because Christians alone see and know how great grace God has shown them, they do not want to disobey and anger such a gracious God. This is also their greatest concern when they are hurried by the flesh or otherwise do wrong out of weakness.
4 Because we see such inequality and difference between the Christians and the world, we cannot judge nature in any other way than that each part has its own nature.
*) This sermon is found only in the Nuremberg editions published since 1547. Walch also does not have it in this place. D. Red.
The Christians shall enjoy their piety, the bad boys shall be punished because of their misconduct. This is our reason's actual understanding and judgment, and where it is otherwise, it considers it to be unreasonable; for God, as a just God, must keep His own, but punish the wicked.
5 But hear and learn thou what Christ here concludes. "Verily, verily," saith he, "ye shall weep and wail, but the world shall rejoice, but ye shall have sorrow." This means that the Christians on earth will be in a bad way and all kinds of misfortune will befall them, that they will weep and mourn for nothing. But again with the world it shall go according to the common saying: The greater the mischief, the better the fortune. But the Lord makes it very annual with the Christians, because he compares them to a woman who is in childish distress. For as there is no greater adversity on earth, that where God does not help by his gracious hand and set child and mother free from each other, both mother and child must fall to the ground: so the suffering of Christians should not be a bad, small thing; it should be the highest, heaviest, most miserable thing, since nothing but God's hand and help can save.
(6) Now what account God has for letting it happen as unequally as it seems to us, your love will hear at another time. For first of all Christ says: His kingdom is not of this world, therefore whoever wants to be a Christian should by no means set his date to become glorious, rich, powerful before the world because of his faith. For the Lord of this kingdom, Christ Jesus, is himself poor and miserable, and for his faithful service and preaching he had better not be rewarded but with the gallows and the cross. On the other hand, the Christians have to be
576 L. 2, 237.238. On the third Sunday after Easter. L. 2, 238.239. 577
The flesh and blood are their greatest and most dangerous enemy; where the flesh and blood are not pressed down and subdued by the cross, the spirit would be struck down. But because the cross lies on the flesh and presses it, the spirit is urged by necessity to adhere to the word, prayer and other Christian practices, which otherwise would either remain at all or be very cold and low. But of this we will not report now, but see what has moved the Lord to forewarn his Christians of such evil and to warn them of it, when it seems that it would have been better to keep silent. For if your heart should know of a calamity before it befalls you, and yet you are unable to avoid it, you will only have more displeasure, horror, terror and sorrow, since otherwise both would be involved at the same time. Horror and suffering, and the horror does not come before the suffering. On the other hand, this is also true, because the Lord says so dryly that Christians must suffer from their faith and confession, so that many are angry about it. To avoid driving, they will leave Christ and his faith behind, like the example before their eyes, and the denied evangelicals will turn very finely to the wind: Because they see that great lords are hostile to the word and intend to curb it, they stick to the papists, since they have no such weather to worry about, keep quiet about the gospel, pretend to the lords, help them to all unkindness; for they are afraid of the fire that our Lord God kindles through his gospel, and fearing that they might get burned, go the farther out of the way. For the cross and suffering is such an herb that few people can digest; it requires very strong stomachs.
(7) But let the world here judge what it will, we must nevertheless confess, if we continue to think about the matter, that it is not only very necessary, but also very useful, that Christ leaves this warning of his church behind. For this serves us first of all to prepare ourselves for the challenge, to take heart and courage, and not to despair when disaster strikes. For the saying is true: Jacula praevisa minus.
nocent: He who worries about the shot can take care. Again, if one is attacked without warning, one is frightened, courage and sense fall away, and the person is even upset. This does not happen where one has foreknowledge, for the heart is prepared for it.
8 Secondly, it serves to prevent Christians from becoming angry at the cross. For, as mentioned above, it is impossible for our reason to judge otherwise. Where it sees that things are good and happy, it thinks that God is merciful, that such people are God's dear children, since He allows all good things to happen to them; and where things are bad, God is angry that He does not respect such people, and has either forgotten them or even abandoned them; as we see is the case today. We, who until now have confessed God's word and boasted of it as if it were the right doctrine, have now suffered countless hardships and misfortunes for a long time. Again, the other part, the papists, are floating in happiness, and everything they undertake against us is quickly lost to them. What follows? They do not leave it at that, that we are miserable and unhappy, but they are glorious and victorious: our doctrine, the holy gospel, must be used and blasphemed. For they interpret our accident as a certain sign that our doctrine is wrong. But by their happiness they boast and defend their lies and idolatry, and they must be vain of truth and the Holy Spirit, because they are so well off. Now, they say, you can see which part is right. I think that God is above the Gospel, since they have been praising it for so long. If it were Verbum Domini (the word of the Lord), as they boast, it would not lie so miserable in the muck 2c. Why do the papists speak such things, and how can they blaspheme God's word so surely and so boldly? Therefore, they see our accident and their happiness, and judge according to what is right: because it is so right for them and not for us, they want to be right and we must be wrong.
(9) This is a hard and great trouble, which has always done much harm in the world, and has sorely afflicted the poor and weak hearts, but has greatly strengthened the wicked.
578 8.2, 239.240. On the third Sunday after Easter. 8. 2, 240.241. 579
has. The Lord wants to prevent this with this warning, and warn his Christians against such a false judgment of the world, that they should judge differently and even learn the contradiction from it. Therefore, set both parts against each other, as we are today. We, who have and confess God's word, what do we do? How is it on our side? Alas, the laughter is small, our poor brothers' accident goes to our hearts, we weep and lament, and we are sorry that we should have neither peace nor rest, when we have hitherto rendered all submissive obedience, without letting ourselves be forced by the word under the pope's lies and idolatry. That is certain and true. On the other hand, look at our opponents, who go in leaps and bounds, for whom the sky is full of violins, they think that we and our Gospel have it all wrong, they are ready to defy us, it is not far now, so things must be different in the churches, regardless of the fact that it has been said so long and so much that for the sake of religion we do not want to burden anyone.
So now you have the two parts. We weep, sigh and lament; our counterpart laughs, sings and rejoices, and for joy and gladness does not know how to stand. So now, let us ask ourselves, which part is right? Which part is dear to God? Which part does God hold dear and with which part? Which are His dear children? If you want to follow your reason and consider that part as righteous and pious, which is best, then go and become a Turk, for there you will find much more happiness than among the Christians. Or if you want to improve things a little, as is already done, become a pope, then you must not be afraid for the sake of your faith and confession; great lords will love and value you, and you will become a great lord yourself; for the pope is the right Pluto, who makes his servants rich, Dan. 11, 39.
But what does God's word judge? What does our Lord Christ say about this, whom we owe to believe as our Lord and eternal God? Of his church and his dear disciples, who loved him dearly, he says: "Verily, verily, I am the Lord.
tell you, you will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice." What do you think? Who are these who are to weep and wail ? Are they not his dear disciples? What do they do? Do they also murder? do they also commit fornication? do they also persecute God's word? do they also persecute Christ, like the chief priests, scribes, Pharisees? Oh no, they were ever pious, bad, simple hearts, who would have liked nothing better than to promote God's glory and the whole world's blessedness. Such pious people should ever be well, God should take care of them, not only save and protect them, but give them all happiness and blessings. But Christ says it in clear words: "You will weep and wail. Let the world weep, which does not know you, despises your word, commits murder, fornication, theft, lies for and for, and is furiously angry with you; let these weep, take these into punishment, they deserve it well. No, says Christ, you will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice. For not only is it well with you, but because it is also hostile to Christians, it is its greatest joy that you should be so wretched.
12 Well, here you have the verdict of our Lord Christ. If thou wilt now follow thy reason, and prove Christ false, go on unto his time, and thou shalt find in the work who is true. But if thou wilt, as thou oughtest, let the Lord Christ be justified. Dear, say again: We Lutherans, as they call us, are weeping and wailing now, for we are in bitter trouble, what will you take us for? Christ says, "Ye shall weep and wail." Again, the papists rejoice and go about in leaps and bounds, and in twenty years they have never been so heartily cheerful, joyful, even defiant and proud, as they are now; therefore they do not intend to drop the few abuses we have punished them with, but to bring everything back to the old state, as it was forty years ago. What will you take them for now, because they are thus heartily rejoicing? Is it not true, you will have to confess, they are not Christ's disciples, otherwise they would weep and wail; but the right world, so according to
580 L. 2, 241.242. On the third Sunday after Easter. 11.2, 242-244. 581
God, His Word, and the happiness of mankind, but only does and seeks what serves their own honor, benefit, and welfare?
(13) Let this be a high and great and exceedingly necessary comfort to me for the church and all true Christians. For since it should not and cannot be otherwise here on earth, Christians must weep and cry: if they did not have and know this consolation, the despair would make the cross and suffering a thousand times more difficult and completely infallible, as if God had forgotten them, as if he were an enemy to them, as if he did not pay attention to them, otherwise they would be better off. Such devilish thoughts turn a temporal into an eternal, a bodily into a spiritual suffering, since it would be much better to die ten times than to bear such anguish of conscience for a while. But God's word shines before us here, like a bright light in the darkness, and says: Dear Christian, if you are in trouble, if you have to suffer from the wicked and watch their unrighteous joy, let yourself go: your Lord Christ has foretold you that if you want to be his disciple, you must prepare yourself, you must weep and wail. But no one weeps when he is well and according to his will. Therefore, be patient and let such suffering be a certain indication to you that you are a disciple of Christ and a child of God, otherwise you would be like the world: it should rejoice, for it seeks nothing else and desires nothing else. It wants to have its kingdom of heaven on earth; where God's word lies in its way, it wipes through it: regardless of what God gives or gives away, it does what it desires. But it does not last long. Therefore, do not be annoyed by your suffering, weeping and wailing, and do not be angry with the world; get to know yourself and it well. Your weeping and wailing certainly show you that you are a disciple of Christ; the world's laughter and joy certainly show that it is the world and has no part in God's kingdom.
14 Thus the examples are exceedingly powerful. Christ, the Son of God Himself, the eternal righteousness, must also weep and wail, and be nailed to the cross; His people, the Jews, and especially His people, the Jews, must weep and wail and be nailed to the cross.
the spiritual crowd, see it, and in his highest distress they mock him in the most poisonous way: "If he is the son of God, let him descend. As if they wanted to say: You have long since boasted that you are God's son; now it is seen; you should not hang there if it were true: but it has been a vain lie and blasphemy with you, therefore you must hold out, the work convinces you that God does not want you. Just as the papists now say: If our word were God's word, God would not give them such a great victory against us. And yet it is true: the very Christ who hangs so miserably on the cross, despised and blasphemed by everyone with great certainty, is the true, eternal Son of God and the only jewel in which God, the heavenly Father, has all joy and pleasure, as it is finely found in the end. For it is not three days since Christ is in his glory, but his enemies stand with shame and must ultimately fall to the ground over it, even be eternally condemned.
John the Baptist is called a friend of the bridegroom by the Lord Christ Himself. But how is he? He must have his head shamefully cut off for the sake of a harlot. Such an accident moved the Jews to come out quickly and surely despised his teaching, considering him a deceiver and a devil preacher. Why? Because he was in such a bad way. But Christ gives him another testimony, saying that no woman child is like John. How does it rhyme now? John is such a pious man and carries out his ministry so diligently that among all the prophets, apostles and preachers, none has ever been like him, and yet he is in such a bad way. How can God suffer and tolerate it? Should he not rather have struck the godless Herod and his whore with lightning and hellish fire into the abyss of hell, and saved such a great man? Yes, so it seems to us, but God's judgment is different; that says: You, my disciples, you, my dear children, must weep and cry, but the world shall rejoice. The more faithfully you keep God's word, the more diligently you practice and live by God's word, the worse it will be for you, the worse the world will be for you.
582 L. 2, 244.245. On the third Sunday after Easter. L. 2, 245.246. 583
ren. But on the other hand, it should be said: the worse the villain, the greater the happiness. Christ, Stephen, the Jews, the high priests, Herod, Pilate: those are pious and must suffer well; these are wicked, godless boys, they remain great lords, and they are so pleased with their courage that they do not worry about any sin, and they think they are still doing God a service.
16 Thus you see how the example and the sermon are in harmony with each other, and we are warned in all ways against the trouble in which the whole world is drowned: that we should not judge as they do, but take our judgment from God's word and not from reason. Otherwise, together with the blind, unbelieving, possessed Jews, we will mock and ridicule Christ on the cross, and because of his suffering we will consider him a blasphemer and a rebel, and completely believe that God was hostile to him, that he was not the Son of God, that God had abandoned and rejected him, as you see that the Jews did. But if they had listened to God's word, they would have kept their mouths shut and judged this case according to the example of other saints, and said: "All God's saints have always had it bad, they have had to suffer a lot; but God has finally saved them and made them honorable: let us see how it will go with Christ, if he does not help him from the cross, he can still help him from death 2c. But they did not. When they saw his accident, he had to be wrong and let himself be scolded for a deceiver; John the Baptist, also so; we today, and especially now, after all kinds of evil have befallen those who have confessed God's word with us so far, also so, praise God! But learn and fret not, as the world does; it becomes sure of its good fortune, and only goes on the more confidently in sins. For it bases its judgment on what it has done. If you wanted to do this, you would have to despair and give up. Therefore learn that the matter should be and remain good, and yet the Christians should be in a bad way. This is what Christ teaches you when he says today, "You will weep and wail." How many thousands of pious, God-fearing hearts there are, which day and night are now
and weep and sigh; for they cannot leave it alone, they must fear that the word will suffer some harm. But the other part goes along in joy and sings: Te Deum laudamus. (Lord God, we praise you.) For as they wish, so they do. Be careful, then, and for life and limb do not follow the world's judgment and anger; do not think that the doctrine is wrong or that the cause is unjust, because there is so little happiness in it. For if you confess that such people are Christians, then conclude: They hold themselves so pious, godly and Christian they always want, yet they will have to weep and cry. For God's children shall not fare differently; Christ, the Son of God, himself did not fare differently.
(17) Mark this well, therefore, and learn the matter. Do not be dismayed when things go badly for godly people; do not despair when things go well for the wicked: it must be so, for Christ prophesied and warned us: "You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice.
18 Now let us consider the third cause of this warning. Our Lord Christ says, as has been reported, that his Christians must go under the cross, so that they may prepare themselves for it and not be grieved by the suffering and misfortune. But he does not leave it at that alone, that they must suffer; but teaches beside it what kind of suffering it will be, namely, a small suffering, where again consolation is to follow. Not because it should be a small, bad thing that lies on the neck of the Christians; no, the cross of the Christians is a hard cross, since they would have to go under to the ground, where God would not save them. That is why the Lord uses the likeness of a woman working to give birth: she is in the highest, most severe, most dangerous suffering that there is on earth. But still it is a small suffering. For it changes beyond measure quickly and unawares. When the weak mother, who has worked herself to death, thinks that it is over, that the fruit and the mother must perish together, God gives wonderful help, so that in a moment mother and child are redeemed and live. Thus, says Christ, will be the suffering of my disciples: they will suffer exceedingly.
584 n. 2, 246.247. On the third Sunday after Easter. L. 2, 247.248. 585
But if it is for a little thing, your sorrow shall become joy, and that joy which endureth not for a time, as the world endureth, but abideth for ever. For Christ does not put us off to this poor, temporal life, which must come to an end through death; he wants to make us eternally blessed. Remember this and believe it firmly, and you will find certain comfort. For the happiness of the wicked will no longer grieve you, because you know for certain that you also have a happiness to look forward to, and such a happiness as is eternal; so your misfortune will not frighten you, for it will be a small one. Then it shall be turned: thy short sorrow shall become everlasting joy, and the wicked's short joy shall become everlasting sorrow. As the examples sufficiently prove. David, the pious man, was driven out of the country by his own son Absalom, so that he had to fear that he would not come back to rule for the rest of his life; as he says to Zadok the priest, when he told him to go to Jerusalem again with the ark of God: "You go and bring the ark back into the city. If I find favor in the sight of God, he will bring me home again and let me see it and his house. But thus saith he: I have no desire for you; behold, here I am, and he will do with me as it pleases him," 2 Reg. 15. (2 Sam. 15:25, 26.) There you see what kind of ride poor David is in. Now it was certain that he had not earned it against Absalom; again, it was certain that Absalom was not so pious that he should have such a victory against his father: and yet it happened both that Absalom became king and David fugitive.
(19) Whoever judges the matter according to good fortune and happiness will give poor, innocent David to the devil and lift Absalom into heaven and into the bosom of our Lord God. But both parts are mistaken. Absalom is a rebellious, wicked wretch; but David is a pious, innocent ruler. Why then is he so bitterly wicked? and why should the godless Absalom be denied his privileges?
so did it come to pass? Answer: It had a cause that no man could know; only God and David knew. David had long before sinned against God by committing adultery and death; God did not want to let others go unpunished as an eternal example and warning, so that others might beware of such sin and learn to fear God's wrath from David's example. For this reason, David had to bear such shame and damage. But what was Absalom's business? Absalom could not judge him or pass judgment; it was a bargain that God alone should and would judge. David saw this, therefore humbled himself before God, knew well that he deserved it, and therefore willingly submitted to the punishment. "Does not the LORD delight in me," he said, "behold, here I am; he will do with me as he pleases. But this did not make Absalom's case any better before God, to whom the whole kingdom belonged. But how did it end? Isn't it true that both parts were about a little thing, and David became king again, and Absalom hung on a tree like a wicked man? So it shall be for and for with the church and the wicked. Keep faithfully to God's word, beware of sins, be pious, wait for what God has commanded you to do, and do no harm. If you are unhappy, do no harm; Christians must weep and wail. But if the enemies of the word boast and rejoice, be not dismayed at it; for it is said, "Over a little thing commerce shall suddenly turn, that here sorrow may be turned into joy, and there joy into everlasting sorrow. For because they are in their joy, they think nothing of God and His word, proceed in sins without correction, and do as they please: how then can it fail that God should not be angry and punish them? Therefore, let us learn the warning of our dear Lord Christ today, and let us be well aware that we are in great need of it. For we now have very great cause to weep and wail. But for this reason God is not hostile to us, our teaching is not false, and our hope shall not be in vain. It is for us, as it has always been for the Christians
586 8.2, 248.249. fourth Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1260-1262. 587
gone. Therefore, because weeping and weeping are before our eyes, let us wait for the joy, such an eternal joy shall be. If the world, soaring in joy, does not want to think about its future, eternal suffering (as it cannot think about it, otherwise it would not be so sure of its future).
let them be; time will bring both, that their short joy may become eternal sorrow, and our short sorrow may become eternal joy, amen, amen. Dear God in heaven, honor your word and prevent the Pabst's murder, amen.
On the fourth Sunday after Easter, Cantate.
John 16:3-13.
But now I go unto him that sent me: and none of you asked me, Whither goest thou? but because I spake these things unto you, your heart was filled with sorrow. But I tell you the truth, it is good for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he cometh, he shall punish the world for sin, and for righteousness, and for judgment. For sin, that they believe not on me. And for righteousness, that I should go unto the Father, and ye should not see me henceforth. For the judgment, that the prince of this world is judged. I still have much to say to you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he shall not speak of himself; but what he shall hear, that shall he speak; and what is to come, that shall he declare unto you. The same shall transfigure me: for of mine he shall take, and shall declare unto you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said, He will take it from mine and proclaim it to you.
(1) This is a good gospel, for it deals chiefly with the high and necessary article by which we are named and called Christians. Therefore, although it is heard yearly, it cannot be learned sufficiently. But if it is to remain in our hearts and bear fruit, it must be practiced often and well.
2 This gospel, like the one eight days ago, is a comforting sermon that the Lord preached over the table in the evening, shortly before he was betrayed and captured. And this is why he wanted to prepare his disciples against future troubles, so that they would not only not worry because of this miserable, ignominious death, but would also learn what good would come from such a death, and therefore receive comfort from it. Therefore, just as he comforted them for eight days today, such disgrace and sorrow should only be a small one, after which it should be transformed into eternal joy: so he also comforts them here, and teaches them the purpose of his death.
- "I," he says, "go to him who sent me." That is, I will be crucified and strangled tomorrow. "There is no one among you who asks me where I am going," or what I am going to accomplish by this; "but because I have told you these things, your hearts have been filled with sorrow. But I tell you the truth, it is good for you that I go," and it is for your sake. "For if I go not away, the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, cometh not unto you," and the evil spirit retains his power and authority. "But if I go, I will send the Holy Spirit to you." This is the comfort the Lord wants us to learn and grasp, and for this reason not to be angry or frightened by his suffering, but to take comfort in the fact that it serves to strengthen the evil spirit and its tyranny, and that the Holy Spirit is brought to us and given to us.
But what the Holy Spirit will do, what he will bring to us and teach us,
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The Lord further indicates the same, saying, "He shall punish the world for sin, for righteousness, and for judgment." This is truly too much to take in one bite, that the Holy Spirit should take not one school, one village, one city or two, but the whole world, and punish it. Now whoever wants to resist such things must truly know a strong back and a great ambush. For into the world belongs all that is born of Adam, emperors, kings, princes. None shall be exempt; the Holy Spirit shall rebuke them all together by the apostles and other preachers, saying, Ye are all sinners, your none is righteous, your none is learned nor wise; be ye at Jerusalem, at Rome, in whatsoever estate or station ye may, if ye learn not of me, ye shall not be saved; but ye are of the devil, as ye stand and as ye walk, and no godliness, holiness, nor good works shall be able to help you. This, saith Christ, shall be the ministry of the Holy Ghost, which he shall work through you poor beggars and despised people, and shall punish the whole world.
Now this punishment is no joke. For he shall punish the world for sin, for righteousness, and for judgment. If then sin is in the world, and righteousness and judgment are not in the world, what will remain or come of it? Therefore this preaching of the Holy Spirit is a severe thunderclap against the world, that it is of the devil with all its good works, and cannot enter the kingdom of God, unless the Holy Spirit helps it from sins, makes it righteous, and removes it from judgment. There are many other such sayings in Scripture. As when Paul says: "God has decreed all things under sin"; item: "We are children of wrath by nature." And Christ: "Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." This actually means the preaching of the Holy Spirit, thus punishing the world because of sin.
But what is sin? Is it not stealing, murder, adultery, and the like? Yes, these are also sins; but not yet the true capital sin, since the Holy Spirit has made
world for the sake of punishment. For there are many people who are not guilty of such outward sin. But of the true capital sin, of which the Holy Spirit preaches, all the world is guilty; otherwise he could not punish all the world for it. This same sin is called not believing in Jesus Christ. Of such sin the world knows nothing, the Holy Spirit must first teach it; for the world only considers sin that which is forbidden in the other tablet of Mosiah. It knows nothing about Christ; much less does it know that it is a sin not to believe in him. And what will we say about the world for a long time? In the schools themselves, among the learned Christians, unbelief was not considered a sin, but especially not an original sin. For no one can preach that unbelief is a sin except the Holy Spirit, who also makes all the world sinners with this preaching, since otherwise the world, for the sake of outward works, can sometimes adorn itself and sell itself as pious.
(7) This then is the preaching of the Holy Ghost, that all the world, except none, are sinners, because they believe not on Christ. Now this is a strange sermon, to which the world is not accustomed; indeed, since the world knows nothing at all about believing in the man Jesus. It thinks that if it, like that Pharisee, Luc. 18, is not a murderer, not an adulterer, not an unrighteous person, then it is enough and needs nothing more. But the Holy Spirit preaches otherwise, saying, "I know that in such an outward life one is more pious than another; but there is the chief sin, in which ye all are in, that ye believe not on Christ. No one has ever seen or known such sin apart from the preaching of the Holy Spirit.
(8) Therefore conclude straightway and confidently, and say, Whatsoever is not in faith is sin, whether it be charity, or prayer, or fasting, or almsgiving; if faith in Christ Jesus be not there, then hear thou here, that it shall be punished. And there is no other way to get rid of such sin, except by believing in Christ Jesus.
This is a very powerful text, since no one can pass by. And yet the pope and his crowd do not leave him unchallenged. Where they can't go any further, they say, he speaks
590 L. 2, 251-253. On the fourth Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1265-1268. 591
de fide formata per caritatem (from the faith that received its essence through love). But keep such gloss here to this text. For no one can ever deny that Christ speaks here of sin, and interprets sin as not believing in him. Then it must follow that the form or good works are there, as they can be in the best way, if faith in Christ is not there, that man, with all such good works and virtues, is a sinner, and the Holy Spirit will punish and condemn him for a sinner.
(10) Therefore, unbelief is the true capital sin and the source from which all sin flows. For where unbelief is in the heart, that one does not believe in Christ, it follows first of all that one does not accept God's word; but either one despises it, or considers it a heresy and lie, and persecutes it as if the devil had spoken it. More evil follows from this, that one disobeys father and mother and the authorities, that no one attends to his office and profession with diligence, but lives in all fornication and naughtiness; except that some must sometimes fear or be ashamed before the people. These then are the leaves and the whole tree of unbelief; which therefore grows and blossoms from this root, because the Holy Spirit reproves the world, and is not to be resisted. For he that believeth not on Christ hath not the Holy Ghost, and therefore can have no good thought. And even though he does something that is not evil in itself, but good, he does it like a servant, out of fear alone, and not out of a right, heartfelt obedience. So that the world is a real devil's spawn, which cannot speak or do anything good, nor can it take anything into its mind. The cause, the source and fountain of all evil is unbelief.
(11) Whoever would paint the world rightly and give it its proper color could say that there is a multitude of people on earth who do not believe in Christ, and therefore blaspheme and profane His word, who in their hearts, inwardly and outwardly, with words and deeds, murder, steal, rob, and indulge in all naughtiness, and in addition abuse all the gifts and goods of God our Lord.
(12) Against such men, saith Christ here, ye apostles and all preachers ought to lay yourselves down and stand: for such punishment must remain until the last day, that they should preach always, Whatsoever is of the world, believeth not on Christ, is not of the kingdom of Christ; but is of the devil: not of gross external sin only, but of the principal sin, unbelief. And it does not help whether you become a Carthusian, now doing this, now doing that; for as long as unbelief remains, you are a damned sinner, and nothing helps you. This alone must help you to drop such unbelief and believe in Christ and take comfort in him against sin and death.
013 Now your love knows, and hath often heard, what faith is: not only this, that a man know and believe that what is preached of Christ is true; but a hearty confidence that thou also wilt accept it, that it is done for thy sake, and for thy good. For the devil also knows that Christ died, and believes it as surely as the papists; but he does not believe that Christ died for him and too well for him. Such faith, that I accept it, and you also accept it, that it has happened for us, is the gift of the Holy Spirit alone. He therefore that hath not such faith as this, that he may say: Christ died for me, that I should be delivered from eternal death and sin, he is an unchristian, and remains a sinner, though he martyre himself to death with good works.
(14) This is the first part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, that all things are sin, and that we, with all our good works and holy lives, must be judged and condemned as sinners if we do not believe in Christ. Therefore only fresh caps and plates, all orders, and what one has undertaken to acquire forgiveness of sins through them, are trampled underfoot. For I do not suffer one another to say: Christ died for me, and: I will wear a cap, do this and that work, that I may become pious and go to heaven. But whosoever will not receive such punishment, and accept the Lord Christ, testifieth that he believeth not,
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and be a sinner like all others who are not of faith in Jesus Christ.
The other piece is that the Holy Spirit should also punish the world for righteousness. This is also a hard word. The world has sin; it has not godliness or righteousness, nor does it know how it should or could become godly. What then is this righteousness? Seeing that the world has judgment and justice, the heathen have given very fine ways and teachings of a civil, honorable life; and it is impossible that it should be unjust to hang thieves, to kill murderers 2c. Is not all this right and good?
16 Christ answers here: Call this life what you will, only that you do not call it righteousness, for it is not. For I do not preach the righteousness of lawyers, but the righteousness which I preach is called, I go to the Father, and henceforth ye see me not. This is not German enough, and is less understandable than the next, that I should be a sinner because I do not believe in Christ; for there we think: There are still natural powers in man that he can make a devotion for himself, prepare himself for grace and ask for it. This still makes today that the papists can not be directed to this sermon. So it is also said here, ridiculously and quite un-German, what righteousness is, that you are a devout Christian when Christ goes to the Father and you do not see him. This is a very powerful, beautiful text.
017 For what shall men boast or say of good works? There stands the word of the Lord Christ, saying, By this ye are not justified, that ye do this, or that, neither do your works; but this only, that I go to the Father. Such a walk is true, eternal righteousness. The world knows nothing of it, for not one letter is found of it in all the other books. It is found in books: If a man keeps the Ten Commandments and does nothing contrary to custom, law and order, he is a pious, righteous, honorable man. But Christ does not say a word here about what you should or should not do, but about what you should or should not do.
but only from his work, which he does, that he goes to the Father and we do not see him. This shall be our righteousness, and nothing else.
18 Therefore, if we want to become truly devout, we must not begin with our works. It will not do for thee to become a monk, so much as to leave, watch, and pray. But it will do, if you want to get rid of sin and become a Christian, that you know that Christ has gone to his Father, and comfort yourself of such a walk from your heart, and nothing else. Yes, you say, I thought I had to fast, pray and do good works! You should do good works, for God has already commanded and enjoined you to do them in the law. But this does not make you pious or righteous before God. Cause: This happens only because Christ goes to the Father. This way alone, and no other, is how we are redeemed from sins and justified.
19 Now the name of the Lord Christ is nothing else, but that he suffered and died on the cross, and by death departed from this world, and went to the Father, that is, ascended into heaven, where he sitteth at the right hand of God, and reigneth. But we do not see these things, but believe. This is the treasure by which we become righteous. So that "righteousness" is not my work, power, or ability, but of the Lord Christ, that he goes to the Father. This is what is said in German: No one is justified, saved, or freed from sins, except by the fact that Jesus Christ suffered, died, and rose again from death. This passage makes one righteous, and nothing else.
(20) But how does it rhyme with this doctrine that the papists say that he who would be saved must do it himself by his works? That would be right: A Christian should live a Christian life and do good works; but that one should be justified by good works is false and untruthful. For it says here that only the going of our Lord Christ to the Father shall do and establish it. This is the right and true righteousness, which the world knows nothing about, and only the Holy Spirit teaches.
- for the papists have not accepted the saying
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Christ: "If you want to enter eternal life, keep the commandments of God", has a far different opinion, and clearly shows that the papists do not know what it means to keep the commandments of God, otherwise they would not drag such a saying here. Therefore this opinion stands firm and certain, that we can have no other righteousness, nor eternal life, but this, that Jesus Christ has gone from this world to the Father. I will abide in this, say I, and the devil shall not take it from me, nor overthrow me. He may terrify me and make me conscience-stricken; for I know very well that my ways are too weak for him. But there is another way, which is not mine, but Christ's, in the highest obedience to his heavenly Father; whom the devil will never be able to make unrighteous or a sinner, if he makes me a sinner at once; therefore I will also accept and comfort him.
(22) For this must be in every way, that this work may be done with faith. There is no lack of this course and work of Christ. Christ has accomplished it, and henceforth it is only up to us to accept it with faith and take comfort in it. If you believe, you have it; but if you do not believe, you have nothing. For with eyes it cannot be seen, as it is clearly stated here, "I go to the Father, and henceforth ye see me not." So that our righteousness may be taken purely and entirely apart from us, and placed solely on Christ and His work or His course, so that we may know for certain where we are to remain at last. For if it should depend on our works and satisfaction, on our confession and repentance (as has been preached in the papacy, and still is), our hearts could never be satisfied. For when would we know that we had repented and confessed enough, and had done enough for sin? Therefore our dear Lord Christ has taken it away from us completely and placed it on Himself, that we should base ourselves on the fact that our righteousness is called and is His walk, His death, His satisfaction. For then we can no longer doubt that the person is too high and too great, namely the Son of God, and carries out the work that the Father has done.
himself arranged for us to be saved from sins and death, as John therefore calls him a little lamb of God.
23 Thus your love sees how powerfully it is cut off in this text, that righteousness is not our doing and not our doing; but that Christ goes to the Father. If then thou hast such righteousness by faith, do good works also, and be diligent, as best thou canst, to obey God. But before you set your heart on Christ through right faith and confidence, you will not be able to do good works. Cause, the heart is still evil and unclean, there is no forgiveness of sins, because there is no faith.
(24) So the righteousness of Christians is a special piety that no heart can conceive; one must hear and learn from the Holy Spirit; and even if one hears it, one will not be able to comprehend it; it must be believed, as the Lord says here, "I go to the Father, and you do not see me away. That is, you must believe, otherwise you will not be able to grasp it. This is the righteousness of Christians, which only the Holy Spirit teaches. Philosophers, worldly authorities, lawyers, father and mother can preach about the righteousness of the world. But a Christian has a special art, because the world does not know about it, namely, that apart from faith everything is sin, and that true, eternal righteousness stands only on the fact that Christ goes to the Father, and we no longer see him.
The third part is that the Holy Spirit will also punish the world for judgment. But what kind of judgment this is, the Lord finely indicates when he says, "For the prince of this world is judged. Just as the Holy Spirit punishes the world for sin, because it does not believe in Christ, and for lack of righteousness, because it does not know, and does not take comfort in the fact that Christ has gone to the Father, so He also punishes it for judgment, because it does not know about it, and because it is afraid, when it should not be afraid if it heard Him and accepted His word. For it is a miserable plague to have sin and no righteousness, and to know no comfort against sin, death, and other calamities.
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26 Therefore Christ says that this also should be the ministry of the Holy Spirit, that he should preach judgment and proclaim it everywhere through the gospel: The prince of this world is judged, and therefore can do no harm to those who believe in Christ and take comfort in his going to the Father. He may well try them, now here, now there, but he will not be able to do anything. For he is indeed a prince of the world, but now judged, he who has lost his palace and his armor, and has been bound by Christ with the chains of darkness, as Peter calls it. Therefore Christians must not be afraid of him, nor of his whole kingdom of the world. For when the prince is judged, the world, which is his kingdom, must surely also have lost all power.
27 The unbelievers do not know this. Therefore, even if they sometimes come to the word and begin to believe, as soon as the world sees it sourly and wants to be angry, they are afraid and fall away again, as Christ says in the parable of the seed on the rock. But the Christians hold fast. Because there the punishment of the Holy Spirit always rings in their hearts and ears: Why will you fear? Why will you be afraid? Do you not know that the prince of this world is judged? He is no longer a lord, no longer a prince. Thou hast another stronger Lord, Christ, who hath overcome and bound him. Therefore let the prince and god of this world look sour, bare his teeth, snarl, threaten, and stand unruly, for he can do no more than a bad dog on a chain: he may bark, run now and then, tear at the chain; but he cannot bite you, because he is bound and you keep out of his way. So is the devil against every Christian also. Therefore, it is all a matter of not being secure, but keeping the fear of God and prayer, so that the chained dog may not harm us. But whoever wants to be safe and walk safely without any worries, such a chain dog could frighten him least of all, if he did not come so close to him that he could bite him; as one can see from the evil dogs that they listen and do not let themselves be heard all the way.
(28) Such comfort is especially necessary for those who have the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the world and punish the world for sin and righteousness. For the world will not and cannot suffer any punishment less than to be called sinners, and to cry out for such people as have no righteousness. Therefore, where such punishment goes publicly (as it should go), the world begins to rage and rage as if it were nonsensical. But the Holy Spirit is there and preaches to us about this judgment; otherwise the preachers would become fearful and be frightened. For this reason the Holy Spirit is called Paracletus, that is, a comforter and helper, who makes hearts joyful and courageous in temptation and all kinds of trouble and distress, because they hear and believe that the prince of this world has been judged.
(29) This is the preaching of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, what good he is to do on earth, and of what he is to preach and teach the people especially. And it is certainly true that whoever does not consider such preaching and teaching to be the noblest and highest treasure on earth, so that he would rather leave life and limb behind than receive such treasure, is not a Christian. Cause: Body and life, and what we have, are all temporal and transitory. But this is an eternal treasure, which brings us eternal life. As Paul says, "The gospel is the power of God, which makes blessed everyone who believes in it." For this reason we should rejoice with all our hearts in the salvation Christ says here, and thank God, our gracious Father in heaven, day and night for it, and pray that He will keep us in this knowledge and let it increase from day to day, the longer the more, so that we may be freed from sins and become partakers of eternal righteousness, and may take great comfort in this judgment, that the prince of this world has been judged.
(30) Now the Lord says again in response to such preaching, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. But when that one, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you in all truth."
31: But how the papists have used such a text
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you know that they defend all their changes and innovations with this saying and say: The Holy Spirit has brought about such changes and innovations and Christ has prophesied about it here. But it rhymes exceedingly badly.
32 Therefore this is the right understanding, as if Christ wanted to say: You hear what kind of ministry the Holy Spirit is to lead and what he is to do among you. Of such things I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye understand them not till ye know them. For beyond what I have now said, the Holy Spirit will also do this, that he will guide you in the truth and guard you from false and vexatious teaching. For where there is no such guidance of the Holy Spirit, it very soon happens that one falls short of the truth or departs from the word; as we see how wickedly an error is spun.
Arius had one or two sayings to which he adhered, and did not see so many other excellent, bright testimonies of Christ. For this reason the Anabaptists instruct rebaptism, so that the Lord says: "Go, teach, and baptize all nations. Since the teaching of the aged is to precede baptism, they conclude that infants are not to be baptized: Children should not be baptized before they can be taught. The same thing happened with the sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
The Holy Spirit has left the clear words of Christ lying around, and in the meantime he has gone along with some dark and uncertain sayings of the fathers and the old teachers. Therefore, it very soon happens that one falls into error, where the Holy Spirit does not hold and guide us.
(34) After this, saith he, the Holy Ghost also shall prophesy, and shall declare unto you things to come. For these things are also of his works; as we have many examples in the stories of the apostles. Thirdly, he says, he will transfigure me, that is, make your hearts full of the knowledge of God, so that you will dare and suffer everything for my sake, and have all your joy and comfort in me. Such and other things will be the work of the Holy Spirit. But even if I tell you about it for a long time, you will not understand it until you experience it. Therefore I will leave it at this, that you may not be dismayed, but rejoice at my departure, because then I will send you the Holy Spirit, who will carry out this ministry of punishment in the world, so that you may be freed from sin and be justified, and have eternal comfort.
35 This is the teaching of today's Gospel. May God the Father, through Christ, send His Holy Spirit into our hearts and graciously establish and complete this work in all of us, amen.
*On the fifth Sunday after Easter, Rogate. )
John 16:23-30.
Verily, verily, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it to you. Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you by proverb. But the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you by proverb, but will freely proclaim to you from my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. And I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you; for he himself, the Father, loves you, because you love me and believe that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said to him, "Behold, now you speak freely and do not say a proverb. Now we know that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee. Therefore we believe that you came from God.
*) Held in his home, 1533.
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1 Today's Gospel, as your beloved hears, is a splendid exhortation to prayer. For after preaching, the highest service of Christians is to pray. The Lord also gave this exhortation in the evening over the table, soon after the sermon which your love heard fourteen days ago, when he said to his disciples: "You will be sad because of my departure; but it is only for a little, and I will see you again, and then your sadness will become joy. This comfort is followed by the exhortation to pray. And rhymes very well with each other. For where a Christian is in fear, worry and anxiety, in trouble and misfortune, there is no other consolation nor counsel than that he keep to prayer and cry out to God for help.
2 The Lord here teaches his disciples and us that they should not forget to pray when they are in mourning. And he comfortingly says that they should be bold and undaunted in this work. "For," saith he, "I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: for he himself, the Father, loveth you, because ye love me, and believe that I came forth from God." True, Christ does not leave it, he sits at the right hand of the Father and represents us, as Paul says. So we know that his prayer, which he made for his church and for us poor sinners at the last supper over the table and afterwards on the cross, has been heard, and still goes on and remains strong until the end of the world. But, saith Christ, ye have no need of such prayer as this, which I make for you: for ye can pray the Father yourselves: and doubt not, your prayer is heard: for my Father loveth you, because ye love me. This is not to say that we should not take comfort in Christ's prayer, but that we should not despise our own prayer, because we love Christ. For this has been decided, and we should be diligent to realize and learn that whoever has a desire and love for Christ, the Father also wants to love him, and so love him that he will hear him. Where then are the godless papists who have pointed us to the intercession of the saints and put us off?
- This means to comfort and entice us to prayer, that our dear Lord Christ, through His death and departure from this world to the Father, has given us such access to God, and that we can be wherever we want, in church, in the house, in the cellar, in the kitchen, in the field, in the workshop, if we are Christians and love Christ, so that we can come before God in heaven with our hearts, talk to Him and pray for all that concerns us.
4 For nothing else is needed for such prayer, but such a heart as this, saying, Father in heaven, I know that thou lovest me, because I love thy Son, and my Redeemer, Christ Jesus. In such trust and confidence I will ask you now and comfortingly: not that I am so holy or pious, but that I know that you will gladly give and bestow everything on us for the sake of your Son Christ JEsu; in his name I now come before you and ask, and do not doubt at all, that such a prayer (for my own sake, as I wish) will be yes and certainly heard.
(5) For every Christian must beware lest he tarry so long in prayer, until he think that he is altogether pure and skillful. As the devil often troubles and hinders us with such thoughts, so that we think, "Well, you are not skilled now, nor idle; you must first do this or that, and then you can pray all the more quietly. Whoever follows such thoughts and allows himself to be hindered and prevented from praying, will certainly be like that farmer's wife who wanted to do something before she began to wish, was thus prevented and never got around to wishing. For the devil is a mischievous man, and always creeps up on us to see if he can prevent us from doing this or that.
(6) Therefore we must prepare ourselves against him, and not allow anything to hinder or hinder us; but as soon as the need is before us, think thus: Now is the right hour of prayer; if I am not skillful or worthy, God will make me skillful and worthy; for I know that he loves me for Christ's sake, and not for mine, that I am so pious or holy.
- this is what our dear Lord Christ wants here
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that we should pray, and not *) go, as the rude people do, saying, Eat and drink, nevertheless, taste well to them, though they pray not an Our Father in eight days. If you are a Christian, or if you want to be a Christian, beware of such a crude life, and pray at least in the morning when you get up, over and from the table, and in the evening when you go to bed again, and say: Our Father, hallowed be your name 2c.
(8) For we Christians owe it to ourselves to pray without ceasing: if not with our mouths (as we cannot always do), yet with our hearts. For all hearts should desire every moment that God's name be hallowed, His kingdom come, His will be done, item, that He may give peace in the land, good weather, a healthy body 2c. This is what every Christian desires in his heart every hour and every moment, even though his mouth celebrates it, and even if he does not actually think about it, it is no different in his heart. This means to pray spiritually and with the heart. And we are in great need of such prayer, for the sake of the constant journey that a Christian is not for a moment safe from the devil and his own flesh, lest he fall into sin and disgrace.
(9) But beside such heartfelt prayer, oral prayer should also go. How the same prayer should be arranged, the Lord teaches here and says: "You shall ask in my name"; item: "The Father loves you, because you love me, and believe that I came forth from God. When the person is thus prepared to believe in Christ, then he is the right priest in his chasuble and priestly adornment, and lacks nothing else, except that he opens his mouth cheerfully, and takes up a certain piece, since it seems to him that he and other Christians are most in need of it, and says: "Lord, this is what I need, this is what they need; give it to us for Christ's sake. 2c.
Now, however, we have fallen into such a time in particular that, unfortunately, we are suffering from various hardships that occur daily and become more and more difficult from day to day,
*) go there uninvited (a b c).
if we only prayed a lot. First of all, the devil is a liar and a murderer. With lies he wants to dampen God's word; with murder he wants to cause all kinds of unrest in the kingdom: Kingdom. That is why neither the pope nor the Turk, along with other tyrants who oppose the Word, celebrate. In this way, we learn about the needs of each one, even if such common needs are not present. That is why we have enough causes everywhere that drive us to prayer. But if anyone does not consider all such needs, he need only take before him the holy Lord's Prayer, which has seven parts in which all needs and all intentions are contained.
(11) In the first petition, "Hallowed be thy name," we pray for all righteous preachers and against all heretics and unbelievers, against Jews, pagans, Turks, and the pope; for all of these lust after the name of God and unhallow it: that God may prevent them, give pious preachers, and keep the word pure and clean, against all heresy.
(12) In the other petition, "Your kingdom come to us," we ask that the kingdom of the devil and of death may come to an end. This is also a very broad petition; that is, it includes the entire kingdom of the devil, that God may put an end to it and establish His kingdom in us and in all people through His Word and the Holy Spirit.
In the third prayer: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven", we ask that all wills be prevented that are against God's gracious will. This is a very unpleasant request for the devil and the evil people, and prevents a great deal of misfortune, which the devil and the evil world would cause daily, if one did not defend oneself so nobly with this prayer.
In the fourth petition, "Give us this day our daily bread," we pray for our authorities, for our parents, for wife and child, for bread and the fruits of the land, for peace, and for all that we need for the maintenance of this temporal life, each in his own state, that God may give him happiness and blessing in this and graciously protect him from all misfortune.
- in the fifth petition: "Forgive us
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our iniquities as we forgive those who trespass against us," we pray that God may have mercy on us, turn away from us the wrath we deserve, not punish us for our sins, and also have mercy on us, so that we may become more godly day by day and keep to His will, and live kindly among ourselves, each forgiving the other's trespasses.
- In the sixth petition, "Do not let us fall into temptation," we pray that God will come to the aid of all hearts in particular, that He will not leave them stuck in temptation, but will graciously help them out through His Word and His Holy Spirit, and break the devil's power and authority.
In the seventh petition, "But deliver us from evil," we ask for a good, blessed hour, so that our Lord God may take us from this pit of misery with grace and make us eternally blessed.
18 Thus in the Lord's Prayer, everything that may trouble us and concern us, or serve us for the best, is very finely put together. All such things are necessary for us to ask for daily. For there is enough need, first of all in general, then in every house, station and being; and it is only lacking in us that we do not open our mouths confidently and pray. For the command is already there that we should pray, and the promise is also there that it will be heard, yes, and certainly. And to make matters worse, our dear Lord Christ has given us the form of prayer himself, as you can see in the Lord's Prayer.
(19) Now we must confess that we are poor sinners, unworthy to come before God and speak to God, and unworthy to receive anything from Him. So that we may not let our unworthiness prevent us from praying, the Lord commands us here in explicit words: We are to ask in his name; and says to us: What we ask in his name, that shall be heard. With these words, therefore, draw this service entirely out of the world into the one person, Christ Jesus.
20 Therefore, all prayer that is not made in the name of Jesus is not prayer, nor is it a prayer.
Divine service. As when a monk prays that God will be merciful to him for the sake of Francisci or Dominici, to consider his or other merits, fasting, praying 2c.: such is no prayer; for it is not in the name of Christ, but in St. Francisci, Dominici or your name. Such a prayer is the prayer of the Gentiles, Turks and Jews, yes, also the prayer of all papists. For they do not want to have the name of Jesus alone in the prayer, but add the names of the Virgin Marys, the apostles and other saints. From such idolatrous prayer, nothing will come, God does not hear it. And even though the things they ask for happen to them, they happen to them only to their annoyance, to their great harm and disadvantage, and it would have been better if it had not happened to them.
(21) But Christians do not pray in this way; because of their name and the name of other creatures, they despair and would never open their mouths. But because they do not know that God is merciful through Christ, and they are commanded to pray in the name of Jesus Christ, this makes them bold and daring, so that even though they confess themselves to be poor sinners and admit guilt, they still run before God, open their mouths fearlessly and say: Father, we your children need this now and that now; be merciful; look not on our sin, but on your Son Christ Jesus; in his name we come before you now, and hear us. This is called right prayer, when the prayer is made through and through in Christ Jesus. And must follow what mau asks, that it be yea and amen in Christ JEsu. This should make us happy and willing to pray, because we hear: What one asks the Father in the name of Christ, that should penetrate, and not rest until it comes before God's throne, and there Yes is spoken over it.
- On such a promise the Lord says to his disciples, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name." For they relied upon him; as those wicked peasants relied upon their parish lord to pray for them, thinking they thirsted not to pray. But, saith he, do it no more, but "ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." Such prayers
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We should consider the lack and the commandment and learn according to them. Sadness, miserableness and temptation will not be absent. Therefore, whoever wants to have constant, perfect joy and get out of such distress, let him pray as Christ commands here, and do not doubt that whatever he asks in the name of Christ will be done for him, if it is otherwise for the glory of God and our salvation.
For there is a defect with us, as Paul says, that we do not always know what and how we should ask. That is why many people ask God to help them from this and that temptation. But nothing comes of it; for God sees and knows much better what is good for us than we ourselves do. St. Paul also asked that God would help him from his temptation. But what does Christ say? (2 Cor. 12, 9.:) "Be satisfied with my grace, for my power is mighty in the weak."
(24) So it may still be today that you would like to be free from this challenge, and I from another: but God knows what is good for us, and therefore leaves such suffering upon us, and does not help us from it; for otherwise we would become too hopeful, insolent and sure. Therefore, before we ask for our daily bread, we ask God to let His will be done. And Christ himself, praying on the Mount of Olives, says: "Not my will, but yours be done. So we should also ask, and always look to God's will, and then not doubt that God will give us everything that serves His glory and our blessedness.
25 After this, there is still a lack in us. God wants to help and give us what we ask in the name of His Son Christ Jesus; there is no doubt about that. But there is no time and way determined, how he wants to help. Now our reason, flesh and blood does not let us celebrate. As soon as it seems to us that the way we want to go does not want to go, we think it is over, we have to go to the ground. It is the same with time: it seems to us that if we are not advised in so many hours, days and years, nothing will ever come of it. And will
Thus, through these two temptations, the faith is fiercely challenged and weakened.
For this reason it is necessary that we keep God's word here and wait for the help that is promised to us in the name of Christ, regardless of time, manner or way, whenever it may be. For we are not to know such circumstances, but God alone knows. For he has the name and is called: Adjutor in opportunitate, a helper who helps at the appropriate time. But because we are quite grumpy by nature, we always think that it is now time for God to take too long. This is to say that we know the time better than our Lord God Himself. We should beware of this, so that our faith in the promise may stand firm, that God will hear us graciously and in due time for the sake of Christ Jesus His Son.
(27) Now this is the doctrine of Christian prayer, which, as stated above, we have great need of this day; neither have we any other comfort on earth; as the Lord shows here, saying, "Ask, that your joy may be full. For where there is no prayer, there can be no joy, or indeed no perfect joy, but there must remain sorrow, anguish and sadness.
We have experienced this more than once during these years. For if our prayers were effective, it would be impossible that the pope and other tyrants would not have destroyed and exterminated us long ago. But because the prayer is constant, that God will keep His word and His church and defend the enemies of His word, we see that the more the pope and other tyrants rage against the church, the more they fall. Therefore let us henceforth continue diligently: we, to whom the word is commanded, with preaching, and afterward every Christian for himself with praying; so by these two things the Christian church will be well preserved against the devil and all enemies of the word.
(29) Therefore, whoever loves the Christian church and would like to see it prosper, he must also help to preserve it. But this is done only through prayer, when you pray that the name of your God in heaven may be sanctified, and that his kingdom may come.
608 L. 2, 271-273. on the fifth Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1302-1305. 609
and his will be done; again, that the devil's name be defiled, his kingdom destroyed, and all his will and plots hindered. If you do this, you and every Christian will stand as a warrior with his armor in the field and in the forefront, helping to shield and protect the Christian church against the devil and the world. For every Christian is a warrior and is at war against the devil: we first with preaching, and then you with us, with praying. These two things do the devil heartache when one preaches diligently and prays earnestly; and if he is to be beaten and broken, it must be done in this way alone. About this we also know that our Father in heaven above likes it this way.
(30) I have no doubt that through our prayer many evil practices of the persecutors of the word have been turned back and prevented; and if anything good is to be done this day, and evil is to be prevented, it must be done through prayer. Therefore, do not throw your prayer to the wind, even if you think you are unskilled and unworthy of it. For otherwise no one would pray. But let every Christian man speak to himself thus: Because prayer is so pleasing to God, and so highly necessary and useful to me and to the church and the government, I will also go to the church and help to pray as much as I can; for I know that it shall not be, nor can it be, in vain.
(31) It is a dangerous thought to think, 'Let others pray, your prayer is not special. Therefore beware of it, and think thus: I have ever loved Christ and his word, and would rather leave everything than deny my Lord Christ; so it must follow that the Father also loves me and will hear my prayer, as Christ here promises me. Therefore, I will not let anything hinder me in praying, nor will I let it hold me back. So that one may pray confidently in the name of Christ, and believe the promise that we have here: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you"; then there is no need.
32 That now the Lord says further, "These things have I spoken unto you by proverbs";
This has not the opinion as if the Lord had spoken with dark, hidden words; because the words are ever louder and clear. But because the disciples had no experience of this, and did not know what kind of kingdom Christ would bring about, what he said to them was dark and hidden, as if he spoke to them in an unknown language.
But, saith he, it shall be otherwise. The time is coming when I will no longer speak to you through proverbs, but will freely proclaim to you about my Father. For when the Holy Spirit comes, and sets hearts on fire with a right trust in God's goodness and mercy through Christ, then it follows that one can pray rightly, and is cheerful and willing to do so. But without such a spirit, praying is impossible. Therefore Zechariah calls him a spirit of grace and prayer. For both must be together. The faith that one recognizes God as a gracious Father, since He gave His Son to us; which faith is a gift of God that the Holy Spirit works in us through the Gospel. Where there is such a spirit of grace, there also follows the spirit of prayer, so that one cries out to God for help in distress and temptation, and knows that God will not abandon us, but will be with us and make us blessed for eternity for the sake of His Son Christ Jesus.
34 Therefore the Lord says: "On the same day," when I will freely proclaim the Father to you and teach you through the Holy Spirit that you know him, "you will ask in my name," and such prayer will not be in vain. For how could the Father deny you anything, since he loves you, because you love me, and believe that I came from God? For true prayer must flow from such faith and trust; otherwise it is not prayer, no matter how good the words may be.
- May God, our dear Father, give His Holy Spirit through Christ Jesus into our hearts, so that we may also pray in all hardships and temptations, and render this service to God, and be delivered from all misery, both temporally and eternally, amen.
610 8. 2, 273-275. On the day of the Ascension of Christ. W. XIII, 1305-1309. 614
*On the day of the Ascension of Christ. )
Luc. 24, 50-53.)**
And he led them out unto Bethany, and lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, as he blessed them, he departed from them, and ascended into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and glorifying God.
(1) Today we celebrate the day of the ascension of our dear Lord Christ, for the sake of the article in our faith, when we say thus: I believe in Christ, who ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. This article is one reason why this day is celebrated, so that we may learn not only how such an ascension took place, but also what Christ accomplished and meant to accomplish by it.
(2) Lucas describes the history in detail, so that one can know the day, place and time, and afterwards also the persons who were present, and how it happened. Namely, that the Lord, after he had been forty days after his resurrection around his disciples, and especially in Galilee, had eaten with them and preached to them about the kingdom of God, he had gathered them to the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem, and had given the command, as Marcus says, that they should go to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit, and then preach the gospel in all the world. After such a command, Lucas says, he was visibly lifted up and went up into the air, flesh and bones, as he stood before them, even to the clouds, so that they could no longer see him. But when the disciples were standing there and were astonished (for such a thing was never seen of any man's body before, that it should rise above him into the air like a bird), two angels came to them.
*From Luther's shorter sermons.
**Walch gives Apost. 1, 1-11. as text. D. Red.
They tell them to go home again, there is nothing more to see; the Lord will no longer come on earth in such a form until he judges the dead and the living. Then he will come down in a cloud, as he has now passed over him in a cloud. This is not dangerous the Historia, so much of it is reported in the Evangelists.
First of all, there is the miracle that the Lord miraculously takes off from his disciples into the air like a bird and disappears into the air, that is, he goes so high that his disciples can no longer see him. For to fly in the air is an unusual, even impossible thing for men. A man's body is by nature like a stone or other heavy thing that it desires under itself. Now Christ, after his resurrection, has a real body, which has flesh and bones, as he himself says, Luke 24, chapter 39, and can be grasped; and yet it is such a body, which, because of its nature, can as well rise up and go over itself as under itself.
(4) This is an indication that we may learn what kind of bodies we shall have after this death. Now our bodies are heavy, clumsy, and slow: but when we rise from the dead, and new bodies come to us, they will be true bodies, of flesh and bone and all the limbs; but they will no longer be so heavy and clumsy, but just as we are now nimble in thought here and there, so will we be able to do with the body thereafter. As can be seen in Christ after his resurrection: the
612 L. 2, 275-277. on the day of Christ's ascension. W. xm, 1309-1311. 613
The stone on the grave does not hinder him, nor does the closed door; he wipes through in an instant, so that we cannot know how he comes through. So, when he wants, he lets himself be seen; when he wants, he cannot be seen. In a moment he is in one place, in a moment in another place, and can walk in the air as well as on earth. We shall also wait for glory in our bodies after this life; besides that they shall henceforth be immortal bodies, which need neither food nor drink, and shall never lack health.
Now we must also see what our dear Lord Christ intended to accomplish with such an ascension, and in what we can also enjoy such an ascension here on earth. First of all, because we see that Christ is ferrying himself to heaven, we must conclude that Christ does not want to have anything to do with the world and its kingdom; otherwise he would remain on earth and use what other worldly kings and princes use. But he leaves all this on earth and goes up to heaven, where we do not see him. So he wants to teach us that we should look at his kingdom in the right way and recognize that it is not a worldly kingdom, as the disciples thought, since he would distribute money and goods and great dominions; but a spiritual and eternal kingdom, since he wants to distribute spiritual gifts to those who are with him in this kingdom.
(6) For this reason no one may or should become a Christian, so that he may obtain money and goods or great honors. For this reason baptism, the ministry of preaching, and the sacrament were not instituted; nor did Christ come from heaven to earth for the sake of such worldly, transitory, temporal things, nor did he ascend to heaven for this reason. There are other and higher things to be done, namely, that we may be counseled and helped with eternal goods, such as the forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and eternal life. We should expect such gifts from our Lord Christ, who did not remain on earth, but went to heaven and established a spiritual, invisible, eternal kingdom there.
7 These things were prophesied long before by the Holy Spirit, in the 68th Psalm, v. 19, which St. Paul refers to the Ephesians in the 4th chapter, v. 8 ff. and points to the ascension of Christ and His spiritual rule, where it says: "You ascended on high and caught the prison; you received gifts for men, even for the apostates, so that God the Lord would still dwell there. This is a short saying, but it covers a great deal. Therefore, we must diligently consider and look at all the words. Paul himself deals with the first word in a masterly and subtle way, saying: "That he has ascended, what is this but that he first descended into the lowest parts of the earth? He that descended is he that ascended above all heavens, that he might fill all things." What might Paul mean by such words? Nothing else, because we are to enjoy the ascension of our dear Lord Christ so greatly, as we shall soon hear, that we also learn the cause by which we have come to such grace and blessedness. For it was not our good works, holy living, or obedience that earned this; but he himself, the Lord, who gives such gifts, earned it by descending from heaven, expressing his divinity, as Paul says in another place, and becoming man for our sake, and dying for us on the cross.
8 Paul wants to indicate such a benefit with these words, that he remembers the descent. And this rhymes very well, for he who is previously on high must not go up. Now that the Holy Spirit says of Christ, "You have ascended on high," it must follow that he had previously descended and humbled himself. This has happened for our sake. Therefore such an interpretation of Paul rhymes finely with the words of Christ, which your love heard the other day: "It is good for you that I go; for if I do not go, the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him unto you," John 16:7; and John 14:3: "If I go, I will prepare a place for you."
614 L. 2, 277-279. on the day of the ascension of Christ. W. XIII, 1311-1314... 615
(9) The other little word rhymes very well with this, that he says, "You have ascended on high," because by this he wants to make a distinction between Christ and others who also ascend to heaven. Enoch is taken up to God. Elijah went to heaven in a fiery chariot. But Christ did not go to heaven in this way; but He Himself, by His own power, went over Himself, just as He Himself raised Himself from the dead, by His own power and might, without anyone else's help. This is a very great difference. For we will not raise ourselves from the dead on the last day, but Christ will raise us, John 6:54. But Christ himself rises from the dead by his own power, as he says, John 10:17, 18: "My Father loves me, that I should lay down my life, that I might take it again. No one takes it from me, but I take it from myself. I have power to let it go, and have power to take it again; and Peter in his first sermon, Apost. 2, 24: "It was impossible that he should be kept from death." So the difference here is the same with his ascension and ours. We go to heaven, because Christ draws us to Himself. But it is he who goes to heaven by his own power and ability, as he says in John 3:13: "No one goes to heaven except he who has come down from heaven. The Holy Spirit has shown this difference long before, and with it he wants to teach us that we should accept Christ as a true, almighty, eternal God.
(10) But that the psalm says further, "Thou art ascended up on high," this, as we have also said above, is nothing else than that Christ says before Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world. Therefore, although here on earth we have to deal with food, with wives, children and servants, with worldly government and other things, and have to deal with them: but because we are also Christians and Christ does not lead his kingdom down here on earth, we should lift our hearts and minds above it, and strive for such a spiritual kingdom first and foremost, and deal with it with our hearts and minds.
But what happens? Most of us are stuck body and soul, hands and heart alone in this transitory life, and strive to have enough here, and take little or no notice of the fact that Christ has ascended on high. The Holy Spirit would gladly defend us, preaching that Christ did not remain on earth, but ascended upward, so that, while our bodies are still here, our hearts and minds may be lifted above them, and our hearts may not be weighed down with the cares of this life. For this is how it should be with Christians: the body and the old Adam should deal with this temporal life and be burdened with it; but the heart should take care of the eternal, as Paul says Col. 3:1, 2: "Seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Seek the things that are above, and not the things that are on earth."
(12) What is Christ doing up there, or why did he go up and not stay here? Is he idle, or is he doing something? Of such the psalm speaks very finely, saying, "Thou hast gone up on high, and hast caught the prison." This is spoken in an exceedingly comforting and blessed manner, and it can be seen as if Christ had just thought of this psalm at that time, when in the 11th chapter, v. 21 f., he gives Luke the likeness of the strong-armed man who keeps his house in peace until a stronger man comes upon him and overcomes him, who then takes from him the armor on which he relied and divides the plunder.
(13) For we poor men are therefore under the tyranny of the devil and of death; they hold us captive, and it is impossible for us to deliver ourselves from such imprisonment. The devil drives and rules us, and death strangles us; there is no salvation that we can have from ourselves. But Christ, as the stronger, comes, first of all in all humility he gives himself up and lets himself be strangled on the cross. So he pays with his own death for the sin of the whole world, as a poor, innocent little lamb. There is neither strength nor power, for that is why he hangs there, because he wants to suffer death.
616 L. 2, 279-281. on the day of the ascension of Christ. W. XIII, 1314-1317. 617
- When sin has been reconciled and removed by such death, and the poor Christ lies in the grave, and no one has any hope or consolation for him, he rises again from death in all power and glory, as your love belongs to this Easter, and, as the Holy Spirit says here, he captures the prison, that is, he breaks the power of the devil and death, and takes away their rule, so that the devil no longer harms Christians, and death no longer chokes them, nor sin accuses them.
Therefore, here is even an inverted essence. Sin has held us captive and accused us before, the devil has chased us into sin according to his will, death has strangled us. This shall never happen. For to this end Christ ascended into heaven, that he might hold captive sin and death and the devil, that they should no more hurt us, as they did before; but though they hurt us, yet it shall be for our good.
(16) Sin does not let us; it tempts and entices us, if it could move us against God's will and make us have an evil conscience. But we are so weak that we often allow ourselves to be moved and deceived. So it happened to the excellent, great man David, who fell into two horrible, grave sins. But that he does not remain in such sin, but that it is forgiven him and he does not die, this is the cause that sin should lose its power through Christ and be caught. For this reason, David must not only not be harmed, but must cause him to pray all the more fervently and earnestly. For if he had not fallen into such sin and misery, he would never have made the beautiful psalm, the Miserere.
(17) It is the same with death: it cannot refrain from it; it must bare its teeth at us, and stand as if it would devour us. Again, when we see such things, we cannot help being frightened and afraid. How is it then that death does not do what it would like, and does not strangle the Christians? So that death is a captive death, and cannot do such harm and strangle as
if Christ did not hold him captive. Therefore, even though he rages and rages the most and is the most cruel, he does nothing more for the Christians than to drive them to God's word, so that they practice it more diligently, form it in themselves and comfort themselves with it; otherwise, if there were no such terrors of death, they would not accept the word so diligently.
18 The same is true of the devil: he is an evil, persecuting enemy, creeping after Christians day and night to see if he could fell them and take away the treasure of eternal life. But he is a captive spirit, and should not only not bring about such a thing, but the more he pursues the Christians, the more cautiously he should make them pray, practice the Word of God and entrust themselves to God's protection. Otherwise, where the devil would not be so furious and persistent, they would sometimes be safe and careless. But because the enemy does not give peace nor can he rest, they must be brave, lively and careful.
19 Therefore, such temptations, terrors and journeys do not serve Christians as if there is nothing harmful about them. By their very nature and character they are very harmful, as can be seen in the world. But the ascension of our Lord Christ is in its right use and practice, so that such enemies are caught, and should not do to Christians what they otherwise could not do. Sin would condemn, death would strangle, and the devil would cast into all misery and distress; but they are captive enemies. Therefore, though they mean evil, it shall not hurt them. Now this is a glorious and great fruit of the ascension of Christ, that the great enemies of sin, death and the devil, who held us captive, have been captured by the Lord Christ, and we have been delivered from them; for this is why he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, that he might protect his Christians from such enemies.
20 But he will not leave it at that, for the psalm goes on to say, "You have received gifts for men. That is, such gifts that you are to share with people and help them through them. But what kind of gifts are these? Christ
618 L. 2, 281-284. on the day of the ascension of christ. W. XIII, 1317-1320. 619
says finely Joh. 16, 7. 8. where he says: "When I go, I will send the Comforter to you. And when he is come, he will punish the world for sin, and for righteousness, and for judgment." And Peter, Apost. 2:33: "Having been raised up by the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He has poured out these things which you now see and hear."
(21) Now the Holy Spirit accomplishes two things: first, through the gospel, he brings us to the knowledge of Christ, that we may believe in his name for the forgiveness of sins; and second, that we may amend our lives, resist sin and put it to death, and commit ourselves to heartfelt obedience to God. This means to make soul and body, heart and everything in us pious. For although we can never here on earth, for the sake of our sinful flesh, bring ourselves to become completely pure and without all sin, yet such clinging sin, through faith in Christ, is not imputed to us, nor can it condemn us. This is the first thing that the Holy Spirit works in us.
22 Secondly, the Holy Spirit also needs us to bring others to such grace and knowledge through the word and the ministry. That is why Paul interprets this psalm to the Ephesians in chapter 4, vv. 11-13, to the effect that this gift is given to us through the ascension of Christ, that he has made some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some shepherds and teachers, "that the saints may be sent to the work of the ministry, by which the body of Christ may be built up, until we all come to one faith and confession of the Son of God. For we see and experience how hostile the devil is to the Word, and especially in our times he incites Turks and Popes to dampen the Word and make Christendom desolate, or at least thin. And yet, the more Turks and Popes rage, the more God's Word increases; and it is impossible for them to even eradicate baptism, sacrament and word. This is also a part in which we feel the ascension of our Lord Christ;
For this reason he ascended into heaven, that he might send down the Holy Spirit, and promote and administer his ministry on earth.
- After these things also are called gifts, that God by all means governs and guides his church, comforts in temptation, saves in persecution, leads and sustains in truth against error, and especially awakens it to prayer; as the Lord says in the next Gospel: "On the same day you will pray in my name"; for such things cannot be done without the help of the Holy Spirit. In sum, what we have and receive are all gifts of Christ and the true fruit of His joyful ascension, for He ascended to promote His kingdom and to beget and maintain a Christian church through the Word and the Holy Spirit.
(24) Lucas shows this very well in the text which your beloved heard at the beginning. For he says: When Christ ascended into heaven, he lifted up his hands and blessed his disciples. He did not bless them in this way, as we commonly do, that one gives another a good night's rest or takes a vacation. But he wished them happiness and salvation in their ministry, which he then commanded them to preach the gospel to every creature, that is, to all classes throughout the world. For the gospel is not commanded to be preached for the sake of trees, stones, birds, or fishes, but for the sake of men; as soon follows: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Stone and wood will never be able to believe; so there is no command to baptize them, as the foolish papists do. Therefore, as baptism and faith belong to men alone, so also the preaching of the gospel belongs to them alone. But the Lord needs to speak in this way, saying, "Preach to all creatures," so that he will include all classes, so that no emperor or king on earth will be so powerful as to hear, accept and believe this teaching of the gospel, or he will be condemned. For these are called the creatures of men, that is, such offices and estates as have been ordained by men. To such a command the Lord lifts up his hands and blesses them, that is, he does not wish alone.
620 L. 2, 284,285. on the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ. W. XIII, 1320,1321,1368. 621
that they do much good, but he also helps such ministry, promotes it and gives it prosperity.
(25) Wherever the holy gospel is preached, such lifting up of hands and blessing of the Lord Christ is still necessary, so that it may bear fruit and not be preached in vain. And in truth it is comforting that the Lord, now that he is about to ascend, lifts up his hands in this way and blesses his disciples. For in this way he wants to indicate that we should take comfort in his ascension, and that he wants to use such an ascension for our blessing and for our good. For what need would there be of such a friendly gesture if he were angry with us and did not want to take care of us in his kingdom? That he now lifts up his hands and wishes them happiness and salvation in their new office is a certain sign that the Lord means us faithfully and kindly, and that we should always enjoy such lifting up of hands and blessings, because the gospel is preached.
(26) Thus your beloved see how comforting and joyful a feast we have at the ascension of our dear Lord Christ, and how in many ways we enjoy it:
That henceforth, because our flesh and blood, the Son of God, sits at the right hand of His Father, sin, death and the devil shall be deprived of all power, and that they shall be strengthened, that they shall not hurt us. For though they be our mortal enemies, and subject to all manner of things against us, yet are they bound and captive enemies. For this purpose Christ gives us his Spirit to guide us in all truth, to preserve us against all error, to comfort us in temptation, to pray with us and exhort us to pray, and then to adorn us with all kinds of gifts and graces. For this reason Christ ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, so that, as Paul says, he may fulfill all things, that is, give and bestow upon us everything we need for salvation and eternal life. For this reason we should follow the examples of the dear apostles, and, as Lucas says here, worship the Lord Jesus Christ with them, be joyful and of good cheer; and in addition give thanks to God, our gracious Father in heaven, praise and extol Him, and ask that He may continue to preserve us in such grace, and finally make us blessed for the sake of Christ Jesus His Son. May God grant this to us all, Amen.
*On the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ, Exaudi. )
Joh. 15, 26. to 16, 4.
But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me. And ye also shall testify, because ye have been with me from the beginning. These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They will put you under ban. But the time will come when whoever kills you will think he is doing God a service. And they will do this to you, so that they will not recognize my Father or me. But these things have I spoken unto you, that, when the time shall come, ye may remember that I have told you. But I did not tell you this at the beginning, because I was with you.
In today's gospel there are two pieces: the first about the Holy Spirit; the other about the future persecution that will befall those who confess and preach the gospel before the world.
*) Held in the house after dinner, in 1533; according to Röhrer, in 1532. D. Red.
- Of the Holy Spirit you know that we believe that he is the eternal, almighty God. The Lord Christ gives him a special name here and calls him a comforter. This is to indicate that if we want to be Christians, we must dare something and suffer over it. For what need is there of consolation,
622 D. 2, 285-287. on the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ. W. XIII, 1369-1372. 623
where suffering and sorrow would not be on our necks? But the suffering, the Lord indicates, will not only be that Christians will be killed, which would still be small, but they will be killed, and those who do it will still want to be right, and the Christians who suffer must be wrong. That is to kill shamefully and ignominiously, since everyone will say: Well, it is right for the heretic, one should not want it to be otherwise for him 2c. So that there is no comfort in the death of Christians, for the world strangles them as heretics. Their conscience is also weak, so that they often think, "Who knows whether you have done right and not done too much to him? They must therefore be wrong before the world, and sometimes also before their own conscience.
3 This is the purpose of this name, that the Lord calls the Holy Spirit a Comforter, as if to say, "I know how you will fare, that you will find little comfort in yourselves and no comfort at all in the world. I will not leave you in such distress, nor will I lead you into the mire to drown you in it; but when there is no more comfort in the world, and you are utterly terrified and stupid, then I will send you the Holy Spirit, who is a Comforter, and shall promise you in your heart that you shall not despair, and that you shall keep the things which he preaches to you.
(4) Now here the two consolations are divided. One is a worldly comfort, which is false and lying, because it is based on the fact that a man relies on goods, honor, power, on the friendship and support of great princes and lords, all of which is uncertain and deceptive, since nothing certain can be built on it. For this reason, says Christ here, you, my disciples, will have none of these, but everything will still be against you and not with you, so that the world will use its power, honor, goods and wealth against you and will want to dampen you with them. Do not be dismayed that you have no such comfort, for it is a miserable, poor comfort that lasts no longer until a fever, a pestilence, a headache or a stomachache comes, and then it is already comforted. But I will give you another comforter
the Spirit of truth, which shall comfort you when you are afraid, when you are wretched, when you are miserable, when you are miserable, both before men and in your heart before yourselves. For this is why the Holy Spirit is called a Comforter, and not a Comforter. For where there is sadness and affliction, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, is not at home. This Comforter is also called the Spirit of truth, because he does not comfort like the world, where there is no continuance, but his comfort endures forever and no one can deceive him.
005 But there is another conflict: for the conscience saith, Thou tellest me of a consolation, but I feel it not: I see the contradiction, that the world hath joy and consolation, whereas the Christians suffer themselves. John the Baptist must give up his head; meanwhile Herod and his whore bank with each other and have good courage. It is the same with us: the world does not grant us dry bread, and everyone makes himself believe that what he does evil to a Christian is well done. On the other hand, the pope, cardinals, bishops, and everything that is hostile to the Gospel have good, peaceful days and sit in the rose garden without any challenge. Now does this mean comforted? Yes, says Christ, it is called comforted; but you must make a distinction between comforting. The world also has its consolation, it is true; for otherwise it could not be so secure, cheerful, and of good cheer. But it is not a comfort that comes from the Spirit of truth, but it is a lying comfort; for very soon it may come to pass that such things as the world comforts itself with can no longer comfort or help.
(6) But this Comforter, whom Christians have, is a Spirit of truth, who puts a continual comfort into our hearts. Therefore, although the dear John does not have the comfort that Herod and his whore have, but because of them he must lie miserably in the tower and remain unconsoled, and finally lose his head, yet the Holy Spirit cries out to him and speaks into his heart, saying: "Hans, dear Hans, do not turn away from the terror that you lie there so miserable and that the wicked world exercises its will of courage on you.
624 L. 2, 287-290. on the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ. W. XIII, 1372-1375. 625
become long with her. It is called a short joy and infinite suffering. On the other hand, your suffering shall be short, and eternal joy shall follow, since a moment is more and better than a thousand years here on earth, even if there were joy in all the world and no suffering. This consolation fills John's heart to such an extent that he is not only not afraid of death, but also thanks God that he will be taken from this poor sinful body and life and thus be promoted to eternal life.
But from where does the Holy Spirit take such comfort? "From the Father," says Christ here; for he, the Holy Spirit, proceeds from the Father. This is an excellent saying, so that we can prove the article of our faith, the holy Trinity. For if the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, it must follow that such a Spirit is eternal; for nothing can proceed from the Father that is not like and according to His nature and essence. Therefore, just as God the Son is eternal, so it follows that he is born of the eternal Father; for God cannot give birth to anything that is not like him: therefore it must also follow that the Holy Spirit, proceeding from God, is also eternal. But we want to leave such an article for now and talk about it further in its time.
But with what does the Holy Spirit comfort? "Of me," says the Lord, "he will testify." As if to say, "My dear child, you are being frightened, worried, caught, killed; you must wait for it, it will not be otherwise. But the Holy Spirit shall be a witness, who shall awaken thee, and make thee remember me; he shall not give thee baptismal cups of Jochim, as the world doth; but he shall testify of me, that thou mayest say: Though all is gone, wife and child, house and home, goods and honor, and now it is that life and limb must go; yet he liveth above, who is called Jesus Christ, who was made man for my sake, died for me, and rose again, and ascended into heaven, as I pray daily in my faith. Is this true? What do I want to be afraid of? Truly, the Son of God, who suffers death for me, will not be my enemy, he will not be my enemy, he will not be my enemy, he will not be my enemy.
will mean it faithfully and well with me. But if he loves me, I will never have cause to be afraid of him or to think anything evil of him.
9 This is Christ saying, "He will testify of me." Apart from this testimony of the Holy Spirit concerning Christ, there is no certain, constant comfort. Therefore the words, "of me," should be written in large letters, and diligently remembered; for in this we may be sure that the Holy Spirit is not to come with any other doctrine, and neither Moses nor any other preach to comfort the consciences with it. But if the consciences are to be comforted, the preaching of Christ and of his death and resurrection alone must do it; it alone comforts. On the other hand, all other preaching of the law, good works, holy life, commanded by God or man, is not able to comfort a man in distress and death, but only to make him stupid, to frighten him; for God Himself, if one wants to deal with Him apart from Christ, is a terrible God, since one finds no comfort, but only wrath and disgrace. But he who preaches about Christ proclaims and brings true comfort, since it is impossible that hearts should not rejoice in it and be of good cheer.
(10) Therefore it all depends on this, that one grasps and holds this comfort firmly, and says: I believe in Jesus Christ, who died for me, and I know that the Holy Spirit, who is called and is a witness and comforter, preaches or testifies of no one else in Christendom, to comfort and strengthen all who are afflicted, but of Christ; I will remain in this and hold to no other comfort. For if there should be a better or more certain comfort than this, the Holy Spirit would bring it also. But he shall do no more than bear witness of Christ.
But why does the Lord need the word "testify" here? Could he have spoken differently? It is so that we may have all the more respect for the word.
12 For it is true that the Holy Spirit works inwardly in the heart. But he does not want such an effect in a proper, common way, except through the verbal communication.
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Word. As St. Paul says in Romans 10, v. 14: "How shall they believe, of whom they have not heard?" Therefore Christ calls him a witness. But now he testifies through the mouth and word of the apostles and all preachers who preach the gospel of Christ purely and truthfully.
(13) Therefore no one who desires comfort should wait until the Holy Spirit presents Christ to him personally or speaks to him from heaven. He bears his testimony publicly in the sermon; there you must seek him and wait until he stirs your heart by such a word as you hear with your ears, and thus also bears witness to Christ inwardly in your heart by his effect. But such inward testimony does not come sooner, unless the other public and oral testimony of the word has gone first, when it is heard that Christ became man for our sake, was crucified, died, and rose again.
14 That therefore this is the summa summarum of this present gospel, that we should willingly enter into it, if we would be Christians, that we should not get great money and goods, joy and glory here on earth from it; but that we should have the world above as our enemies, and bear sin, death and an evil conscience. Now when a Christian suffers such things, that the heart is troubled and saddened, and thinks, Behold, how is it with thee? What have you done? You could have been a Christian, and yet you should not have gone to such a place. If you are in trouble, it is only your fault 2c. Where then the terrible examples strike, in which one sees how easily even great people fall and are stuck in temptation: then, says Christ, it is time for the Comforter to come, and he will certainly not stay outside, but come and teach you that such thoughts are not from him, but from the evil spirit. Cause, such thoughts frighten and lead into despair. But the Holy Spirit is not to frighten, but to comfort and to give courage, and so he shall do, that he may testify of me. Therefore other thoughts, which bring sadness and gloom with them, are of the devil, apart from me and without me. But the Holy Spirit
brings and gives comforting, joyful thoughts, in that he testifies of me that I laid down my life for you, died for your sins and rose again for your righteousness. From which testimony you will then be able to conclude that I am not hostile to you, nor do I devour or condemn you, but want to make you blessed. Therefore it all depends on the little word, "He will testify (of me)."
(15) This is to be especially noted against the false spirits and false preachers. For here it is decreed that the Holy Spirit, if he is to comfort, should do nothing else but testify of Christ and form him in the hearts. Since, on the other hand, the evil spirit frightens the consciences and holds up death and sin to them, the Holy Spirit must counter this with his testimony and speak and speak into our hearts through the Word: Ah, man, what are you doing? Can you think of nothing else but dying, sin and damnation? Turn away thine eyes from this dreadful and horrible sight, and behold hither: Knowest thou not a man whose name is Jesus Christ? Of whom it is thus written: He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, went to hell, and on the third day rose again from the dead and ascended into heaven. Why do you think this happened? Did it not come to pass, that thou mightest be comforted against death and sin? Therefore cease from fear and trembling, for thou hast no cause. If Christ were not with thee and about thee, and had not done these things for thee, thou wouldst have cause enough to fear. But he is with thee and about thee, as he saith, "I am with thee alway, even unto the end of the world." For this purpose he suffered death for you, and sits at the right hand of his heavenly Father for your comfort and protection 2c.
16 Where this sermon resounds, there one hears the voice, testimony and teaching of the Holy Spirit. But what does not sound on this beat may, where it is best, be Moses' testimony, or it may be the wretched devil, who, through his works-saints, hypocrites, and heretics-is the cause of all this.
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also testifies and preaches. But nothing else follows from this but fear, terror and despair. May God protect us from this and keep us with this testimony of the Holy Spirit in our last hour, amen.
- This is the first part of today's Gospel, about the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and how he will comfort Christians. Now we want to continue, and also say a little about the other part, namely, about the cross and persecution. There it is to be noted, first of all, that Christ says to his disciples, "They will put you under ban," or, as the words are, "cast you out of the synagogue and assembly, and shut you out." Which words testify that those who put Christians under ban and exclude them from the church will use the title and boast that they are the synagogue or the true church, for which they will also be gloriously praised, who serve God with special earnestness. Serve God with special earnestness. Otherwise Christ would not have said: "The time is coming when he who kills you will think that he is doing God a service.
18 Therefore it is necessary to make a distinction and learn that there are two churches in all places. One is the false church, which has the name, and is called the church and the people of God, but it is not. The other, the right church, does not have the name, but it is.
(19) These two churches are very difficult to distinguish. For here we are hindered by the fact that we must confess that the false church also has a true ministry, as can be seen. We freely confess that the pope and his congregation are not the true church; nevertheless, when they baptize, ordain ministers, unite spouses, the ministry and divine word is right and powerful; therefore they confess that their baptism is right, and do not baptize again the children who were baptized by them, as Cyprian did. He was under the delusion that if the heretics had baptized someone, it was not a true baptism, and therefore he baptized them again. And this was his reason: The heretics, he said, are not in the unity of the Christian church; therefore they cannot hold a Christian office. But
*) From a sermon preached publicly in 1531.
This reason is wrong. For one must divide office and person. One who is in deliberate sins that are against his conscience is not in the unity of the Christian church; nevertheless, the office he has in the church should not be despised. Cause, it is not his, but the Lord JEsu Christ's office. But if he would break the command of the Lord Jesus Christ, otherwise than Christ commanded, baptize, preach, and administer the sacrament, then one would have cause to abandon baptism, preaching, and other things. But if he does not change anything in the order of Christ, even if he is evil and a sinner because of his person, this does not take anything away from the ministry.
20 Therefore, whoever wants to distinguish and judge these two churches correctly, must not look at the ministry alone; for even the false church can have and lead the ministry correctly, and yet is not a church; as one can see that the false church leads and praises the name of God quite gloriously. One should not turn away from this. For there is the other commandment, which teaches us that the name of God should also be used uselessly. For this we ask in the first petition in the Lord's Prayer that God's name be hallowed, which is a certain indication that the same name is unhallowed by many. Therefore, where the false church approaches and wants to banish and condemn with the name of God and the church, it is important that you do not let yourself be frightened, but make a distinction and say: I hear God's name well, I hear well that you praise the church: but the unbelievers can also do this. Otherwise there would be no need for the prohibition that one should not use God's name in vain. Therefore, one must seek judgment in a different way, and first of all see whether one is also leading God's name rightly and not misusing the glorious name of the church.
Now, for such a judgment serves the rule, which the Lord gives here, so that he paints the false church very actually and finely; because the right church does not take up the sword and worldly power. But the false church takes the sword in its hand and persecutes the right church, as Christ says here that "they will put you under ban, and whoever kills you" 2c. Thereby you can certainly mer-
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which is the false church. And even more surely you can see that Christ says: "They will do this to you, so that they will not know me or my Father. This means that the false church is correctly depicted. It can have the office and boast of God's name and adorn itself with it; but besides the office and the name of God, it has the misfortune that it knows neither Christ nor the Father.
What does it mean to know Christ and the Father? It does not mean saying mass, putting on a cap, fasting, giving alms, and the like. Rather, to know Christ means to believe that he is the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world, who became man for our sake, suffered death for us on the cross, died and rose again, and ascended to heaven. That we may take comfort in this, and have such confidence in God that He will be gracious and merciful to us for the sake of His Son. For this means to know the Father: to know that he will be merciful and will not let our sin be repaid for the sake of his Son Christ JEsu. Where there is such knowledge, there is the true church. Where there is no such knowledge, there is no church, although the ministry and God's name are there. Therefore, one should and must pay special attention to this knowledge, so that one cannot err.
(23) The division that is in the church today is making many people confused, so that they do not know to which part they should adhere. But they lack that, that they do not want to look at this rule. So we preach that nothing can help us against sin and death in the sight of God, but only the death and resurrection of Christ. Whoever grasps this with true faith will be saved. Whoever does not grasp it, if he otherwise does what he wants, he cannot be saved (but how powerfully such a doctrine is founded in the Old and New Testaments, your love hears at another time); but what happens? It is precisely because of such teaching that the pope and his crowd persecute us, banish us, call us heretics and strangle us; for he teaches that whoever wants to go to heaven must do enough for his sin himself; Christ has only
But what we sin after baptism, each one must do for himself enough to put away such sin with good works and appease God's wrath. But how does such a sermon rhyme with the knowledge of Christ? For this must follow: If Christ has done enough for sin, we cannot do enough for it. We should do good works, but from a different point of view, because by doing so we would put away sin and go to heaven.
(24) So you see clearly from this rule which is the right church. We are condemned because we place all righteousness and grace in Christ Jesus alone, in his death and resurrection. On the other hand, the pope and his church place salvation on their own works, merit and satisfaction, which is a sure sign that they know neither Christ nor the Father. If we now have this, that we know Christ (praise be to God always!) correctly, but they do not know Christ, then let us be undaunted and ask nothing about it, although they, who do not know Christ and his Father, banish us, call us heretics and a devil's church. We are much more concerned about this, that we know the Son and the Father; therefore, let us not be deceived by the useless bluster that the pope flaunts the name of the church so high and gives us to the devil.
(25) But we can comfort ourselves and wait for another judgment, since not men with their false judgment, but God Himself with His right, true judgment will lift us out of the ban, and glorify us for His church on the last day before God and all His angels. For it must happen on earth, as Christ says here, that there will be two churches, and one will banish the other. But the ban will never go publicly against the false church, because it has the sword in its hand and can protect itself against it by force. As we see in the case of the pope, which is a certain indication that he cannot be the right church, for it says here of the right Christian church that it is to be banished. "You," he says, "they will put under ban." Who are these "you"? They are not ours.
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Lord Christ's dear disciples and apostles? They will be banished and killed. Who? Those who have the name of synagogue and church.
26 This is still the case today. Therefore we should not be frightened by such banishment and strangulation, but accept it with joy, and learn that it is the right color and the most certain mark of the Christians and the right church. But so that the knowledge of Christ and his Father is above all things. For Anabaptists and other sects are also persecuted and suffer much, but they do not have the knowledge of Christ and His Father, for they deny the promise that God made to them in the first baptism, and establish a new monasticism, by which they think to enter heaven and have a gracious God.
to have. On the other hand, the true church knows Christ and his Father, that is, it takes comfort in God's goodness and mercy through Christ alone; and for the sake of such comfort and hope it must be persecuted. She suffers this gladly, for she knows that Christ has prophesied it here; therefore she willingly submits to it, letting the pope and his bunch cry out for heretics and the devil's church. But it is enough for her that she knows Christ and his Father, and knows that the pope and his mob, however highly they may be shorn, do not know Christ and his Father, but persecute them; for this reason she suffers gladly with Christ, and is hopeful that she will also sit with him in honor and live forever. May our dear Father in heaven, through his Son and the Holy Spirit, grant this to us all, amen.
On the holy day of Pentecost.
The first sermon.
Apost. 2, 1-14.
And when the day of Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all with one accord. And there came a swift sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they sat. And there was seen in them the dividing of tongues, as if they were fiery. And he sat upon every one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to preach with other tongues, after that the Spirit had given them utterance. Now there were Jews dwelling at Jerusalem, men who feared God, of every nation under heaven. When this voice was heard, the multitude came together and were confounded, for every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed, and said one to another, Behold, are not all these that speak of Galilee? How then hear we every man his language, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and we who dwell in Mesopotamia, and Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, Egypt, and at the ends of Libya near Cyrene, and foreigners from Rome, Jews and fellow Jews, Cretans and Arabs; we hear them speaking with our tongues the great deeds of God. They were all disgusted, and went astray, and said one to another: What will this be? But the others had their mockery, saying, They are full of sweet wine.
From the feast and Holy Spirit.
- the little word "Pentecost" is not German, but taken from the Greek, they are called Pentecost the fiftieth.
Day. For the day of Pentecost is the fiftieth day after Easter, and was a peculiar feast among the Jews, because they feasted on the fifth day of Pentecost.
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The first day after they ate the paschal lamb in Egypt and went out of Egypt, they received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sina. Because this is a great blessing, that God Himself revealed His will to them from heaven, so that they could know whether God was pleased or displeased with what He wanted or not: Therefore, God commanded that such fiftieth day after Easter be kept holy, that such benefits be remembered, and that they learn to do God's will all the more diligently when they hear and remember with what earnestness God has opened His will, and that they, on the other hand, have pledged themselves to keep such will with diligence, as the history in the other book of Most in the 19th and 20th chapters shows. and 20th chapter.
2 Now in the histories of the Old Testament, as Paul says, 1 Cor. 10:6, we see what happened to the Jews, that it was all a model of the stories that were to happen in the New Testament in the time of grace. Therefore, just as in the New Testament we have a different and better paschal lamb to eat (for there in Egypt the blood of the lamb helped to coat the posts, only so that the angel, the destroyer, would not harm the body and kill the firstborn fruit: (Whereas the blood of our paschal lamb, Christ Jesus, is for our deliverance out of the right Egypt, that is, out of the tyranny of the devil, from sin and eternal death): so also in the New Testament we have another and better Pentecost than that which was in the Old Testament.
They received the Ten Commandments at Mount Sina. This in itself is a good, necessary, delicious sermon, since one should thank God for it. But such preaching does nothing to help us against the devil's kingdom, sin and death; rather, the law only helps us to become even greater sinners, and our own consciences accuse and blame us against God, because we do not fully do what we are commanded to do.
004 Therefore, as there was a terrible appearance in mount Sina, when God spake, and there were lightnings and thunderings by one
The law still does this: where it strikes the heart, it frightens and makes one stupid and timid, so that one does not know where to stay because of fear. For to know what God wants and to feel that one has not kept it is impossible, so that it should not challenge a man or make him fearful. For what God threatens the transgressors of His word, that is before our eyes, namely, eternal death and all misfortune. Therefore, such Pentecost for the Jews and Pentecostal preaching is a terrible, unkind Pentecost and preaching, where there cannot be much joy. For it has had a horrible, terrible appearance beyond measure, so that the Jews themselves had to say and ask: Oh, speak thou with us; for if the Lord should speak with us, we must die.
5 What kind of Pentecost do we have in the New Testament? An exceedingly glorious and friendly one, where there is no terror, but only joy, gladness and joy. For thus the evangelist says, as your love has now heard in the text, that on the day of Pentecost, when the Jews were going about giving thanks for the Ten Commandments and praising the story at Mount Sina, the apostles and other Christians were with one another in one house. Suddenly there arose a roar from heaven like a mighty wind, and filled the whole house, so that everything sounded against each other. And next to such a blowing and roaring were seen divided fiery flames, like the flames of fire blazing above them; so that the Holy Spirit let himself be heard and seen publicly. For in the roaring he was heard, and in the flames of fire he was seen; as Christ had promised before, and John the Baptist also prophesied, that they should be baptized with the Spirit and fire.
(6) Now this has its special meaning and cause, for the tongues signify the ministry of preaching, which is not to be in vain; it is to blow on the hearts and kindle a new light or fire in them, as we will say later. Soon after such roaring and flaming, the Holy Spirit sits upon each one of them, and
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so sets their hearts on fire, he softens them that in a moment they know God and his Son Christ, and understand all the Scriptures, and have such courage that they cannot keep such understanding to themselves, but may freely confess it in public. And there is also the marvelous miracle that they can speak all kinds of languages, when they could only speak their mother tongue before this moment. For it had to begin at Jerusalem, but not remain there; but, as the prophets had foretold, the gospel would soon go forth and sound in all languages at the first beginning. The Holy Spirit taught the apostles all languages to testify that it would not remain in the Jewish land, but would be preached in all the world and in all languages. This is our Pentecost in the New Testament, when one knows God rightly, when one is not frightened before God, but becomes joyful and a good conscience overcomes one, with such courage that one is not afraid of anything, and suffers everything gladly for the sake of Christ, as can be seen in the apostles.
(7) Not only Christ prophesied of such a Pentecost in his last sermon, but also the prophets David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, Zechariah, and others. Therefore we want to spend this day preaching about the Holy Spirit, what He is, what His work and ministry is, and how we should prepare ourselves if we also want to come to such blessed Pentecosts and receive the Holy Spirit.
8 For the first, your love should not think as if the Holy Spirit was not before in the church and among the people. For he is eternal, almighty God, as Christ says: He proceeds from the Father. Therefore, he must be of the very nature and essence that the Father is. Thus we have certain testimonies that he, the Holy Spirit, has always had his effect in people, enlightened their hearts, governed and guided them according to God's will. For Christ himself says, as does Peter, that the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets. Thus the evangelists testify of the old Simeon, of Hannah, of Zacharias, Elizabeth and Johanne that the Holy Spirit dwelt in them.
(9) Therefore we must think and believe here of the Holy Spirit just as we do of Christ, the Son of God: he was from eternity, and soon after the first promise in paradise he began his work of opposing the devil and trampling on his head. The Son of God then publicly completed this work, which he had begun long ago and always practiced, when he became man, died on the cross and rose again on the third day. Thus, the work of the Holy Spirit has been in the world forever, leading people's hearts to faith through the Word of God, enlightening them, strengthening them, comforting them and guiding them into all truth.
(10) But on this holy day of Pentecost he first did this work perfectly and publicly, so that it was no longer done secretly as before; but everyone who saw it felt and confessed the Holy Spirit and his miracles. For that there are some here who think it is not an effect of the Holy Spirit, but say that the apostles are full of Moses, this is a deliberate lie. Their heart convicts them that foreign, unknown languages cannot be learned when they are full of the Spirit.
(11) And what cause is there that such a manifestation of the Holy Ghost is delayed until this day of Pentecost? None other, than that we should learn how we have such treasure only through our Lord Christ, who has purchased such gifts for us, and through him alone are they given to us; as your beloved heard on the day of his ascension, from the 68th Psalm, v. 19, that he ascended on high, and received gifts for men. For so Peter himself interprets this saying in today's sermon, saying, "Now that Christ is exalted by the right hand of God, and has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out these things which you now see and hear."
This is the first thing we should learn, that the Holy Spirit did not begin his work and ministry on the day of Pentecost. He has always practiced it in his church, but only publicly on the holy day of Pentecost.
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and with special power; so that we may learn from this revelation what a wonderful treasure our dear Lord Christ Jesus has acquired and earned for us through His death and resurrection.
(13) Secondly, we must also learn that just as the Scriptures give a special name to the Lord Christ and call him the Word of God, so they also give a special name to the Spirit of God and call him the Holy Spirit, who soothes hearts with his grace and sanctifies them when they were previously unholy and in sin. Such a name is very comforting to Christians, for they see that they are too weak for the devil and cannot always resist his influence. Just as they are terrified by the fact that they have the evil spirit against them, they are comforted by the fact that through Christ they have the Holy Spirit, who forgives their sins and drives them to right obedience to God.
14 But how the Holy Spirit works these things, your beloved heard John in the sixteenth chapter, v. 8: That he would punish the world through the gospel for sin, for righteousness, and for judgment. For thus the works of the Holy Trinity are distinguished in our faith, for the instruction of the young and simple, that God the Father has given us body and life, and created us for His kingdom. But when our parents fell into death through sin and inherited such punishment upon us, the Son of God became man, and by His death brought back such fall and redeemed us from sins and eternal death. This redemption is presented by the Holy Spirit to all the world through the holy gospel, and it so purifies the hearts that they accept and believe it; that is, they take comfort in the fact that Christ died for them, and they do not doubt that they are thereby reconciled to God, that He no longer remembers their sins, but wants to remit and give them for Christ's sake. This means to sanctify the hearts, or as St. Peter calls it in the stories (Apost. 15, 9.): to purify through faith.
(15) Wherefore if there be forgiveness of sins by faith, that, though one have already
Nevertheless, we do not despair, but take comfort in the death and resurrection of Christ, which is followed by another sanctification of the Holy Spirit, that He also sanctifies our bodies, so that we no longer lie in sins, nor have pleasure and love in them as before, but abstain from them, and on the contrary, make every effort to do what is pleasing to God. As Paul teaches, Eph. 4, 28: "He who has stolen, let him steal no longer, but let him labor, and with his hands let him create something righteous, that he may have something to give to the needy" 2c. Such is the ministry and work of the Holy Spirit, that He raises up in us a new, right and heartfelt obedience to God, and we resist sin, and kill the old Adam, and through faith receive forgiveness of all sins.
16 But such sanctification is not so perfect as the first, which, if it were not there, we could not get on with it. For flesh and blood is too weak; so the devil is too strong for us; also we have received only the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit: therefore this obedience cannot be perfect. But what such imperfect obedience and sanctification lacks, that is made up for by the first sanctification of faith, that we believe forgiveness of sins, and are thereby justified and sanctified perfectly; for what sin and filthiness is still in us, that is forgiven as if it had never been there. So you see why the Holy Spirit has this name, namely, that he should and will sanctify believers, that is, awaken faith in Christ in us through the Word, so that we may obtain forgiveness of sins through him.
(17) In addition to this work of sanctification, the Holy Spirit has other works as well, just as he has other names. For Zechariah calls him a spirit of prayer, because he stirs up the hearts, so that they turn to God for all good things and cry out to him for help in all troubles. Christ calls him a Comforter, who encourages hearts to suffer all things gladly and willingly, and not to be afraid of any calamity, as your beloved heard in the Gospel of the next Sunday. Item, he calls him a spirit
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of truth, which comfort is not only true and certain, but which will also protect us from lies and heresies, and keep us in pure word and right faith; otherwise the devil, through our reason and false doctrine, would lead us into error and put us in lies. These are the works of the Holy Spirit, besides the fact that he adorns believers with all kinds of virtues and gifts, and is such a comforter, as Christ says, who abides with us forever, since otherwise all the comfort of the world is only a temporal comfort that does not last.
18 Therefore, because the Holy Spirit is to work such glorious and great things in us, it is also necessary that we learn how to obtain such a gift, and how to obtain the Holy Spirit, so that He may also work such things in us, and that we may be sanctified and blessed by Him. Of this our dear Lord Jesus Christ himself teaches us, Luc. 11, where he says v. 13: "So then you who are bad can give good gifts to your children; much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." Notice very well this saying, that first of all God alone gives the Holy Spirit, and gives Him to those who ask Him for it, and sigh for such a gift, and would gladly have it. Therefore, if your heart now opens up and you think: Oh God, give me the Holy Spirit too, continue with such thoughts and prayers, and do not doubt that this is the nearest and best way for you to come to the Holy Spirit. For Christ himself teaches that you should do this and ask the heavenly Father.
19 Now this prayer, like others, must be made in the name of Jesus alone: that we ask God to give us such a gift for the sake of Christ, His Son and our Savior. There we have a special great advantage, as your love heard on the day of Christ's ascension, namely, that Christ went to the Father and ascended into heaven to receive such a gift from the Father and to send it down to us. We can ask for this without doubt. For there is not only the command and the promise that we should ask for the Holy Spirit; but there is also the will that Christ should therefore be at the right hand of the Father.
God is seated, that He will bestow such a gift upon us; for He also received it from the Father, as it says in Psalm 68, v. 19, not for His own person, but for the people, that He might give it to them and bestow it upon them.
20 Nevertheless, prayer alone is not enough. For if you sit down in the corner and ask for the Holy Spirit, and at the same time do not diligently attend to the Word and the holy sacraments, prayer would slowly bear fruit. Cause, the Holy Spirit wants to have its effect only through the word and the holy sacraments. Whoever would keep away from such things, the Holy Spirit would never come to him. Therefore, we are baptized, we go to the Lord's Supper, we hear God's word, we seek absolution; for we know that all these are the instruments through which the Holy Spirit does his work in us. As the examples show. The three thousand souls whom Peter converted with the first sermon to this day would not have been converted in their lifetime if they had not first heard the word. But when they hear the word, and their hearts are smitten thereby, then they are also baptized. For so Christ commanded. So the chamberlain of the queen in the land of the moors could not obtain the Holy Spirit; Philip must preach to him and expound the Scriptures. Since the heart was struck by the Holy Spirit through such preaching, the Holy Spirit did not want to carry out his ministry, so Philip also had to baptize the eunuch with water.
Therefore, if you want to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, you must first of all ask for such a gift in the name of Jesus the Father, and then diligently attend to the Word, earnestly remembering your baptism, what God promised you there and what covenant He made with you through baptism, and often going to the Lord's supper, seeking absolution 2c. For through Word and Sacrament the Holy Spirit wants to set our hearts on fire with the new light of faith, so that we not only hear the Word, as the hardened Jews heard it, but also understand it, and
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thereby become other people and get new hearts.
(22) Besides this, the third thing must be that we do not hinder the Holy Spirit in his work or drive him away from us through reckless, wild, desolate fiefdoms and through wanton sins. For the Holy Spirit cannot dwell where the devil dwells. Therefore, when the devil attacks you with avarice, anger, fornication, and other sins, quickly keep to prayer that God will protect you from them and keep you in His obedience. For if the Holy Spirit is to come to you or remain with you, you must beware of such outward sins; or if you have fallen through weakness, you must pick yourself up again and stand up, and not remain in such sins. Then the Holy Spirit will come to us and, as we pray, help us to fight against the devil and the flesh along with sin. On the other hand, those who willingly burden themselves with sins become more and more possessed by the devil, and outside of repentance can never come to the Holy Spirit, whose work is, as I said above, first to sanctify us through faith and forgiveness of sins, and then to help us resist sin and live in obedience to God.
- but above your love has also heard that we are only the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit.
and on the other hand remains flesh and blood and lives as long as we live. Therefore, even those who have the Holy Spirit are weak and fall very often; so that no one may be offended here and think, as the Anabaptists did, that he who has the Holy Spirit cannot fall. True, if we followed the Holy Spirit always, we would not fall; but this is impossible: the devil is too strong, the world too evil, and our flesh and blood too weak. Therefore, we must always pray that God will not take His Holy Spirit from us, that He will graciously keep us in His grace, and that He will increase such a gift of the Holy Spirit every day, and, as we pray in the Lord's Prayer, that He will forgive us our sins. For without such guilt even the saints cannot live. But through faith in Christ they are forgiven and shall not be harmed.
(24) So your love has the true Pentecost, which we Christians should rejoice in with all our hearts, as it is far more glorious than the Pentecost of the Jews, because the Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh through Christ, so that we may know God through the gospel and become holy and devout in soul and body through the Holy Spirit, if we want to do otherwise in a truly Christian way with prayer, hearing the sermon and an unruly way of life. May the Holy Spirit help us to do this through Christ, amen.
On the holy day of Pentecost
*The second sermon. )
John 14:23-31.
Jesus answered and said unto him, 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. But he that loveth me not keepeth not my words. And the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. These things have I spoken unto you, because I have been with you. But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom my Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. I leave you peace; I give you my peace.
*) Held in the house after dinner, 1532.
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you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled or afraid. You have heard that I said to you, I am going away, and I will come to you again. If you loved me, you would rejoice that I said I was going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I am. And now I have told you before it comes to pass, that, when it shall come to pass, ye may believe. Henceforth I will not speak much unto you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath no part in me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and that I do even as the Father hath commanded me: arise, and let us depart.
This gospel is also a part of the sermon of consolation, which the Lord preached over the table on Green Thursday, and is a text that is especially good to work with. For the Lord wants to teach us that it is a lost labor to strive to know God and to come to God, if one does not begin and undertake it in such a way that one loves Him, the Lord Christ. If this is not done, all that one thinks or hears about God is an uncertain flutter; one will not meet Him, nor grasp Him, nor be able to come to the point that He loves us. "But whoever loves Christ will come to the point where the Father will also love him.
(2) But what opinion is it that the Lord remembers love, and does not say thus, as he usually does? He that believeth on me? Does not love, and faith, say, He that loveth me? But it is one thing; for you cannot love Christ, but believe in him and be comforted. And the little word "love" is somewhat clearer in this case, that it finely indicates how one is to withdraw the eyes and the heart from everything else that is in heaven and earth, and turn them solely to this man, Jesus Christ. For this is the true nature of love: if it accepts Himself, it accepts Himself alone, then it abides and rests, and pays no attention to anything else in the wide world. In the same way the Lord wants us to love him and set our hearts on him. But this can never be done except by faith. Therefore, this saying does not take anything away from faith, but rather serves to make it easier to recognize the nature and right effect of faith.
3 After that he also needs the word "love" so that he can see who wants to accept his word and persevere with it, that he will suffer much over it and it will come to him sore. For there are many things
Temptations that can arouse impatience and displeasure, and finally this also strikes when things go so badly that one thinks: What am I blaming myself for, *) that I have preached the word and publicly confessed it? If only I could have kept silent and believed for myself what God would have given me, others would have appeared who would have been more fortunate. Now I am stuck, and not only do I have nothing, or even little, to show for it, but I will probably lose my life and limb. If we are to endure such trials and not fall under them, but hold fast to the word, it is necessary, as the Lord says here, to love him and to have a hearty affection for him beforehand. So that a preacher and every Christian may say, "As God wills, I will stand firm and not deny my dear Lord Christ; for it was started for His glory alone, and not for the people; therefore it must be endured and something suffered over it.
(4) But where such love is not, there shall no man continue in my word, saith Christ: for I do not divide thalers or crowns, but eternal life. This is not received here on earth, but only after this life. Therefore it all depends on this, that you have desire and love for me. If love is there, you will keep my word and stick to it, and it shall be like life and limb to you. But if love is not there, you will not keep my word. For there will be a great deal of driving, temptation and adversity, which will drive you all to impatience and despair.
5 But he that knoweth Christ aright, believeth on him, and loveth him, shall not suffer any thing to be disputed, and shall go through fresh; for he
*) What or white do I show myself? - what do I want? D. Red.
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knows and takes comfort in the fact that Christ died for us, was buried and rose again. It must follow that Christ does not mean us harm. So love must flow from faith, which then penetrates through all kinds of trials and misfortunes, and asks nothing of it, although the world grumbles and is angry; for it is more interested in Christ and his word than in the world's wrath.
6th Now this is that he saith, He that loveth me shall keep my word." "My word," of my dying and rising; not Moses' word, or the Ten Commandments. The same word also we ought to keep, and not to do contrary to it; for God hath long before commanded such things: but in such a word Mosi is not the consolation that is in my word, we get no good conscience from it; but the more we see that we lack such obedience, the more we are afraid of God's disgrace and wrath. But the word of our dear Lord Christ, the holy gospel, in which we hear how Christ died for our sins and rose again for us to righteousness, is the highest and best treasure; whoever has it, says Christ, holds fast to it, and puts all things above it before he lets it be taken from him: only be sure that my Father also loves him.
(7) This is rightly spoken by John, who has his own special way, which the other evangelists do not have, of first drawing people to Christ, and then bringing them to the Father through Christ. For this is how Christ teaches here: that we should first recognize Christ, love him, and believe that he is kind and means us with all faithfulness. Where there is trust in Christ and love for Christ, it follows that we should believe that the Father also loves us. So that a man should put all things out of his sight, and through Christ expect neither wrath nor disgrace from God, and fear neither sins nor the devil nor death, because God loves us, because we love Christ.
- this is a great and strong comfort in all temptation, if only one could grasp it rightly and firmly believe that god will not be angry with us, but will smile kindly on us if we love Christ and firmly believe in him.
hold to his word. But it does not want to enter our hearts, especially in times of temptation. We think that God is hostile to us, that He does not respect us and wants to strike us with a club. But such a thought is wrong. For Christ is certainly not lying when he says here: "If you come to love me and keep my words, that you may have your highest pleasure and joy in the fact that I have delivered you from the power of the devil, and that henceforth sin shall not hurt you and death shall not devour you, and that now you may be sure of eternal life and blessedness, as my word teaches: It is certain that the Father will also love you, and thus prove his love toward you, that he, the Father, will come to you with the Son and the Holy Spirit and make his dwelling with you.
(9) This is a good comfort, that a Christian may not think how he will go up to heaven. Let him stay in Jerusalem, in Rome, wherever he may be on earth, in the field or in the house, and he shall be in heaven; for God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit will be with him and dwell with him. We have this here on earth in the Word and feel it in our hearts through faith. But in the life to come it shall finally follow with the deed.
(10) For God to dwell with us here on earth means nothing else than that everything we do, speak, think and suffer should be done well: we eat, drink, work, get up, lie down, we pray, study, sing or read, so God will put up with everything. This may well be called the kingdom of heaven, if only we had the grace to open our eyes and believe it. For heaven itself shall not have the honor that a Christian has. For God does not say of heaven that He will dwell in it, but says that it shall be His throne and the earth His footstool. But a Christian's heart should be the proper dwelling place where God wants to dwell, if only it can take hold of Christ in such a way that it knows that he suffered and died for us and loves him for such a good deed.
- so it is all because of this that we are
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If we put up with Christ, there shall be no need. For such love will make everything gentle and easy for us, which we must suffer for his sake and for the sake of his word. Otherwise it would be impossible not to become fainthearted, sad and impatient, and fall away from the word, as Christ soon says:
But he who does not love me does not keep my word.
(12) He that loveth Christ hath here again the consolation, that the Father will not only love him for Christ's sake, but will himself come unto him, and dwell with him, together with the Lord Christ and the Holy Ghost. This is a glorious, blessed consolation, which we should hold on to and willingly put ourselves into what we are entitled to suffer because of it.
013 But where this love to Christ is not, and men accept the gospel, that they may, as great lords do, get spiritual goods for themselves, or in other ways profit themselves, and gratify their lusts, as the world doeth almost in all things, and beginneth all things for the profit of it: there the word is not kept long. For that one can exist in the journey, love belongs to it. That one should do it out of compulsion or for the sake of money, nothing comes of it.
(14) If we want to be true Christians and hold fast to the gospel, we must only say, "It was begun in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ and was done for his service; therefore it must go forth in the same way, as God wills. Therefore we are to hold steadfastly to the word of Christ, and not let any misfortune or driving drive us away from it. For as Christ goes on to say, "The word that he speaks is not his, but the Father's who sent him.
(15) Christ often speaks in this way, because it is very important. And this is the sum of it, that Christ wants to say: If you take hold of me, and hold fast to me, that is, to my word and my promise, then you are sure that you meet the right God, and you cannot miss him, since otherwise it is impossible for you to meet him.
could find or recognize without the word of Christ. Cause: "The word that I speak is not mine, but the Father's word." If then you accept it, you accept the Father; if you believe it, you believe in the Father.
(16) Therefore, the account of this day is easy to make. The Mahomet, Turk, Pabst and Jews boast much about God, pray much and want to be his best servants. But it is certain: Mahomet, the Turk, the Pope and the Jews have missed the Father and know nothing of Him; for they do not have the word of our Lord Christ, which is not Christ's, but the Father's, in which He promises us how we shall come to forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Him. Yes, they still follow such doctrine, and call us heretics who point to Christ, and not to merit and our own works.
Therefore the Lord wants to warn and teach his disciples with these words. As if to say: If you want to hear God, to have God with you and to be with God, you must not turn your eyes and ears elsewhere but to me. If you hear me, you hear God; if you see me, you see God; for this is decided, either through me God is heard and seen, or God is never heard nor known. But it must follow that when Christ speaks a kind word, the whole Godhead says yes to it, let alone that the world or the devil could make a no out of it. The reason is this: for Christ's word is not his word; it is the Father's word, as he says, "The words which ye hear are not my words, but the Father's which sent me."
(18) These words are so simple that they cannot be recovered. Therefore, when worldly people come upon such words, they think they are sleepy words; for of such things, in which so much is at stake, one should speak more powerfully. But what life and consolation there is in such sleepy, simple words, as reason judges, is found when the right features come on.
19Therefore the Lord here thus turneth, and saith:
These things have I spoken unto you, because I have been with you; but the Comforter, the Holy One
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Spirit, whom my Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.
For even though many words are spoken about it, if the Holy Spirit is not present, it will not be understood.
(20) What follows in this gospel is the conclusion of this whole sermon of comfort, which the Lord preached to his disciples in this chapter, that they should be joyful and of good cheer, and not be grieved or distressed at his shameful death, for it was for their good. Your love heard of this on the day of Philippi and Jacobi.
(21) Therefore, let us leave it at this teaching, which the Lord has specifically stated in today's lesson: that we keep God's word when we love the Lord Christ and do not turn away from His word by any means. And that this is the only way by which we come to know that God loves us and draws near to us, so that he makes his dwelling with us. On such a way one should remain. But he that seeketh or taketh any other way to God than this, that he love Christ, lacketh the Father, and never cometh to him; and though he do and suffer what he will, yet is it all in vain and lost.
22 Forasmuch then as our dear Lord Christ saith, The words which he speaketh are not his, but the Father's; let every man take heed, and take heed that he speak no other word, neither let him speak any other word.
If you accept the teaching that comes through this man's mouth, then you will surely meet our Lord God, and you cannot fail to meet Him.
(23) But now it is as it was with the Jews in the Old Testament: they had the mercy seat in the tabernacle of the congregation, where they were to pray and wait for certain answers, and nowhere else. But what did they have to do? When God pointed them out, they did not want to go there, but chose other places as they pleased. It is the same now. Christ says: "If you want to find God and come to the place where he loves you, find your way here to me, love me and accept my word. But what do the pope, the Anabaptists, the Jews, the Turks and the like do? They forsake Christ and his word, and in the meantime go about with the ordinances of men: the pope holds to his mass, vows, celibacy; an Anabaptist holds to his outward discipline, that he wears a gray skirt and no knife; the Jews and the Turks also have their special things.
(24) But let us be diligentlyware of this, and hold us here unto Christ and his word alone. For there is God's command, "This is what you shall hear." And Christ speaks here: "The words that I speak are my Father's." Therefore, it is impossible for anyone who does not love and hear Christ alone to hear God or to come to His love. May the same gracious Father also grant us such grace, that we may love Christ and abide in His words, and keep them through His Holy Spirit, and thus be eternally saved, amen.
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*On Pentecost assembly. )
John 3:16-21.
Thus God loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in him is not judged, but he who does not believe has already been judged, for he does not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Now this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their works were evil. He that doeth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be punished. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest; for they are done in God.
(1) This gospel is one of the most glorious sermons that can be found in the whole New Testament, so that it would be good if it could be written on the heart in letters of gold; and every Christian should know such a text by heart at least, and recite it to his heart once every day: so that such words would become familiar to us and we would learn them the better. For it is such words that can make a sad heart cheerful and a dead man alive again, if only one could hold fast to them by faith. But since it is impossible to fathom such glorious preaching with words, let us earnestly beseech God that He may declare such words in our hearts by His Spirit more clearly than we can speak them, and make them so light and bright that we may feel comfort and joy from them, amen.
The sum of such a glorious and comforting sermon is this: that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that we men should not die an eternal death, but have eternal life. As if Christ, our dear Lord, wanted to say: "Listen, man, I want to present to you an unheard-of, strange painting, where the giver, the taker, the gift, the fruit and the benefit of the gift are so great that you cannot imagine it with your thoughts.
*) Held at home in 1534, in the presence of some citizens of Leipzig who had been expelled from there because they did not want to take Holy Communion under One Form.
can reach out, let alone talk out, with words.
(3) For first of all, look at the Giver: you do not hear it said of emperors, kings, or other people who are great in the world; but you hear it said of God Himself, who is incomprehensible and almighty, who created all things together by His word and sustains all things, who is everything, and against whom all creatures, heaven and earth, and what is in them, are as grains of sand. He is the giver, and may well be called a great giver, so that when one hears that God gives something, we should consider all emperors and kings with their gifts and persons to be nothing at all, and our hearts should swell and blow out so much for the sake of such a giver that everything that can be conceived should be considered small and nothing in comparison. For what can be called or conceived greater or more glorious than God, the Almighty Himself?
4 The same God, who is infinite and ineffable, gives in a way that is beyond measure. For that which he gives, he gives not as a reward earned out of merit nor out of equity, but, as the words say, out of love. Is therefore such a giver who gives from the heart and from causeless and divine love, as he says: "God has loved the world."
Now there is no greater virtue among all than love, as we see: What one loves, one stakes life and limb on.
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and gladly and willingly dares all that one has. Patience, chastity, temperance 2c. are also fine virtues; but they are nowhere equal to love, which is the one that includes all the other virtues in itself and brings them with it. So he who is pious and just does wrong to no one and gives to each his own; but where love is, man gives himself entirely to each other, and is willing and cheerful for everything for which he is needed. So Christ also says here that our Lord God gives us, not out of patience, nor right, nor merit, but out of the highest virtue, love. Our hearts should grow and all sadness should disappear if we were to take such causeless love of the divine heart into our eyes and believe with all our hearts that God is the highest and greatest giver and that such giving flows from the highest virtue.
(6) Giving in this way, if it comes from true love, also makes the gift more delicious and greater; as one is wont to say: It comes from a dear hand, if one knows that one means one with heart. Again, where one doubts the heart, one does not pay much attention to the gift. So, if a man had only one eye or one foot, and if he knew that it had been done out of divine and fatherly love, he would prefer such an eye or foot to a hundred eyes or feet.
Now Christ says in clear words that God loves us. Therefore, according to such love, we should esteem all his gifts worthy, high and glorious, but especially that which has been instituted by him for our blessedness and strengthening of our faith, as holy baptism, the reverend sacrament of the body and blood of Christ 2c. For though these things do not appear in the sight of the world, yet they should be to us as the kingdom of heaven, and make us joyful and of good cheer, because they are ordained for our good out of the Father's love. Therefore Christ not only teaches us that his Father wants to give us something, but also tells us in what way he wants to give, namely, out of fatherly and divine love.
8 But in the same way, as we have heard so far, that the giver and the heart of the giver
great and unspeakable: so the gift or present is also unspeakable. For here you hear that God, out of such love, does not give a florin, a horse, a cow, an eye, a kingdom, the heavens with the sun and stars, nor the whole creature; but He gives His only begotten Son, who is as great as He Himself.
(9) Such a gift should make fire and light in our hearts, so that we will never cease to dance and jump for joy. For as the Giver, God Himself, and His heartfelt love are infinite and inexpressible, so also is the gift that He gives His Son. For there he gives himself with all that he has; as Paul says to the Romans Cap. 8, 32: Because God has given us his Son, he has given us everything with him, be it devil, sin, death, hell, heaven, righteousness, life; everything must be ours, because the Son, as a gift, is ours, in whom all things are together.
(10) Therefore, if we believe aright, and receive and accept this precious gift by faith, all creatures, whether good or bad, life or death, heaven or hell, must be for our good; as St. Paul says in another place, "All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos, whether Cephas or the world, whether life or death, whether things present or things to come, all things are yours; but you are Christ's; but Christ is God's," 1 Cor. 3:21-23. 3, 21-23. For if we want to look at and consider such a gift, we must confess that it is a gift above all things in heaven and earth, whereas all the treasures of the whole world are like a poppy seed compared to a golden mountain. But there is the grievous unbelief (as Christ himself afterwards complains) and the great and dreadful darkness, that we hear of such a noble gift and treasure, and yet do not believe; and such comforting words rush past our ears, and yet the heart does not realize them. Where there is a fine purchase of a house or castle, one runs after it so earnestly, as if our life were set on temporal goods. But here, where it is preached that God gave His Son to the world out of pure love,
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We are so lax and lazy that it is a sin and a shame. Who is it, then, that we regard such a gift and present so lightly, and that we do not take such words to heart, and constantly remember them, and let them be our highest joy and comfort? No one does it, but the wretched devil, who so blinds our hearts that we let such a glorious sermon pass by, and in the meantime worry ourselves with other temporal worries.
That is why I said at the beginning that we should get up and go down with these words every day, so that we might form it a little in our hearts and also thank God at times for such unspeakable benefits. For it is all in the highest, the giver, the heart, and the gift, which is given to us out of pure love, not out of merit, and so given that it should remain a gift, and not be called borrowed, lent, or paid for, since one gives nothing for it, and does nothing more than hold out one's hand and accept such treasure willingly and gladly. But let it be lamented to God that there are not hearts and hands that accept such a gift as it is offered to us, that it should be and remain ours until eternal life.
(12) But what is the name of the people of whom it is said that nothing can be given in return for thanks? If there were a poor beggar, who had neither clothes nor clothes, and could not help being hungry, and a great prince, out of mercy, gave him a castle with a large annual income, and appointed him lord, saying, "I will give you all this for nothing;" and the beggar turned his back on him, and said, "He would not: would not all the world cry out against the beggar, and say, "They never saw a more mad man; he should not be a man, but a beast? That is what one would do in front of the world. But now the world is not offered a castle or a principality, but God's Son Himself. And God says and says that one should only accept his gift and keep it as one's own. But those who do not want to have it and turn their backs on God are we ourselves. Now count what a great and horrible sin unbelief is. For it is ever not human that one should
should resist a gift and do not want to have it.
(13) Therefore, one can see how the whole world is mad and foolish, because it does not rejoice in such gifts, and only lacks that it does not grasp and take what is offered to it. If it were a florin or a new skirt, one would grab it with both fists and be happy. But because it is God's Son Himself, everyone acts as if he does not need it.
That is why the taker here is also painted with a name and is called the world. This is a terrible taker, especially if one wants to count it against the gift. For where does the world deserve such love and gift from God, which is the devil's bride and God's enemy, and the greatest blasphemer? For after the devil, God has no greater enemy than the world. Still, it says here: "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son."
Write this piece also in your heart. And because you have heard what God is, and the gift that He gives out of pure love, listen also and learn what the world is, namely: a great multitude of people who believe nothing at all, who speak lies against God in His word, who blaspheme, revile and persecute God's name and word; then those who disobey their father and mother, murderers, adulterers, traitors, thieves and scoundrels, and so on, as we see and experience every day, that the world is full of unfaithfulness and blasphemy. To the same dear bride, the golden daughter, that is, to the greatest enemy of God and blasphemer, God gives His Son out of pure love.
(16) This part also makes the gifts great, so that our Lord God does not take offense at our being such bad boys, but swallows up in one bite all vice and sin, so that the world reviles his name and word and lives in all disobedience to him. For because the Giver is so great, and the gift so noble, vice should cheaply drive him back. But God overcomes Himself and puts aside all the sins of the first and second table and does not want to know them; yes, for the sake of such sin, for the sake of such sorrow and misery, in which we poor sinners have to live.
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If we are stuck in a place where we would have to perish forever without God's help, He will show us such love and grace.
(17) Should one not then love such a gracious God again from the heart and provide for all good things to Him, who forgives sin and does not repay the wicked, ungrateful world with all sins, which are innumerable? For since every man's own sins are innumerable, who would count the sins of the whole world? And yet it says here that God wants to give and forgive everything to the world. For where God's love goes, there must actually be forgiveness of sin as well. We should open our hearts and continue to think about such love, because God can give so much to the world, which is His natural enemy, that He gives Himself to it; that there is nothing else to wait for or hope for, but pure grace and kindness, whatever happens in this temporal life, for better or for worse, that one nevertheless adheres to this love and gives oneself everything good to God for Christ's sake.
(18) From such thoughts a heart should become joyful and of good cheer, as I and all Christians must confess that we have lived in all kinds of abominations and idolatries in the papacy and have defiled ourselves with many sins. God did not punish this ungodly life according to our merit, but let His love shine forth, and revealed the Son, whom He gave to the world before, again through the Gospel, so that we might hear this glorious sermon again and understand that God is not angry with the world, but loves it because He gives it His Son. But God have mercy on us for being so ungrateful and for not feeling such joy in ourselves. For if we could think of it rightly and were not so cold, our hearts should be so overflowing with joy that we should not only gladly serve God, but also gladly suffer everything for His sake, and yet laugh at it, because we have such a treasure from Him. But thanks be to our unbelief, which prevents such joy, and looks for other joy in the world, in the devil's name, which is all in vain and lost. So far we have told these four pieces in brevity, who is the giver,
and the gift, and how, and to whom it is given. Such four pieces are not possible to be sufficiently explained in words.
19 Now follows the end of what God means by such a gift. Namely, that it is not given for us to eat, drink, clothe and nourish ourselves with; much less that it should be a poison or other harm to us; as we also teach about baptism and the sacrament of the altar, that it should all be considered beneficial and useful: but it should serve and be given "so that all who believe in him may not perish, but have eternal life.
- Here you hear that it is not that we should have great money or goods, honor, power, or even the whole world here for a little while and be lords over it; for if we had all this, we would still be under the devil's power: but that we should be free from sin, death and hell and be eternally undestroyed. This is what this gift, that is, God's Son, given to us out of pure love, is supposed to work and accomplish, in that he has crushed the devil's head, stripped him and taken away all his power, murdered sin, devoured death eternally and extinguished hell to the ground, so that now and forever they cannot rule over us, cannot frighten us, strangle us and condemn us. Let this be a rich, glorious, yes, unspeakable gift, for which praise and honor shall follow the great, merciful Giver forever, Amen.
- Whoever could blow out his heart would have reason enough to do so, since we hear here from the mouth of the Lord Christ Himself that He has given us the gift that hell is closed, and that instead of a stupid, despondent heart we shall have a secure, joyful heart; yes, which is even more, that eternal life shall be and remain ours, and death shall never be seen, but shall be joy: Through this certain confidence, that we have a gracious God in heaven, who loves us, and out of pure love giveth his Son, that we should not perish, but have everlasting life.
- these are ever words we use in this
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We cannot learn or comprehend them sufficiently in our lives. Therefore, a Christian should pray daily that God would press these words into the heart through His Holy Spirit and set them on fire in it; then we would become true theologians who speak rightly of Christ and judge all other teachings, and could willingly suffer everything God sends over such faith. But because this does not happen, and we hear such preaching badly with our ears, but do not take it to heart, so that it could properly clothe and bear fruit, we remain as far away this year as we were last year, today as yesterday, that it is a shame and a disgrace that we are so blind with our seeing eyes and deaf with our hearing ears. And no doubt the damned will miserably lament and cry out at the last day that they have had such comforting words preached into the air in vain and have not accepted them.
(23) But let us see further what is the manner of taking such a gift, what is the bag or box in which this precious and noble treasure is to be placed and closed. For this is of great importance. Christ indicates the same with the word, when he says: "So that all who believe in him will not perish.
(24) This is a clear and bright testimony that faith alone, that is, confidence in God's grace and mercy through Christ, is the right bag or sack that we should hold out and receive and grasp such a gift in. For just as God gives such treasure through love and mercy, so we receive it and can receive it through faith alone. There is no work or merit that makes one run to a monastery and do this or that. For our works do not belong to such a great treasure. But it is necessary to hold up our hands through faith, and as God becomes a giver through love, so we become takers through faith in Christ; that is, that we believe, as we hear here, that God is gracious and merciful, and demonstrates such mercy and love toward us by allowing his only begotten Son to become man, and by casting upon him all our sins; as John the Baptist says from the prophet Isaiah, "This is the way we are to take it.
is the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world"; that we should still our hearts against sin and evil conscience on the basis of such a gift and love of God, because God does not exercise wrath or displeasure, but only love and grace towards us for the sake of His Son Christ Jesus. Whoever believes this is certainly blessed. For this gift is ever so great that it devours death and sin and all misfortune. For as a great fire is to a drop of water, so all the sins of the world are to be counted against Christ. As soon as they touch Christ and accept this treasure by faith, they are swallowed up and eaten up, like a straw in a great fire.
For here you hear it from Christ Himself: "God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He speaks:' "who believe in him"; does not speak: who do this or that work and thereby want to reconcile themselves to GOD. Faith alone shall and must contain such treasure. Therefore let our adversaries cry out against this doctrine as they will, for it is said, "They that believe on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." Let it remain so; otherwise you will master the Lord Christ in his word and prove him false.
These are comforting words of grace and life. God grant only grace to be rightly grasped with the heart. For whoever has grasped them, neither the devil nor sin nor death will be able to frighten him, but he will have to be joyful and say: I am undaunted, for I have God's Son, whom God has given me out of love; and there is God's word, the holy gospel, which testifies to this. But your word, O Lord, and your Son Jesus will not deceive me; in them I trust and rely. But if I am not yet strong enough in faith, give me grace to believe more firmly; for otherwise I can do nothing for such a great gift and love. So that everyone may learn the longer the more to take comfort in this gift, for it must be believed, as you have heard from Christ himself. But the firmer the faith is, the more joy, pleasure and
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One is certain in one's heart that one will gladly do and suffer everything that one knows God demands and wants. But all because God is gracious and wants to show us love.
(27) Yes, you say, if I were as pious and holy as Peter, Paul, or the Blessed Virgin Mary, I would gladly believe and take comfort in such a gift, for they are holy and such a gift is undoubtedly meant for them; but how could I, a poor sinner, be certain that I should accept the gift, since I have offended God in so many ways and so often? Such thoughts do not remain outside, if during such a sermon the heart looks right at itself and thinks of its mistreatment. Be careful not to go outside the word of God and dwell on such thoughts too long, but soon turn back to the word and judge according to it. For such thoughts are nothing but true unbelief, which wants to draw us away from such gifts and comforting preaching.
Now nothing else can be used to ward off unbelief, except the word of God. The same is preached to us by our dear Lord Christ himself, so that we have no reason to doubt such preaching and word, and says: His Father in heaven, the true eternal God, so loved the world that he gave it his only begotten Son. Now you and all men must confess that the world is not called Mary, Peter and Paul; but the world is called the whole human race in one heap, through and through. Do you now believe that you are a man? Or if thou canst not believe nor know this, take hold of thine own bosom or nose, whether thou be not more flesh and blood than other men. Why do you want to exclude yourself from this little word "world", because Christ says in clear, clear words that God did not give His Son only to the holy virgins Mary, nor to St. Peter, nor to St. Paul, but to the world, so that everything should be accepted, which is only called the children of men. Now if I did not want to accept him, as if I had no part in him, and you had no part in him, I would not be able to accept him.
If you would not accept him either, it would have to follow that these words of Christ are not true, since he says he was given to the world.
Therefore, from such words you should conclude the contradiction that this gift belongs to you as well as to St. Peter and St. Paul, because you are a man as well as to them, and a part of the world. Lest you give the lie to God in His word and think: Who knows whether I am also among those to whom this Son is given and eternal life is promised? For this means that our Lord God has made a liar. Therefore, if such thoughts occur to you, put the cross in front of you as if the devil himself were there, so that such thoughts do not deceive you, and say: "Why do I ask that I am not Peter or Paul? if God had wanted to give such treasure to those who were worthy of it, he would have given it to the angels, who are pure and undefiled spirits, or to the sun and moon, which always keep their certain course according to God's order. But here it says: He gave it to the world, which is worthy, as we have indicated above. Therefore, even though I am neither Peter nor Paul, I still want to be excluded from this gift and have as much of it as David and all the apostles. For what was David? Did he not also sin grossly and grievously? Who have the apostles been? Were they not all sinners and unworthy enough?
Therefore, let no one follow this argument: I am a sinner, am not as holy and pious as St. Peter: therefore I must not accept nor take comfort in this gift. Not at all; but say thus: Be I what I will, yet I must not prove my God false; for I still belong to the world also. Therefore, if I would not accept such a gift, I would be doing this sin above all other sins, that I would be lying to God.
(31) Yes, you say, if God promised me in particular, I would believe it, and I could be sure that it would be true for me. No, dear friend, he is saying in general that this Son and eternal life are promised and given to all the world, so that he may not exclude anyone at all.
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exclude themselves. But he who excludes himself will have to answer, as Christ says: "I will not judge them, but their own mouth will judge them, because such a gift is supposed and given to the whole world, that they still do not want to accept it out of their own unbelief, against God's word. However, if one wants to understand it correctly, the sacraments of baptism and of the body and blood of Christ were instituted by our Lord Christ for this very reason, so that each one in particular should appropriate such a gift and consider and use it as his own.
32 Let this be preached in a nutshell in the most simple way from this glorious and beautiful text, which can never be sufficiently learned. For it is the main doctrine on which one should die and be saved, in which Christ is presented to us in the purest and most lovely way, that he is our own, given by the Father out of pure love, which love he has as a gracious God toward the evil, ungrateful world. Then everyone may learn what treasure and comfort we Christians have, what the world and God are, and how we can come to such grace.
come by faith alone; as Christ says, "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." For the preaching of good works, which are to follow after such faith through the Holy Spirit, belongs to another place. Here we are dealing only with what we receive from God and how we should take it.
But what a Christian should do, so that he may be a faithful child of God and grateful for such great gifts of eternal life and God's love, Christ does not preach here. Therefore, let us leave it at this: that we may be saved by mercy alone, and receive such grace by faith alone, without any action on our part or merit on our part; that what is necessary for eternal life and the forgiveness of sins is entirely included in the love and mercy of God through Christ. May God grant us His grace, so that we may believe and happily suffer all things and die and become eternally blessed. May our dear God help us all through His Son and our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
On the Sunday of Trinity.
The first sermon.*)
From the feast of the Holy Trinity.
(1) There is much to preach about today's feast. For first of all, the gospel is very rich in itself and teaches us of great things; so necessity also requires that we say something of the feast and act on the highest article of our faith, that we Christians, and no other people on
*) The beginning of a publicly held sermon from 1535.
Earth, believe in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
(2) This article is the highest in the church, which was not devised by man, nor did it ever come into the heart of man in his lifetime, but was revealed to us only through the Word of God. Therefore, just as the other feasts of the year clothe and wrap our Lord God in His works, which He has done, so that one's heart and will may be known.
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On the day of Easter, Christ the Lord, true God and man, raised himself from the dead by divine power; on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit visibly descended and began his work in the apostles and other believers, and so on; that all other feasts clothe and reveal God with some work; so today's feast is instituted for the purpose of learning, as much as possible, from God's Word what God is in Himself, apart from all clothing or works, only in His divine essence. Then one must rise above all creatures, above all angels and heavens, and leave everything here that we are accustomed to, and listen only to what God says about Himself and about His inner nature. There then is found the foolishness of our Lord God and the wisdom of the world. For when the world hears that the one, eternal God is three different persons, it wants to become foolish about it; therefore it considers all those insane who preach or believe such things.
For this reason, this article in the New Testament, since it is the most clearly stated, has always been the most vehemently contested, so that, as the histories testify, the holy evangelist John had to write his Gospel to confirm this article. For soon the heretics Cerinthus, Ebion and others were found, who had learned from Moses that there was only One God; therefore they concluded that Christ could not be God, just as God could not be man. So they talked out of reason, and thought: how they could grasp such a deal with themselves, so it had to happen above.
4 But fie on you, you shameful reason, we cannot know ourselves rightly, what we are. For there has never been a man on earth who could have known how it is that a man should see with his eyes and speak or laugh with his mouth: and yet we want to be so sacrilegious and presumptuous that we want to speak and argue about God and his divine nature out of our own heads, without any help. Is not such a foolishness about
all foolishness? I cannot say what seeing or laughing is, and yet I dare to know and speak of it, since I know nothing at all about it, and since God alone must speak of it? The world still considers such a thing a great art. And both Turks and Jews consider us Christians to be great fools for believing that Christ is God. But I, if such should be wisdom, could well say it and think: There is only One God, Christ is not God. But when the Scripture and the Word of God comes, it does not hold the sting.
(5) But we should and must speak of such things. Therefore, even though we cannot speak of them sufficiently, let us stammer away like young children, as the Scriptures tell us, namely, that Christ is truly God, that the Holy Spirit is truly God, and that nevertheless there are not three gods nor three divine beings, as there are three men, three angels, three suns, three windows. No, therefore, God is not distinct in His essence, but is only one divine being. Therefore, even if there are three persons, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, they cannot be divided or distinguished according to their essence, for there is only one God in a single, undivided, divine essence.
For thus says St. Paul of Christ, Col. 1:15-17: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn before all creatures; for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, both thrones and dominions and principalities and authorities. All things were created by him and in him, and he is before all things, and all things consist in him."
(7) Here you hear that Paul puts all creatures below Christ. If then Christ is above all creatures, it must follow that there is only God. For apart from the creature there is nothing but God. Therefore he also calls him an image of the invisible God. But now he cannot be the image of God, unless he is equally omnipotent, equally eternal, equally wise, just, benevolent 2c., otherwise Christ would not be such an image, which corresponds to the
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Father, but would have to be an unequal image, where he lacked one of these things. Therefore, both of these things force themselves out with power: first, if the Son of God is the image of the Father, then he must certainly be in one divine essence with the Father; secondly, this difference of persons must nevertheless remain, that the Son is not the Father, nor the Father the Son, but that there are distinct persons; for that which is born cannot be that which is born. And yet is one divine being: otherwise the Son could not be the image of the Father. We must leave it at that; for it cannot be said more clearly, we can only stammer about it, the things are too high and cannot be spoken louder here in this life.
(8) For the Turks and the Jews to mock us, as if we had set three brothers in heaven to rule with one another, we might well do so, if we would depart from the Scriptures. But they do us wrong. We do not make three men, nor three angels; but one divine being, et simplicissimam unitatem (and the simplest unity), against all that may be called one here on earth. For even body and soul are not so much one thing as God is in Himself. But whoever then asks: What is the name of this one God? Then we answer according to the Scriptures, and say: He is called God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. For thus the Scripture teaches us that God begat a Son in eternity before all creation, before the world and before the foundation of the earth was laid, who is like Him in every way, eternal, almighty, righteous 2c. Therefore Paul calls him an image of the Father.
(9) Paul also saith, 1 Cor. 10:9, But let us not tempt Christ, as some of them tempted him, and were killed of serpents. Mark such a saying diligently, and hold it to the history as Moses writes it; then you will see wonders how finely and sweetly Paul and Moses kiss each other and offer their mouths to each other. Moses speaks 4 Mos. 14, .22. that the Lord said: This people has tempted me a tenth time. There is the word
Tetragrammaton *), which is attributed to God alone, that the right, one, true God has thus said. Now Paul comes and says freely who the God was, namely Christ; whom, he says, let us not tempt, as some of those tempted him.
(10) Make a hole through it, whoever can; I cannot. For Paul says that Christ is the God whom they tempted; but Moses says that it was the true, one God. Now at that time Christ was not yet born, neither was Mary, nor was David yet born; and yet, regardless of all this, Paul says: "The Jews, who were then in the wilderness and not yet in the land of Canaan, tempted Christ. And warns us to beware lest we do likewise, lest we also come to evil. These words certainly prove that Christ must be the man Moses writes about, that he is the one, eternal, almighty God. Thus Moses and Paul confess at the same time with one mouth, but with different words, that Christ is the true, eternal God.
(11) There are many such testimonies in the New Testament, which cannot be denied, but one must immediately conclude that Christ is God and, because he is born of the Father, is a distinct person from the Father. You may call this what you will, but we call it a distinct person. Although it is not spoken enough, but more stammered. But we cannot do anything about it, we have no better word. That therefore Father and Son are not one person; and yet are one, inseparable being and nature; that all that is said of God the Father may also be said of the Son, apart from the one thing, that the Father begets the Son from eternity, and not the Son the Father.
12 Thus Paul speaks in Acts 20. 20, blessing the Ephesians at Mileto, v. 28: "Take heed to yourselves, and to all the host, among whom the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops, to feed the congregation of God, which he hath purchased by his blood."
*) Jehovah
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(13) This is also a clear statement that Christ, who purchased the church through his blood, is God. For it is certain that the church has one Lord, who is called God, and whom alone it recognizes as its Lord. If Christ acquired it through his own blood and it is his own, then he must be God. But now that he has acquired it through his own blood, it must follow that Christ is true God, born of God the Father in eternity, and also born of the Virgin Mary in time or bodily into the world. For so Paul says here to the elders, that is, the pastors: "Behold, you are commanded to shepherd the church or community that God has purchased through His blood. You understand the little word "God". But how does it rhyme that God sheds his blood? Is it not true that it entails that he became man and died on the cross?
14 There are many such sayings, especially in the Gospel of John, where it cannot be said that Christ is the true, natural, eternal God, and yet the Father and the Son are two different persons. In the Old Testament such testimonies are also much, but somewhat darker than in the New. As John in his Gospel looks particularly finely at Moses, since he calls the Lord Christ the "Word" because of his eternal birth. For there Moses enters that God had a Word with Himself before all creation, which was almighty like Him, and that God created everything through the same Word. There must be a divine essence between God and the Word, for both God and His Word are eternal and omnipotent, and yet He who speaks the Word and the Word who is spoken are two different persons.
- After that the patriarch Jacob distinguishes the persons, Gen. 48, 15. 16: "The God who has nourished me all my life until this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless these boys, that they may grow and become many" 2c.
16 Here he gives the name of the Lord Christ and calls him an angel, not that he is an angel by nature or essence.
for that would be public idolatry, that he should call upon an angel and ask for his blessing. So he confesses with the invocation that this angel is real, natural God. For this reason, however, he calls him an angel, so that he should not lead his being everywhere, like the invisible God; but he should be sent on earth, clothed in our flesh and sacrificed for our sin. As Christ also used to say in the New Testament: "The Father who sent me"; item: "As the Father sent me"; and in the prophet Isaiah 61, 1.: "The Lord sent me to heal the brokenhearted"; item Is. 63, 9.: Angelus faciei ejus salvavit eos: "The angel who is before him helped them." Thus Malachi calls Christ an angel of the testament, Mal. 3, 1. So that the two names, God and angel', give two different persons; and yet the essence is quite one and without all difference. For the angel is also eternal, natural God, otherwise Jacob would not call upon him; but he is called an angel because of his office and command, which he has as the Son from the Father.
(17) Here belong all the sayings in which the promised seed of the woman is promised by the prophets to bring blessing to us, to establish an eternal kingdom, to make atonement for sin and to create eternal life for us. For these are vain works, which no creature can do, but only God Himself can do and accomplish. Since such works are attributed to Christ in the prophets, it must follow that Christ is eternal, almighty God; as he says to Philippians, John 14:11: "If you do not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, believe because of the works that I do.
(18) Thus saith Isaias, Cap. 9:6, A child is born unto us, and a son is given unto us. Then everyone can know what it is: a child is born and a son is given, that it is spoken of a man who has a natural life and body. But the prophet says further of such a man: "The peace which he shall make," he says, "shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, from henceforth even unto
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for ever and ever." And signifies peace, that he will be: judgment and righteousness, that this man will forgive sin, and in all affliction, against all calamity, protect and save his people. Now I ask you: Is it not true that just as that indicates a true, natural man, that he is called a son and is born a child; so that follows: how he has an eternal kingdom, which he establishes and strengthens with righteousness and judgment, and there is no end to his peace, gives a sure sign that this man is also true, almighty, eternal God? Where else would he get an eternal kingdom, eternal justice and other things?
- Now the excellent sayings in the prophets serve this purpose, as they publicly give the great name of God to the Lord Christ, Ps. 68, Jer. 23, item 31, Hos. 3, where it is written in v. 5: "After this the children of Israel will turn and seek their Lord God and their king David, and will honor the Lord and his grace. There he sets with expressed words the two distinct persons, God and King David, that is, Christ, who was promised to David to sit on his throne forever. And yet he makes David and God one thing as soon as he says: The house of Israel will seek them. For that David should be sought as God, that is, honored, trusted in, and served: such must either be a public idolatry, or God and David (that is, Christ, the Son of David according to the flesh) must be one God, as the prophet afterwards finely intertwines, saying, "They shall honor the Lord and his grace."
20 Thus Christ Himself introduces the 110th Psalm, Matt. 22:44, and thereby wants to maintain against the Pharisees that it must be concluded from such a Psalm that Christ is not only the Son of David, but that He is also the Son of God, that is, the true and eternal God, since David himself calls Him Lord, and the reign is proven by the fact that God calls Him to sit at His right hand. These and such other testimonies we should diligently and carefully remember, so that we may be able to withstand the devil and the heresies.
- equal now as we now the testimonies
of the Son of God, our Lord and Savior Christ; so let us also consider several testimonies of the Holy Spirit, that he is eternal God, and yet a separate person, that is, neither the Father nor the Son, although he is by nature and essence absolutely equal to the Father and the Son. So that our faith may remain fine and certain everywhere, that we worship only one, eternal, almighty God, and not three gods (as the Jews and Turks lie against us), and yet not lose the distinction of the persons, nor deny that the one God is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
(22) Again, we Christians should thank God from the bottom of our hearts that we have such glorious, clear, beautiful, undeniable testimonies of such high articles in the Holy Scriptures, since we can base our hearts on them and defy the devil and all the world. For we must not believe men here; Christ, our blessedness Himself, testifies and preaches to us in the very finest way that the Holy Spirit is eternal, almighty God, otherwise He would not put His command of holy baptism in such a way that one should baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. But because he puts the command with expressed words in this way, it must follow that the Holy Spirit is true, eternal God, in equal power and authority with the Father and Son, from eternity. Otherwise, Christ would not place him next to himself and his Father in such a work, where forgiveness of sin and eternal life stand.
23 Thus saith Christ also Joh. 14:16, 17: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him.
Mark well this saying, for thou shalt see the difference of all three persons in the most subtle manner. "I," he says, "will ask the Father." Here you have two persons. Christ, the Son, who asks; and the Father, who is asked to give another Comforter. But if the Father is to give such a Comforter, such a Comforter cannot be the Father Himself. Chri-
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stus, who asks for such a comforter, cannot be the same comforter, as he says: "He will give you another comforter." That therefore the three persons are here in the most proper way pictured, that one cannot pass by. Just as the Father and the Son are two different persons, so the third person of the Holy Spirit is a different person from the Father and the Son, and yet is only one, eternal God.
(25) Now what this third person is, the Lord teaches in John chapter 15, where he says v. 26: "But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify of me. Here Christ speaks not only of the office and work of the Holy Spirit, but also of His nature, saying that He proceeds from the Father. This is ever so much as to say that his going forth is without beginning and eternal. For the Father, from whom the Holy Spirit proceeds, is without beginning and eternal. Therefore the holy prophets give him the name and call him the Spirit of the Lord; as your love heard on the holy day of Pentecost, you Peter lead the saying of Joel, who thus speaks: "It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy" 2c. (Joel 3:1.) The word behold diligently, which GOD saith, "I will pour out of my Spirit." For if this Spirit is God's Spirit and proceeds from God, and there is nothing in God that is not eternal, omnipotent, holy, wise, good and incorruptible as He is: it must follow that the Spirit of God is eternal God, and yet a distinct person from the Father and the Son.
(26) Other such sayings of the Holy Spirit are many more, with which the holy fathers have preserved this article against the devil and the world, and have brought it down to us, that we believe in only one God, and yet confess that the same one God is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Not as the heretics have fooled us, as if such three names should only mean one person, who has revealed himself differently in time.
For the Father can never be the Son, nor the Son the Holy Spirit, and yet there is only one God. These things, even if we do not understand them, we should still believe them. For if it were true here, I would be able to do it very well, and I am neither a Turk nor a Jew. But I thank my God, who has given me grace, that I do not dispute about such an article, whether it is true and rhymes; but because I see that it is so actually conceived and founded in Scripture, I believe God more than my own thoughts and reason, and do not care at all how it can be true that there is only one Being and yet three different Persons in such a unified Being, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. For it is not a matter of disputing whether it is true, but whether it is founded in the Word of God. If it is God's word, do not doubt it, he will not lie.
Since God's word, as we have now heard, stands clear and loud, and such an article has been so gallantly fought for by the holy fathers, then stick to it and only do not dispute much how Father, Son and Holy Spirit can be One God. Can you, poor man, even if you use all the arts of the world, not know how it is that your eyes can see a high mountain for ten miles; item, if you are asleep, how it is that you are dead in body, and yet you live? If we cannot know the smallest thing about ourselves, is it not great foolishness and presumption that we climb up with distant thoughts (the devil's name), and with our reason want to grasp God in his majesty and to speculate what he is. But why do we not first do this to ourselves? and ask, where our ears, eyes and other limbs remain with their effect, when we are asleep? One could argue and speculate without driving.
(29) But here it is not at all fitting for us to try to find out with our reason how it is that three are one, but we are to remain most simply with the Word, which says of Christ that he is the image of the Father and his firstborn before all creatures, that is, that he is the firstborn before all creatures.
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He is not a creature, but an eternal God. As there are many such sayings in John: "All things have the Father delivered unto me"; "He that beholdeth me beholdeth the Father"; "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me?" Such sayings do not suffer a piercer. God Himself has said that there is no difference between the Father and the Son, except that the Son is born of the Father. But how this happens, we cannot know; that alone we know, as the holy scripture says, that he is the firstborn before all creation and the image of God in the invisible being. So the Scriptures also teach of the third person, the Holy Spirit, that he is God's Spirit and proceeds from the Father, that is, he has the essence of the Father; that therefore there is nothing of divinity, wisdom, power and might in the Father that is not also in the Holy Spirit. But how these things come to pass, I cannot tell thee; for it is incomprehensible above the understanding of all angels and creatures. Therefore it is impossible to think and have more of it than the Scripture tells us; we must keep to it if we want to be saved in any other way. But to understand the essence does not belong to the life here, but to eternal life; there we must save it, and in the meantime not dispute, but simply believe what the Scripture tells us about such an article.
(30) This article is particularly fine in the symbol, that is, in the faith of children; so all the world must bear witness that we have not invented such faith. Neither did the fathers invent it, but it is drawn together from the holy prophets and apostles' writings in the finest and shortest way, just as a bee draws honey from many little flowers.
31 First of all, we say: I believe in God the Father. There you have the first person in the Godhead, namely, the Father, who in eternity begat a Son, through whom he made and still maintains heaven and earth and all that is in them. By such a work you know the Father.
- after this we say: I believe in Jesus Christ 2c. who is eternal God with the Father. For one should believe in no one but God alone. What is called
now the same person? His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Thus all Christians have prayed and believed for more than fifteen hundred years, even from the time when God said to Adam and Eve, "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head"; although this article has been taught and explained more clearly at one time than at another, and the promise of Christ has always been more closely drawn in and made clearer. For from Adam to Abraham the Son of God was called the seed of the woman; after that he was called the son of Abraha, Jacob, David, and so on, but the only man is Jesus Christ. Now the angels are also called children of God, item, all Christians are also children of God; but there is neither angel nor saint, who is called the only begotten. Therefore our Lord Christ alone is born of God the Father, as a Son, the like of which he has not, neither among the angels nor other creatures. It must therefore follow that he is the same God. This we and our children and all Christians believe and confess.
- Following this confession, we also remember his works and ministry, which the Son of God did in particular: that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, was buried, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, his heavenly Father. Here he comes again into the Godhead, so that he may be recognized and believed by everyone as being the image of God his Father and equal to God in all things. These words, I say again, we did not make ourselves, but they came upon us and took them from the early church.
- For the third time we say: I believe in the Holy Spirit. Here we place the Holy Spirit in equal honor with the Father and the Son, as we confess: I believe in the Holy Spirit. Thus this article is so brief and simple in faith that it could not be more subtle. And for this reason such a symbolism has the name that it is called Apostolicum. For it is not well possible that outside the apostles
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someone could have put together such articles so finely simple-minded and clear.
(35) Now the works of the Holy Spirit are also finely indicated, namely, to gather together holy Christians from all tongues, and to make them like-minded in one faith, and to sanctify them through the forgiveness of sins, and to kindle in them the hope of another and eternal life; as we say: I believe forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the flesh, and life everlasting.
Thus the three persons are actually and finely composed in the symbol, in a single divine being, and each person is differently adorned with his own work. To the Father is given the creation, to the Son the redemption, and to the Holy Spirit the power of sanctification, that is, to distribute forgiveness of sins, to make joyful, to strengthen, and to bring from death to that life. These are like different garments, so that the persons are not mixed together, and so that one may be known before the other: that the Father is Creator, Christ becomes man, and the Holy Spirit comes like a flame, so that it is to be seen as if everything is full of fire, and makes people happy. These are all works of the one God. But with the difference of the works one should also understand the difference of the persons: for God the Father did not become man, but the Son; so the Son did not let himself be seen in fiery tongues, but the Holy Spirit.
So this article came down to us, we did not invent or make it ourselves. Thus, we see in the histories that God held sway over it and punished the heretics who challenged such an article. Therefore we are to hold fast to it and abide by the word alone, and not be prudent nor argue much about it. For so we read that John had to write his gospel mostly because of the heretic Cerinthi, who blasphemed Christ and did not want to let Christ be God. Now it happened at a time that John came with his disciples to a bathhouse, and when he saw Cerinthus and his crowd, he and his disciples soon departed, saying, "Let us go.
We do not stay long around this shameful blasphemer. As John leaves the bath with his people, and perhaps Cerinthus and his crowd mock him and begin to blaspheme, the bath collapses and kills them all. This was his deserved reward.
The same happened to the heretic Ario. He made a terrible noise in the church, so that it took longer than four hundred years, and still the sparks do not want to leave the heart of the godless people. He admitted that Christ was begotten by God before all creatures, but nevertheless he was also a creature, although far more glorious and beautiful than all others. When the pious bishops everywhere, as if by necessity, opposed such blasphemy, and much disruption and unwillingness arose from it, Emperor Constantine had to intercede, and gathered a great multitude of learned and pious bishops, who condemned such error of Arii. But when he soon died and his son Constantius, who had been very favorable to Arius, came into the regency, the Arians made an effort to bring Arius out of the ban by force and to give him justice in his matters. When the day was called and Arius and his group set out early in the morning for church, he was struck by a stomach ache on the way, so that he asked for a secret chamber, and died.
(39) Thus this article of the Holy Trinity has been preserved, first with Scripture, then with the struggle of the apostles and holy fathers, and lastly also with miraculous works against the devil and the world, and shall be preserved still, if God wills; that we believe in One God, who is called God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.
The Father is our Creator, the Son is our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit is our Sanctifier. By such special works we can make a distinction between the persons, and yet the nature or the divine essence is not separated or divided. This is what is preached today at this feast, and Christians alone believe such an article, which seems foolish in the sight of reason; as Paul says that God is so
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that he was pleased to save those who believe in it by a foolish sermon. For reason will never be able to agree that three are one and one is three, that God becomes man, that when we are put into baptism we are washed from sins by the blood of Christ, that we eat the body of Christ in the bread and drink his blood in the wine, and thus receive forgiveness of sins.
received by faith. Such articles are all considered to be foolishness by the worldly wise. Therefore Paul calls them so and says: "It is a foolish, foolish sermon, but whoever believes it shall be saved. May God the Father grant us this through His Holy Spirit for the sake of His dear Son, our Savior Christ Jesus, amen.
On the Sunday of Trinity.
Second Sermon.
John 3:1-15.
Now there was a man among the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler among the Jews; who came to JEsu by night, and said unto him, Master, we know that thou art a teacher come from GOD: for no man can do the signs which thou doest, except GOD be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he also go again into his mother's womb, and be born? JEsus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of GOD. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised that I said to you: You must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof; but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our testimony. Do ye not believe when I tell you of earthly things; how would ye believe if I told you of heavenly things? And no man goeth up to heaven, but he that descended from heaven, even the Son of man, which is in heaven. And 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.
This is an excellent, beautiful gospel, in which we see what is the right, single, certain way to eternal life. It seems, however, that it was placed on this very feast of the Holy Trinity, so that the difference between the persons is so finely and actually shown in the highest and greatest work that God does with us poor people, that he makes us free from sins, righteous and blessed. For it is written here of the Father that He loved the world and gave it His
I have given you an only begotten son. These are the two different persons, the Father and the Son, each with its own work. The Father loves the world and gives it the Son; the Son allows himself to be given to the world, and, as Christ clearly says here, he allows himself to be lifted up like the serpent in the wilderness on the cross, so that all who believe in him may not perish but have eternal life. To such a work comes the third person, the Holy Spirit, who through
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the water of blessed baptism kindles faith in the heart, and thus reborns us to the kingdom of God.
This is a very comforting sermon, which should ever make our hearts glad toward God, since we see that all three persons, the whole Godhead, turns and deals with helping poor, miserable people against sin, death and the devil to righteousness, eternal life and the kingdom of God. How can we fear God because of our sins? How can we have an evil heart toward Him? For if He had wanted to condemn us because of our sins, as we are always concerned, especially when the hour comes, the Father would not have given His only begotten Son, the Father and the Son would not have promoted us to the bath of regeneration and under the wing of the Holy Spirit. So this article of the Trinity is indicated here in the finest and kindest way. But enough of this will be said in the next sermon, so let us now take the Gospel from piece to piece, in which we hear how the Lord has a long disputation with Nicodemo, the scribe, in which the good old man cannot judge himself at all. First of all, we have to see what prevented him from knowing what the Lord is saying and what he wants.
3 It is a good indication that he follows the Lord, and because he is not allowed to do so publicly, he finds his way to him at night. His words also show that he does not mean the Lord Christ badly, but thinks much of him, as of a special preacher, whom God has sent into the world and has testified to his teachings with wonderful miracles. He does not speak such words from a false heart, like the Pharisees, Matth. 22, 16: "Master, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God rightly." No, as Nicodemus speaks, so he also means in his heart that our dear Lord Christ must be a special and precious teacher, since God sends him such excellent miraculous signs and testifies to his teachings.
4 Such a thought pleases the Lord Christ. Therefore, just as Nicodemus praises him as the highest teacher, so he also now wants to preach the highest sermon to him, about the highest and greatest work that can be preached, namely, how one can see the kingdom of God, that is, how one can be freed from sins, come to God's grace and attain eternal life. For this is the preaching which the Son of God alone has brought with Him from heaven among us on earth, as John says: "The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has preached it to us."
(5) It is true that all the world has ever troubled itself with this, and has planned and made special ways and means to become blessed. For Nicodemus himself comes with the thought that he knows, praise God, even without Christ, how he should and could be saved. He thinks that because he is a Jew and has the law, he has the advantage that he can know what he should do if he wants to live to please God and show the best obedience. He is content with such things and does not think that there are many other opinions, as he will hear from Christ 2c. As we also see in our papists. If a monk could bring himself to do enough for his order, he would let himself think that he was already sitting in God's lap, like the Pharisee Luke in chapter 18, who praises his fasting, tithing and other good works. In sum, all men's hearts are thus skilful. Just as they fear and are terrified when they feel their sin, so they trust and hope that they are at ease with God when they are outwardly pious and have no evil deeds on them that could frighten their conscience and make them timid. Therefore, the one chooses one thing and the other another, as he thinks best, so that he can stand before God. The Jew has his Moses, a monk his order. And indeed we are all under the delusion that if we kept the toes of the commandments diligently, there would be no need for us. Nicodemus thinks the same. But because he considers Christ to be a high and special preacher, Christ wants to prove himself against him and first gives him this teaching:
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Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
(6) Well, there is the deal with clear, round words, and Christ lets himself be heard here as a special teacher; for Nicodemus has not heard such things, therefore he does not understand either. That alone he understands, that he is not yet born again. But how he is to be born again, he knows nothing about.
(7) Now consider what the Lord means by this saying. For if one cannot see the kingdom of God, unless one is born again, it follows that we, as we are born of father and mother in this world, with reason, free will, the law and all good practices, both of which reason and will can perform, must be damned; there is no help for it. But what a wretched thing is this, that people are taught nothing about such regeneration, but are merely directed, as the pope does, to their own works, so that they may be saved by them? How does such teaching rhyme with Christ here? They say: Good works make blessed. Christ says: If you are not born again, you will not be saved.
(8) Now it is true and undeniable that a man by himself and by his own efforts, as is seen in the heathen, can become accustomed to discipline, respectability and virtue. As one can see, not all people are murderers, adulterers, fornicators, thieves, wine drinkers, idlers, but are much more pious, honorable people before the world. These are glorious, beautiful virtues and good works to which everyone should be exhorted, for God requires them in the Ten Commandments. But there it is decided, let virtues and good works be what they will, if the rebirth is not there, then it belongs nowhere but to the devil in hell. It cannot go to heaven and the kingdom of God. Christ himself says this and no one should doubt it.
- Reason is caught up in it, which wants to hold it against each other as soon as possible and conclude: stealing, murdering, adultery displeases God and he punishes; so it must ever follow that such
It is true that it pleases God to avoid sin and to reward it; otherwise, she says, God would have to be unjust. Now it is true that it pleases God to avoid such and other sins and to do good; so He will not let them go unrewarded. But to see the kingdom of heaven, something else and greater belongs to it, namely, that one is born differently, as it says here. Therefore God is not hostile to the Pharisee, Luc. 18, because he is not a robber, an adulterer or an unrighteous man, like other people, because he fasts and tithes; God would put up with such things if it were not for the shameful sin that he thought he would enter heaven by doing so and thought himself much better than the open sinner.
(10) Therefore it is concluded here: Reason is a noble, delicious thing; the will to do good is also a noble, delicious thing; the law and the Ten Commandments, a fine, honorable, unruly conduct are all glorious, great gifts, for which one should thank God: But if one says of the kingdom of God how one is to come to it, neither reason, will, law, nor all good works help; only that one is born anew; otherwise one cannot see the kingdom of God, but must be and remain damned with reason, free will, law and ten commandments, nothing helps for that.
(11) Yea, saith thou, then will I rather do no good at all? No, that is no good either, and the judgment of God will only be more severe for you in that way. Therefore, do both, be diligent to keep the Ten Commandments, and yet confess with right earnestness that you are a poor sinner who must be eternally condemned because of his deeds. After this, listen to the Lord Christ as he comforts us again, after he, because of our first birth, has so ardently denied us salvation.
Nicodemus feels the harsh judgment very well, therefore considers what the rebirth is, and realizes that he cannot be born again from father and mother in a bodily way; therefore asks how it must happen? For it will not end, he says, that I should crawl again into my mother's womb and be born again.
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to be born. With such a question he brings the Lord to teach how the rebirth must take place and says:
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
13 Here he speaks the judgment against the first birth for the second time, that it is carnal and full of sins, and does not belong to the kingdom of God. As if he wanted to say: You ask whether you should be born differently from your mother. If you were born of your mother a thousand times differently, you would be and remain the same as Nicodemus before. From flesh nothing but flesh can be born. Therefore, this rebirth does not include father and mother, both of which are flesh and full of sin; but it includes water and the Spirit. Whoever is born again is a new man and will enter the kingdom of God.
14 This will no doubt have been a very ridiculous bargain for Nicodemo to have thought: Well, let my reason and will, and after that the law and Moses cannot, and the water can: what opinion may that have? So the good man is so completely wrong that he does not know what to say, and must freely confess that he does not understand a word, even though he understood Moses and the Ten Commandments well, and for that reason made himself a high, learned doctor.
15 Let us now diligently remember the words and finely summarize the deal. It is decided that we should do good works and practice obedience to the law, but by doing so we will not see the kingdom of God. But if we are to see it, we must not do other works, but become a different and new person. This is not through bodily birth, but through water and the Spirit, which are the true father and mother of this newborn fruit.
Now water is nothing else but holy baptism. For thus Christ speaks, Marci at the 16th chapter v. 16: "Who
believes and is baptized, he will be saved. But water does not have such power by its very nature. For water is water, that is, an element and creature, which by itself cannot move the heart, nor change, nor wash away sins. Clothes, and what is unclean in the skin, can be cleansed and purified with water; but the soul cannot be moved nor purified by water. But this water, which the Lord speaks of here, and which we call baptismal water, is not merely natural water; it is water in which God's word, command and promise are contained. There two things come together, water and word, and are mixed with each other in such a way that you cannot tell one from the other. If you take the word from the water, you have no baptism; if you take the water from the word, you have no baptism. But if the word and the water remain together, then you have such water that the Holy Spirit will be with you, and through it will bring you back to the kingdom of God, that is, forgive your sin and make you blessed.
(17) Therefore we should diligently keep this saying in mind, especially against the blind people, the Anabaptists, who consider infant baptism unprofitable and unfruitful. But how can this same baptism be unprofitable if you hear here that Christ ordains the water to help in regeneration through the action of the Holy Spirit? Now if the children need to be born again, and otherwise cannot see the kingdom of God, why would anyone want to deny them baptism, or think that such water, which is contained in God's word and connected with God's word, should not be useful for them to be born again? Is it not true that the words of Christ are urging that whoever is to be born again must be born again through water? So, even though the water does nothing without the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will not have its effect in us without the Master.
18 Therefore it is an abominable, terrible error that in some notable places some preachers have taken upon themselves to baptize infants without water. For
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If baptism is to be right and a person is to be born again, not only the Word, not only the Spirit, but also water must be present. For so Christ ordains here, and no one shall break such an order.
(19) Water baptism is seen with the eyes, but the effect of regeneration, which the Holy Spirit produces in the heart through such baptism, is not seen. But because of this secret, invisible effect of the Holy Spirit, one should not despise the outward, bad, unsightly water baptism:
Do not be surprised that I told you: You must be born again. The wind blows where it wills, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit.
20 These are very simple words, just as the work is simple and bad. For it has no special standing in the eyes of reason: that one brings a child or an old man and confesses that he is in the bondage of the devil because of his sins, and that he cannot deliver himself, and yet in such great, great need he should do no more than dip him a little in water or sprinkle him with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But, says Christ, let no one despise this work because of such a bad reputation. For the Holy Spirit does his work secretly; faith belongs to him who grasps the words, and does not doubt them, unless the words are. For with the eyes you will never be able to see, understand or grasp it. Just as with the wind, you hear it blowing; but that you should grasp it in such a way that you could say: Here it rises, there it stops, that is not possible. This is also the case here. The outward work with the water is seen, and the word is heard sounding or sounding, that it may be done in the name of Jesus, for the washing away of sins. Whoever does not keep to the word, and wants to grasp or seek the spirit and its effect by other means, would be lacking. For if he is to be born of the Spirit, more does not belong to him.
For this, that he be baptized with water, and hearken unto the sounding (that is, the word), and receive the same with faith; and he shall be born again into the kingdom of God, and by nothing else.
(21) Where then are the blasphemous mobs and enthusiasts, who can do no more than cry and boast of the Spirit? But he is the evil spirit, the devil himself, who has possessed them bodily, because they have rejected baptism, sacrament, word, which Christ Himself has honored (earned) for us, as unnecessary, useless things for salvation. God punishes the blasphemous spirit. Christ does not teach in this way, but points us to holy baptism and the sounding of the Spirit, that is, to the Word, and warns that if we are not satisfied with water and the sounding of the Spirit, we will not retain anything of the Holy Spirit and will never come to the new birth. Therefore, let our baptism and the Word be our highest treasure, since we know for certain that if we continue in them, we will be born again into the kingdom of God.
(22) This is the doctrine of how to come to the new birth, that is, to the kingdom of God; a new, unheard-of doctrine in the world, but the only one that is certain and righteous and does not deceive us. Since, on the other hand, all other teachings are false and deceptive, they seem the same before the world as beautiful as they always want to be. It had a great appearance both with the Pharisee life in Judaism and under the papacy with the monastic order and the clergy; and is a special beautiful ornament, where a man keeps himself finely chaste, honorable and according to the toe commandments: but by this one is not born again. But the water and the spirit must do it, which will not be seen or noticed in any other way, but as the wind by its whirring. Whoever accepts the sound, that is, whoever believes the word and is baptized, is born again and is saved.
(23) But Nicodemus is so deep in his thoughts about the law and good works that he cannot grasp or understand this sermon. As we see in the case of the papists, who mean well and are not wantonly wicked, this always lies in their way, that they think, "Well, shall our deeds be nothing?
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Is it not pleasing to God that we pray so much, fast, serve Him day and night, and lead such a strict life? For this reason, Christ is a little harder on him, because he does not want to believe him and does not want to be instructed, and says:
Are you a master in Israel and don't know it?
(24) As if to say: You are a master among the people of God, whom you should teach and show the way to salvation. Oh your teaching and showing the way! You have not yet come so far that you can rightly recognize yourself and your own nature and being, and you are thinking that you want to go to heaven, if you are not born again! Will therefore reject Nicodemum and all preachers who cannot preach more than the law and good works, as erroneous and seductive preachers: not because it should be wrong to teach good works and exhort people to them; for God Himself does this through the law, therefore it is right and well done: but it is wrong to let people rest on such teaching, as if they no longer needed it for eternal life. For it is clear here that even if the law and good works are kept to the best of their ability, they cannot help one attain the kingdom of God, unless one is born again through water and the Spirit.
(25) It is the Spirit, then, who makes other men and new hearts through the water and the word. The law and works change nothing in men and hearts. Therefore, if any man would instruct men aright unto the kingdom of heaven, let him look here, and begin not at works and law, which cause the old heart to remain; but rather let him instruct men unto baptism and the Spirit, that is, unto the word, by which the Holy Ghost reviveth and begetteth new hearts. For just as we do not have or know more of the wind than the sound, so we do not have more of the Holy Spirit than the word. Now what this word is, and how the Holy Spirit blows, the Lord teaches further, saying:
No one leads to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.
(26) This is the beginning of the sermon, when the Lord says: "If you do not believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? For this sermon never came into any man's heart, but the only begotten Son, who is in the Father's bosom, has preached it to us. Now such a sermon has two parts. The first part is very hard, for it is briefly concluded: "No one goes to heaven unless he comes down.
(27) This is as much said as above: "Unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God"; that is, no man can come to forgiveness of sins, righteousness, blessedness, and eternal life by the law, good works, reason, or free will; indeed, though the law, good works, reason, and free will be at their best, yet it is of no avail, we are and remain poor, damned sinners, and cannot enter heaven. This is a bright, clear saying that should take away all confidence in one's own works and piety from the Jews and papists who believed it. For, tell me, what man came from heaven? None, not Adam and Eve themselves; the only Son of God and Mary is, as John says here. For no man shall ascend into heaven, but he that came down from heaven; so it is decreed, and no man can ever do otherwise: All men, as they are born of father and mother in this world, must abide here, and shall not enter into heaven: but if they enter not into heaven, where shall they abide? On earth they have no certain, permanent home, because they die. But if they do not go to heaven, they must remain in death. This is the judgment that Christ passes on the whole world, no one except Adam, Eve, Abraham, Moses, David, all of them must remain down and can go to heaven by themselves.
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mel will not come, for he alone goes to heaven who has come down from heaven. Where then are the good works, merit, law-free will? All of these belong in hell, and will not help us to heaven, that is certain.
028 Yea, sayest thou, shall all men then be damned and perish? Yes, because of them it is impossible that it could be otherwise: they do and leave whatever they want or can, they will still make no way nor hole into heaven. But a certain way is not made by us, but by the Son of God. Christ continues to preach about this? and 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.
(29) This is the other part of this heavenly sermon, and the right soughing of the Holy Spirit; and is as comforting as the first part is terrible. For it is a terrible judgment that no one shall go to heaven and be saved. But such a terrible judgment serves to show how our first birth is sinful, and how there is nothing in us worthy of eternal life, so that we not only do not become secure or hopeful, but also strike at ourselves, humble ourselves before God, and desire mercy. Then the right consolation begins, that, just as you heard before, no man goes to heaven: so you hear here, that all who believe in Christ shall not perish, but have eternal life. This is the sweet sound of the Holy Spirit being felt and grasped.
(30) For both sermons must be preached in Christendom. The first, about sin and our corrupt ways and natures, that we must despair of our works, lives, deeds and actions, so that we will never reach heaven. Wherever hearts are struck and frightened by such a sermon, the consolation shall follow: how Christ Jesus, the Son of God, came down from heaven to earth to take our flesh and blood to Himself.
and suffered death for our sins, so that we might be freed from sin and restored to the inheritance of eternal life. Whoever accepts such a sermon, believing it to be true, and is comforted, has recovered that Christ will not leave him here on earth and in death, but will take him up with Him to heaven.
(31) This is the preaching of heavenly things, which still today will not enter into the people, and especially not into the Nicodemos, that is, into those who come with the thought that if one has the law, then one needs nothing more for salvation. For these are the ones who first of all do not know, although the law is right and good, that it cannot be of any use to us because we are evil by nature, and for the sake of such innate, inherited wickedness cannot do enough for the law, even though we do the outward works in appearance. On the other hand, they know much less that we must go to heaven through this man, the Son of Mary, who alone came from heaven. There grows up another innumerable great harm, that they not only rely on their works and their own righteousness, but they despise and persecute the righteousness that comes from faith in Christ. As we see in the papists, who can tolerate nothing less, indeed, oppose nothing more vehemently, than that we teach that we must be saved by faith in Christ alone; we will not achieve it by good works. We have not devised this; we repeat it after Christ our Lord, who is the truth himself: let him who will not believe it.
In the 21st chapter of the fourth book of Moses, there is a story that the people of Israel became displeased in the desert and grumbled against God and Moses, and especially despised the glorious blessing that God had given them in the desert, the bread of heaven. God punished such sin by sending poisonous serpents among them, which bit them. Immediately their bodies became inflamed and burned like infernal fire, so that they fell down and died in a great heap. Then they recognized their sin, that they had
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had done wrong, and they went to Moses and asked him to pray to the LORD that the plague might be removed from them. The Lord told Moses to make a bronze serpent and set it up in the desert; then whoever saw the bronze serpent would recover and not die.
The Lord introduces the story here and rhymes it with himself, that he also must be lifted up like the serpent. Whoever then looks at him, that is, as he himself interprets, believes in him, shall not perish but have eternal life.
(34) Here let us first learn the cause of the terrible judgment which the Lord twice before pronounced upon all men, saying, No man shall go up to heaven, except the Son of man, which is come down from heaven; and unless a man be born again, he shall not see the kingdom of heaven. Where does this misery come from for man, that he must remain outside heaven and be lost for eternity because of it? Nowhere else, because the old serpent, the devil, has bitten the first man and poisoned him through sin in such a way that he has death on his hands; and it is impossible for him to cure himself and help himself. As you can see at the Jews: what was bitten was dead, nothing helped for it. So it is with all of us. For the wages of sin is death; and where sin is, death must also follow. Since all men are born sinners in the first birth of father and mother, they must also bear the judgment and suffer death because of it. As the Lord threatened Adam and Eve with expressed words: "Whichever day ye shall eat of this tree, ye shall surely die.
- But God shines His mercy, so that He will not let such poor, poisoned people, condemned to death, perish; and just as He is called to set up a bronze serpent there, which looked like other serpents, but had no spirit, and was to help against the poison: so He lifts up His Son on the trunk of the cross, so that all who look at Him shall not perish, but be healed from death and have eternal life. This leads
on the cross also the form of the poisonous serpent; but there is no poison, but only the mere appearance. For Christ, though he took on our flesh and blood, yet is it flesh and blood without poison and sin; yea, it is for the remission of our poison and sins.
This is the right soughing of the Holy Spirit, by which he brings about the new birth in the heart, so that one believes and looks at such a brazen serpent with certain confidence and comes to life. But it will hardly have been lacking among the Jews, some of whom will have despised and said: Dear, do you think that this sight will help you? If one had this and other medicines, what power would the bronze serpent have? Or, if there were power in it, would such power ever be more effective if one attacked the serpent and pressed on its bite, because it would be powerful and help only by looking at it.
(37) So it is still today with the right serpent of brass, the Lord Christ. All men make themselves believe that if they are to be helped, mere appearance or faith need not do it. He who does good deeds and does not sin would have all the more advantage in the sight of God. Therefore, preach what you will, but it will not help. This one preaches this, another another; for faith is not everyone's thing. And so we want to find another way to health, other than reputation, which is faith in Christ. But learn this: It is decided, the devil has so poisoned you through sin that you have eternal death by the neck; you cannot escape from it, but only have to stand badly. But if you want to be helped from such poison and death, think of no other medicine than this sight: that you look at the exalted Christ on the cross with right eyes, that he died for you, sacrificed his life, paid for your sin with his death, and thus reconciled you to God. If you believe this and are baptized, then you are truly born again through the Holy Spirit into the kingdom of God, have no doubt about it. For you have heard above that this rebirth takes place in such a way that there is no other means but this.
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To be sure is to keep the word, and to believe as he tells us, that it is true and amen.
(38) So your love has the most simple teaching of today's gospel: that first of all we human beings are sinners by nature and worthy of eternal death; but by this we are to be redeemed from eternal death, when we look upon the man Christ Jesus on the cross, that he paid for us, strangled death, and reconciled us to God and brought us to eternal life.
- This teaching is what makes other people and even new hearts, so that we can say in sins, in death and other temptations: "Well, I cannot deny it, the old serpent, the devil, has bitten me badly and poisoned me horribly; but I am comforted by the fact that I know: Although my Lord Jesus Christ, because of his humanity, also has the appearance of being full of poison like a lower serpent, that he not only does not have any poison in himself, but that he hangs there because he wants to cleanse me from such poison and help me against sin, death and the devil. Therefore let the devil come, and let him devour me, and put all my misfortunes upon me: I will cleave unto my Lord Christ, and be comforted.
He is exalted for this reason, so that those who believe in him may not perish but have eternal life.
(40) Therefore, where there is comfort in the heart against this eternal poison, there will also follow a fine, friendly life toward other people: that just as we expect help from the Lord Christ against eternal misfortune, we will also gladly prove help to others with what we can. For such a man looks far around; and though other people wrong him, yet he is not moved to anger, but has compassion on them. For he sees that such things come from nowhere but from the poison that we have all received from the devil's bite; therefore he seeks means how he may also bring others to come to this remedy and be delivered from the harmful poison. Thus this teaching is the right fountain and source from which all virtue, all comfort, all joy and security grow. May God, the almighty, merciful Father, for the sake of His dear Son Christ JEsu, keep us in this teaching and let it grow from day to day, so that we do not lose this sight, and thus, through right faith in Christ, be done with eternal death, amen.
*On the first Sunday after Trinity. )
Luc. 16, 19-31.
Now there was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and lived all his days gloriously and joyfully. But there was a poor man named Lazarus, who lay at his door full of sores, desiring to be satisfied with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; but the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the poor man died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And when he was in hell and torment, he lifted up his eyes, and beholding Abraham afar off, and Lazarum in his bosom, cried out, saying, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarum, that he may dip the uttermost part of his finger in water, and cool my tongue: for I am in torment in this flame. And Abraham said, Remember, son, that thou hast received thy good in thy life, and Lazarus, on the contrary, hath received evil: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And
*This sermon is included in the edition we follow under the second Sunday after Trinity. All editions give as text: Luc. 16, 1-9; however, the correct text is obviously that of the first Sunday after Trinity, Luc. 16, 19-31, which Walch also prefaces the sermon with, which he then reports as being from the first Sunday after Trinity. D. Red.
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For all these things there is a great gulf fixed between us and you, that they which would go down from hence unto you cannot, neither can they go over from thence unto us. Then said he, Then pray thee, O father, that thou send him to my father's house: for I have yet five brethren, that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. And Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets: let them hear the same. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one of the dead should go unto them, they would repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if any of the dead arise.
This is an excellent gospel, the like of which is found nowhere else in all of Scripture, of the judgment that will come upon men after this life. And it is not necessary to argue whether it is a historia or only a similitude. For since Christ names the two persons, and says what was their life in both parts, and what judgment came upon them after death, how the rich man was tormented in the flame, but poor Lazarus was in joy, we believe that it happened in this way. And we must also believe that the same judgment will be passed on all those who follow either the rich man or poor Lazarus here on earth.
(2) For these two examples of the rich man and the poor Lazari are set forth by the Lord to all the world. The first is of the rich man, who for a short time lived happily and joyfully, and there is lost and eternally sad; and the other is of the poor man, who here for a time is poor and miserable, but there is eternally rich and blessed. That everyone may learn to follow this example; for both parts require that one have a certain instruction and keep himself right; if not, eternal life is lost.
3 Therefore whoever is poor and miserable here on earth, like Lazarus, may learn not to be offended by such a miserable being, and not to draw his comfort from this temporal life, but to hope for the future and eternal.
(4) For no Christian, when he is in trouble, should think that God has forgotten him or is hostile to him. For this is God's way, that like a pious father with a rod he is always after his children, so that by such punishment they may be admonished and kept from sins; otherwise, where the punishment would not be, they would be safe and persist in sins. Therefore, a Christian should not be distressed by his misery.
but trust that God loves him, remembers him, and seeks his best. As the wise man also says: "If a father loves his child well, he will discipline him.
Therefore, it is a great mistake to count God's goodness and grace only by how you are doing here on earth. It is true that money and goods, a healthy body and the like are God's gifts and blessings, but such blessings do not last forever. For in the end one must leave money and goods and everything behind. In addition, there is the misfortune of not keeping oneself particularly in the fear of God and having good regard for the word that such blessings, because of our sinful nature, give rise to many sins.
(6) Hence it is seen that God places upon rich people many a cross and trial, sickness and other misfortunes. Not only because they deserve it because of the sins they have committed, but also because God wants to prevent future sins and thus keep them in His fear, since otherwise, apart from the temptation, they would decrease in prayer, faith and diligence against the Word from day to day and even get away from it.
(7) The true, highest and best blessing, from which one can and should really and rightly feel God's goodness, is not temporal good, but the eternal blessing that God has called us to His holy Gospel, where we hear and learn how God, for the sake of His Son, wants to be merciful to us, forgive sin and make us eternally blessed; in addition, He graciously protects us against the tyranny of the devil and the world. Whoever considers such blessings, even though he lacks temporal blessings, being poor, sick, despised, unhappy, and burdened with all kinds of adversity, yet all this is a small thing to him, for he sees that he always keeps more than he has lost. If money and property are not there, then
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he knows that he has a merciful God; if the body is weak and sick, he knows that he is called to eternal life and that this is promised to him in baptism and the Word. The same is true of other trials and tribulations. If it is up to him, as God wills, his heart always has the consolation: "If it is about a little thing, it should be better, and so better that no one should take my joy from me; for I have a gracious God through Christ, who is my Father and wants to place me in the eternal inheritance through Christ.
8 So this poor Lazarus also comforted himself. The pain hurt his body, so that he often wept and cried over it. His heart will also often have softened and gone out of control because he was so desolate in addition to the illness that he had no food and drink, since the rich godless man lived in abundance. Woe, I say, was this to him; for it is not possible that a man's heart should not grieve over this. But on the other hand he kept this comfort firmly in his heart, that he said: I see that my God in heaven wills it so; therefore I will gladly suffer such things for his service, knowing that they cannot be eternal. It is to be done for a short time, then sickness and all plagues must cease, and the blessed change must take place, so that instead of temporal suffering there will be eternal joy and comfort. For I have ever had the promise that God would be merciful to me for the sake of His Son Christ, that He would forgive my sin, set me free from the curse and accept me with grace. Therefore, let it go as it goes. If people do not respect me and do not give me the crumbs they give to the dogs, I take comfort in the fact that God will take care of me and will not let me live in want for eternity; for this reason I will suffer and be oppressed for a while and wait for something better.
(9) That Lazarus had such thoughts and thus comforted himself in his suffering is evidenced first by his name. For "Lazarus" is the Hebrew name "Eleazar", and means as much as: God helps; that he put all his trust in God's eternal help alone.
not on men. The evangelist also testifies to this in that he says how Lazarus was carried into the bosom of Abraham by the angels. This is nothing else than that Lazarus put his trust in the promise made to Abraham, when God promised him that in his seed all generations of the world would be blessed. Lazarus kept this promise and was comforted by it: Although all the world considered him a cursed man, because he was so poor and miserable; yet he would enjoy the blessed seed, and not remain under God's curse, but under His eternal grace. And such faith sustained him that when he departed here on earth, the angels carried him into the bosom of Abraha.
(10) Now Christ, our dear Lord, would have us diligently observe and learn this example. For his Christians must fear that they will be in want on earth with poor Lazarus, and that they will suffer all kinds of misfortune. Whoever does not have or know the comfort that Lazarus has cannot help, becomes impatient and finally despairs. For flesh and reason do not leave their kind. Where God's word does not increase, everyone thinks, when he is in trouble, that God has forgotten him and does not want him; otherwise he would help and not leave him so mired in misery. That one should look to the future and take comfort in it, nothing comes of it. That is why many an untried man becomes impatient and thinks: If God will not help, let the devil help and whoever else can. This means to fall away from God, to become an enemy of God and to do nothing good for Him, and to incur God's eternal wrath and damnation in addition to temporal suffering and sorrow. One should be on guard against this and not forget poor Lazari. He is a poor, miserable man; but because he holds firmly to the promise of Christ and the life to come, and gives himself into a willing obedience to God, he is abundantly refreshed by such suffering, and instead of a little suffering has an exuberant, eternal joy and consolation. This is the example of poor Lazaro,
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since all Christians are to conform to it and thus comfort themselves in their affliction.
(11) The other example is the rich man, who is well here on earth and according to all his will and desire, but in that life he must lack and be damned for eternity. Here again we must believe that our Lord Christ tells us the truth about such judgment and condemnation, that the rich man lies in the hellish flame and suffers horrible torment, the like of which cannot be spoken in words. And that such suffering is also a great cause, that he sees poor Lazarum in eternal joy, whom he so miserably despised before, and cannot enjoy his as much as a drop of water, and must remain in such misery without some hope of help in eternity.
- But what is the cause of the poor man's eternal misery and torment? It is not that he is rich and has much money, that he clothes himself, eats and drinks; for these are God's gifts and ordinances: only that you keep a measure in it and do nothing in excess, then God will gladly grant money and goods, food and drink, joy and splendid clothing and other things. But this is the reason that this rich man has money and goods, dresses himself deliciously and lives splendidly, and does not think about the future life when he passes away today or tomorrow, how he will fare in the future life. All his care and concern is that he may have here enough and a good chamber; just as if he needed nothing else. As Christ warns in the Gospel that one should not weigh down the heart with eating and drinking and worrying about food. This is a cause that promotes him to condemnation, for it follows that God's word has not gone to his heart; he has not allowed himself to be challenged that God promises or threatens whatever he wants, if only he has no lack here.
- The other cause is that he sees poor Lazarum lying before him: but there he does not grant him so much in all his trouble and hardship as a dog; so that the evangelist says that the dogs had more compassion on him and served him more than
the rich man. He does not think that God has given him more to help others who lack; but like a sow, if she could eat it all alone and leave nothing for others, so this rich man also thinks, if he only has enough, and does not worry about the poor people's lack. Such sins cause the ghastly judgment that here he has a little time for pleasure and courage, but there he suffers eternally.
14 For this reason the Lord sets such an example before us, so that we may learn from it and beware of such sins and judgments, and not be sure that there is no other life than this temporal one here on earth, and that we should especially let poor people be commanded to us. For to whom God has given it that he may help poor people, and yet does not do it, to him this will be a severe torment and torture on the last day and in eternity, that he will see the poor, whom he despised and did not help, living before him in joy; just as the rich man here did to Lazarum. Again, whoever has served many, done good and helped, it will be a joy for him in that life. But is it not a pity above all pity that this rich man desires only a cold drop of water, but it cannot prosper him for eternity?
(15) Therefore let us not forget poor people, and gladly help and give to them: not only with the common alms, that one gives a penny, penny or guilder, according to our fortune and his need; such help is owed to poor people in all ways. But after that there is another alms, where each one can serve and help his neighbor in his position and profession, and the same all days and all hours, namely: that each one conduct his trade, handicraft and business in such a way that he does not deceive anyone, does not cheat anyone with false goods, is satisfied with a fair profit, and pays people their pennies well; that one gives right measure and weight, and neither in buying nor selling seeks such an advantage that comes to the disadvantage of others. For what is unfaithfulness in all dealings is evident. But he who acts faithfully, even though he may be
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If a man gives nothing for free and takes a good profit, he gives alms. Others, on the other hand, who spend their goods for profit and seek their own gain, steal money from people's pockets.
- as when a baker makes the bread too small, or falsifies the stuff, a butcher gives too small a weight, a wine-giver gives or falsifies the wine too dear; and who will tell it all? No trade is so small and small, if you deal with it faithfully, that you let right goods happen to others for a right penny, then it is a charity. Again, if you take people over or pay them badly, it is theft, and you are a thief before God, and on the last day you will see poor Lazarum before you, to whom you have denied such alms of your trade, and on top of that have stolen from him by your avarice and taken away what was his; as you hear here that it happened to the rich man. So everyone could make all his business, whether large or small, a right alms, pleasing to God, and surely not only would temporal blessings follow with abundance, but, as Christ says, we would also make friends here on earth from unrighteous mammon, whose testimony we could have and enjoy in eternal life.
But the world is and remains the world; it can neither be advised nor helped. He who has much wants to give nothing and have more. He who has little thinks that however he gets something, it will harm whoever wants it. For this reason, God must inflict all kinds of punishment on the wicked world here, and then punish it with hellish fire. And yet, although the world partly learns about this and hears about it in the sermon, it does not turn away from it and does not improve. But is not this a terrible, horrible blindness and hardening? We can use this caution in other things. If it happens that there is a theuria to worry about, whoever is able to do so will stock up for one, two or three years, so that he will be ahead of the shortage. But why don't we do the same here, since we know that a perpetual shortage must follow if we don't get ourselves into it right?
- but such a judgment is so much the more
Once you enter it, you will never be able to come out again for eternity. For all help is cut off. Abraham and Lazarus, as you have heard, not only do not want to help with a drop of water, but also cannot help. How then do we poor people get into this misery, that we take so little notice of such eternal journeys, and do not seek to be insured against them, when we can otherwise keep ourselves so well and take care in very small matters, which often do not amount to one or two florins? Is it not true that the devil takes our sense and wit; otherwise should we ever look more to such eternal harm than to temporal? But everyone goes along and worries only about how he may have enough, how he may leave plenty for his children and how he may keep himself well off. He who has this, lets himself think that he has enough. He who does not have it cannot rest, for he also overcomes it. So the hearts are weighed down with cares of food, that their judgment comes upon them like a snare, and they are sooner in death and condemnation than they know it.
19 This is the reason why the Lord presents this example of the rich man to us and has it preached, that he would like to make us worry so that we do not worry about the temporal alone, but rather about the eternal and imperishable; but deal with the temporal and perishable in such a way that we do not give cause for our own condemnation. For this rich man, if he had not had so much, and had suffered and tried something besides, he would not have come into such distress. But money and goods make him brave, so that he thinks he needs neither God nor his word, so he lives in ease and does not let himself be challenged. He is not concerned about eternity; and because he has enough of everything, he is not concerned about the temporal either, without thinking how he can create good days and pleasure for himself, and spend the time in joy. Christ warns us against this and says: "Watch, if you, like the rich man, want to strive here alone to live gloriously and joyfully, this is how it will be with you.
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The first is that such short, fleeting, and uncertain joy will be followed by eternal, unending sorrow and suffering.
(20) These are the two examples which we should never forget throughout our lives, so that we may have some consolation in suffering and temptation, and so that we may walk in the temporal, that we may not thereby come to the loss of eternal goods.
- For such a lesson the Lord Christ further tells how the rich man, since no help can be hoped for him, thinks of his brothers, and asks Abraham to send Lazarum to them, so that they do not follow the rich man's example and are also condemned. But Abraham refuses such a request, saying, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear the same." But when the rich man continues, thinking that it would be more fruitful for them if a dead man came and preached to them, than if they heard it in the church, Abraham answers again, saying, "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if one of the dead rises up."
22 The rich man sees that if one is to escape such a judgment, one must repent and behave differently from him; he also considers that it can happen to other people just like him, that even though they have God's word and the sermon, they still despise it and do not particularly improve on it. Therefore, it seems to him that his brethren could not be better advised, because a reputable preacher would come, whom one knew, and would know that he had died and was now in that life, and could certainly give an account of how things were in the same life. And it is true that we ourselves think that such a sermon would not be despised, as otherwise we hear and despise the sermon that is preached by men. But Abraham rejects such things altogether, saying, "If anyone wishes to escape such eternal judgment and be saved, he should neither look nor wait for any other warning, but only listen to Moses and the prophets; this is the only way to escape eternal damnation.
escape and come to salvation. But whoever does not want to listen to Moses and the prophets, it is in vain: even if a dead man stood up, even if an angel or God himself preached, they would not believe it. This means that the ministry of preaching is highly praised and the people are faithfully exhorted to preach, since there is no other means by which one can protect oneself from the terrible judgment of eternal damnation.
(23) What do Moses and the prophets preach? Primarily these two pieces: the first, that they point to the promised woman-seed, which shall crush the serpent's head, that is, take away the devil's power, and turn away the damage, which he inflicted on all of us in paradise. Moses and the prophets deal with such a woman-seed, who is the Son of God and brings divine power and righteousness to us on earth, and teach, admonish and prophesy when he will come and appear, that one should hear him, keep his word and believe his promise.
(24) He that heareth thus Moses and the prophets shall first despair of his life, works, and estate, and shall comfort himself only of this seed, which alone is a blessed seed, and bringeth blessing upon us, who are cursed and damned for our sins. So faith in Christ Jesus is the only and right way, by which one can escape from sins and death and come to salvation. This rich man did not accept such salvation and comfort, he considered himself pious. As he must have been outwardly pious before the world; for the gospel does not blame him for being an adulterer, robber, etc.. Therefore he will have thought: If I were not so pious, God would not give me so much happiness and blessing.
(25) For it is natural to every man that, when things go badly, he soon thinks: God is angry with you, does not take care of you, you must perish without counsel, help and consolation. Again, is it well with him, is everything fully there and goes to him according to his desire, then he lets himself think, he is well with God; otherwise
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he would not be so gracious to him; yet, as said above, such temporal blessing is a very small and bad thing. For this reason the wicked have more advantage on earth than the pious. But let there be money and goods, as much as there may be; take heed that thou consider thyself not saintly, but put thy trust and comfort only in those things which Moses and the prophets preach of; otherwise it shall be unto thee as it was unto that rich man, which heard Moses and the prophets, and yet took no comfort of the Lord Christ.
The other thing that Moses and the prophets teach is this: After we have established our righteousness and happiness from the promised seed alone, that we also obey God, and in this temporal life do and keep that which He has commanded us; again, avoid and refrain from that which He has forbidden us. For this is to fear God and to have Him before our eyes. But he who will not do this, and will not follow the law of God, but his own will and desire, that is, sin, cannot boast that he is a child of God, or that he has God before his eyes.
For this reason, he must be on the alert at all times that God will come and attack him and, as He finds him, judge him; so that both faith and obedience to God must be together. Faith serves to make us free from sins and become children of God. Obedience, or love and works of love, serve to make us
show ourselves to be obedient children and not anger God any further, and have a good conscience; which those cannot have who lie in deliberate sins and continue in them without amendment or repentance. In sum, fear God and be pious, and yet do not rely on such piety, but take comfort in our Lord Jesus Christ alone, and you will have no trouble. For such faith helps you against sin and death. And because God has commanded obedience, he will also put up with it, and does no harm, even though such obedience is imperfect. For it is not alone, but depends on faith, through which we are forgiven that which such obedience still lacks.
(28) Thus shall men hear Moses and the prophets, that they may learn therefrom to believe in Christ, and to be godly. The rich man did not do this, and for this reason he must be damned for eternity and suffer, along with all those who hear Moses and the prophets, and yet do not follow their preaching. But those who hear and follow, that is, those who believe in Christ and know that God, for His sake, will be merciful to us, will not impute sin to us, and will make us blessed, and then keep themselves in the fear of God, not following the devil and their flesh, but looking to God's word and will: these are the ones who belong to Lazaro in the bosom of Abraham and shall be eternally blessed. May God grant us this for the sake of His Son Christ Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, Amen.
*On the second Sunday after Trinity. )
Luc. 14:16-24.
And he said unto him, There was a man that made a great supper, and invited many. And sent forth his servant at the hour of supper, to say unto them that were bidden: Come, for everything is ready. And they all began to excuse themselves one by one. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and must go out and see it; I pray thee, excuse me. And
*Walch does not share this sermon here, since it is very similar to the one contained in the church postilla (see Vol. XI, 1216). - In the edition we follow, it appears under the title of the first Sunday after Trinity. D. Red.
710 L. 2, 366.367. On the second Sunday after Trinity. L. 2, 367.-368. 711
the other said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go now to see them; I pray thee, excuse me. And the third said: I have taken a wife; therefore I cannot come. And the servant came and told his master again. And the master of the house was wroth, and said unto his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor, and the crippled, and the lame, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, that is done which thou hast commanded; but there is yet room. And the LORD said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and by the fences, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. But I tell you that none of the men who are invited will taste my supper.
(1) This Gospel was placed on this Sunday because the feast of Corpus Christi was celebrated this week, as it is still celebrated among the papists. For they have extended the Lord's Supper, as this Gospel says of it, to the Sacrament, and thus confirmed the one form of the Sacrament; which, as you know, is one of the noblest parts, about which we disagree with them.
- Since the young people grow up and know nothing about such festivities or pageantry, and we old people also forget it, it would be good that they preach about it, so that when our youth comes into their churches and sees such idolatrous pageantry, they will not be offended by it, and could say that it is not right that they perform such a false service and spend so many indulgences with it: not of the opinion that they intend to honor the sacrament with it, for otherwise they would carry around the whole sacrament or both forms: but to the Sacrament's shame and disgrace, but to themselves to the highest honors; for by this they have wished to maintain the distinction that the priesthood is a special and higher estate before God than the other common Christians, because (as they think) they have the whole Sacrament or both forms, and the other Christians, as lesser people, have to be satisfied only with a few pieces of the Sacrament.
(3) They wanted to bring this difference to the people with such a feast, and to praise their state before others, as they said, to shame and disgrace the holy sacrament and the Lord Jesus Christ, who has not instituted such a sacrament, to make a distinction between the spiritual (as they have invented) and the common Christian state; just as he did not suffer and die for this or that state, but for the sake of the holy sacrament.
Consolation of His Christian Church, which is not divided, but is one body of the one Head JEsu Christ, since all the members are equal as far as life and essence are concerned, although the profession and the works are unequal and different.
4 This abuse, which is very great and dangerous, is not to be forgotten, but to be stirred up in the pulpit and well struck out, because they insist so obstinately and impenitently on their ungodly nature. For how does the holy sacrament come to be used to make a distinction among Christians, when the Lord Christ instituted it primarily for the consolation of the conscience and the strengthening of the faith? Then that it should be like a bond in Christianity, so that Christians are joined together: that they are like one loaf or one cake, not only in that they have at the same time one God, one Word, one baptism, one sacrament, one hope and confidence; but also one body, as one member lends a hand to the other, and helps, counsels. To bear compassion 2c. The papists have even abolished this custom of the holy sacrament, because they alone have arrogated the sacrament to themselves, and thereby made a special group, which should be better than the common Christianity. But so that the common man would also hold the one figure in high esteem and not despise it, they held the feast of Corporis Christi (the body of Christ) for eight days every year, when the one figure was carried through the city with a magnificent display, with cymbals and strings, so that people's eyes were opened, so that they would think that although the priesthood was much more glorious and greater in the sight of God, they still had something to flaunt.
5 Today's Gospel has the following to it
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must also serve them. It is as if this householder had prepared a meal of mice, and had given only food, but nothing to drink. So they sing: Venite, comedite panem meum, et bibite vinum meum: Come, eat my bread and drink my wine. But it is the same with our Lord God in every way: what he establishes and ordains must be perverted, blasphemed and desecrated by the devil and his own. This is also the case with the most reverend Sacrament, which is still being blasphemed today by the papists. For, as I have said, they do not keep this feast in honor of the holy Sacrament; otherwise they would carry the whole Sacrament about, but in honor of themselves; and they make a great show of it, not that we should have much of it, but only that we might know what difference there is between a priest and a layman. In other things, where God has created it, it is good to make a difference, so that a woman remains a woman, a man a man, that secular authorities are separated from the subjects, and so on with other secular classes. But that one wants to make a difference here, since God has abolished all difference, that pope, bishops, yes. St. Peter or St. Paul should have a better baptism, a better gospel, than otherwise a common Christian, that is not Christ's opinion. Therefore it is also wrong for them to want to have a better sacrament than other common Christians, whom they have called laymen; although our Savior, the Lord Christ, has not instituted the sacrament, as has been said, for distinction among his Christians, but for comparison (like baptism and the gospel), that one should have as much of it as the other.
(6) Not to mention the abominable idolatry, which they have powerfully driven into the people with such a transfer, that they have forgotten that he who would have right use of the sacrament should eat and drink as Christ commanded. They did not reproach the Christians with this command, but told them that it was enough with this sacrament if they saw it, fell down before it and worshipped, since it was not in his custom.
For Christ has ordained it only to be eaten and drunk, and thus to strengthen the faith; and not to be buried, taken up, looked at, carried about, or worshipped. But if any man will abuse it in that which Christ hath not commanded, let him see what he shall do with it, and what he shall keep of such sacrament. For if the body and blood of Christ are by command among the bread and wine, when they are eaten and drunk, it follows that, if there is no such institution, and one wishes to use this sacrament for something other than what Christ commanded, it is no longer a sacrament, and that a vain idolatry is done with it.
(7) I have said this briefly for the sake of the youth and also for our sake, so that everyone may beware of the abomination and get to know the devil, whom the pope has introduced here, and thus divides Christendom, since they want to have our Lord God united. For they condemn and persecute us because we do not want to be made into mice and rats, who eat drunk, or only want to take some form. Therefore they are people to whom one is justly hostile, because they act against Christ and his order in such a bold and defiant way. And for good, just causes we have dropped and abandoned this feast of Corporis Christi in our church, because it is an abomination before God, a disgrace to His holy sacrament, and a noticeable harm to us. For we want to remain with the unity of Christians, that here one is as good as the other, and all difference in outward and worldly things remains. That is enough, for the sake of the young and the simple. Now let us turn to the gospel.
(8) This gospel is above the miraculous work, when the Lord Christ heals a dropsy in the Pharisee's house. But the evangelist says: They were waiting for him, so that they might catch him.
(9) Therefore the Lord soon starts and gives a chapter to the guests, so that they are full of pride and arrogance, and they struggle to sit upstairs, until he finally comes to the host, to whom he also gives his lesson on how to ask guests: not the rich, who ask him to sit upstairs.
714 L. 2, 370.371. On the second Sunday after Trinity. L. 2, 371.372. 715
but the poor, who will be able to ask and give thanks for him in that life. One of them, who wants to be very pious, responds to such a speech by saying: "Blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God," as if he had a great interest in God's kingdom and eternal life. But the Lord notices the mischievousness and hypocrisy, and emphasizes to him how holy he and his kind are, that they ask nothing at all, neither about our Lord God, nor about the Kingdom of Heaven. You, he says, now let yourself be heard as having a very great desire for God's kingdom. But, shall I tell you the truth, you are one of the guests who are kindly invited, but they have other things to do and do not want to come. The blow is especially for the one who distinguishes himself from others with this desire. As if the Lord wanted to say: You say a lot that it is a blessed man who eats bread in heaven. Oh, you are very serious; how you are such a good, holy man; namely, one of those who are invited and yet do not want to come. These are hard, sharp, and dreadful words, if you will move them; for he is speaking to the vain rascals who sat about the table, not that they would learn anything of him, but that they were waiting for him, where they might come and catch him. Then the likeness began, as a man had been who made a great supper, and sent out his servants, and bade guests. But what did they do? They all excused themselves and stayed outside. One said he had bought a field, which he must see; the other, he had bought five yoke of oxen; the third, he had taken a wife: and they left the master with his supper, and despised him in addition, so that at last the master became angry, took what he could find, cripples, the lame and the blind, and drove them by force to the inn. But of the rest he says, "They shall not taste my supper." This is a hard gospel against both Jews and Gentiles. Now let us go over it according to the text.
- the man who made this supper is our Lord GOD himself, who is
a great and rich host; and has also made a supper, according to his majesty and glorious honor, which is called great and glorious: not only because of the host, which is God himself, that it would be a great meal, if he had given only pea broth or dry bread; but the food is also great, namely, the holy gospel, yes, Christ our Lord himself. He himself is the food, and is presented to us in the gospel, that he has done enough for our sin through his death, and has disposed of all the misery of eternal death, hell, the wrath of God, sin and condemnation.
This sermon of Christ is the great, glorious supper, to which he asks guests that he may sanctify them through his baptism, comfort and strengthen them through the sacrament of his body and blood; that nothing may be lacking, that there may be full sufficiency and that everyone may be filled. So that this is called a great supper, also because of the food and dishes, which are so seasoned and prepared that no tongue can understand it and no heart can sufficiently comprehend it. For it is an everlasting meat and drink, whereof we never thirst nor hunger, but are filled and made drunk and merry for ever. And not one man alone; but as far as the world is, if it were ten times wider, they would all have enough of this meal. For the gospel thus saith, Whosoever believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ, that he was born of Mary of virgins for our sakes, and was martyred for our sins under Pontius Pilate, and died, and descended into hell, and rose again, and sitteth on the right hand of God, 2c., the same shall live for ever and ever, and be blessed. On the other hand, he who has eaten enough today must eat again tomorrow. But this is an eternal food, which endures forever. Therefore give the hypocrites at the table to understand that it is another meal than they gave him; and yet they are such husks and knaves, though they can wash and chat much of it, yet they despise God and His mercy, eternal life and blessedness, and let all other things be dearer to themselves. Follow further in the text:
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And invited many to do so.
The "many" who are invited are the Jews and all the people of Israel, who have been invited from Abraham onward, especially through the prophets. For the arch-father Abraham was promised the seed through whom the blessing was to come. And so this supper, as the father of this people, was first proclaimed to him; then the prophets continued and pointed out to the people that our Lord God's will was not lacking, and that he had diligently invited them. That is why St. Paul in his epistles prefixes the Jews everywhere: Judaeis primum et Graecis. (To the Jews
primarily and also the Greeks).
013 And when the hour was come that they should come to meat, that is, when it was about the time that our Lord Christ was born, and should suffer, and rise again from the dead, and begin his everlasting kingdom, then went forth the servants, John the Baptist and the apostles, and said unto them that were bidden, unto the people of Israel, Good people, ye are bidden hitherto: now is the time, come, now shall it be done. Your Lord or Messiah has already been born, died and risen again; therefore do not tarry long outside, come to the table, eat and be merry, that is, receive with joy your promised treasure, which has delivered you from curse and condemnation and made you blessed. And such a message was especially preached to the highest among the people, who were in the spiritual and temporal government. But what did they do about it?
They all started apologizing one after another.
(14) This is a lesson for the guests who sit at table with Christ, and especially for the useless washer who wants to master Christ over the table and preach much about the bread in the kingdom of God: "Blessed is he who eats the bread in the kingdom of heaven. Yes, says he, if you want to know how blessed you are, I will tell you, it is already prepared; John the Baptist is here; I and my apostles now call you to sit at the table: but you do not remain alone outside, but still want to excuse yourselves and be pure; sin therefore twofold: that you despise the gospel, and the
nor want to have done right, nor be holy, pious and wise. That is a grievous sin. For in this it would be much, much too much, that one neither accepts nor believes the word of our Lord God; but that one continues to add to it, and despises it, and wants to be righteous on top of it, that is overpowering and quite unpleasant. As our nobles, the papists, are doing now: they still want to be praised for giving the sacrament under one form, forbidding marriage and causing other ungodly things in the church; they even condemn us and put us to all tortures, murder and chase away the people who do not want to accept their abomination. Now let them pour out hot enough that they may sweat the more.
(15) The Jews did the same, and excused themselves when they were summoned, saying that they could not accept this teaching, because it was against the priesthood and the law that God Himself had given through Moses, and that it would lead to a disruption in the government that God Himself had ordered. Therefore, the first one excuses himself with the field, the second one with the oxen, and both think that it is well done; the third one does not excuse himself at all, but says badly that he cannot come. These are the excuses of these saints against the gospel, that they first of all preach the law and their worship. For because the apostles preached that neither law, temple, nor priest were any longer necessary, because the right high priest was present, Jesus Christ, of the tribe of Judah, by whose sacrifice alone one must be saved; they did not want to suffer such preaching, but to keep their law; so they left Christ and the gospel, and wait to this day for their Messiah to come, and to restore the old priesthood and kingdom, as it was in the time of David.
16 Christ touches on this with the purchase of the field, that the first one says: "I want to look at my field"; that is, we priests must work and reap, that is, we must govern the people (as Christ also calls the preachers field people who sow the gospel), we must wait for our priesthood. Because
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but the teaching of the apostles is against it and points to another priest and another sacrifice, we condemn it as a false teaching and do not want to come to this supper. So also the others, who were in the secular regiment, excuse themselves with the oxen. For oxen are the name of the rulers of the people (Ps. 22:13: "Great bulls have surrounded me, fat oxen have surrounded me"). For they thought: We have a kingdom and a regiment, established and appointed by God; we must stay with it and see how we get it. But if we were to follow this new doctrine, we would lose everything; therefore always away with this preaching! The third say: "The gospel is a doctrine that does not want to be stingy, but means to set everything in motion, life and limb, money and goods, for Christ's sake; therefore we do not want to come, but keep our houses full without a ride. 2c. For to take a wife here does not mean to commit fornication or to intend something wicked and dishonest; but to take care of everything that a householder deals with, to think how we may keep house and prosper, how we may feed ourselves. For the Jews looked to it, as Moses had promised them, if they were pious and kept God's commandment, temporal blessing, that cattle, field, woman, child, everything should be blessed and stand well. Therefore, they sought only to fill their kitchen and cellar and become rich, thinking that they were pious and that God had blessed them.
(17) So our papists also excuse themselves and say: The doctrine is right, but one must nevertheless remain with the church and not cause a separation, otherwise rebellion and division would follow. They are also worried that if they accept the gospel, they will lose their church or authority, since the gospel alone builds up the true Christian church and prevents all unjust violence and rebellion. After that, avarice also hinders them, so that they see nothing in the gospel but poverty and persecution. But how will they fare? Just like the Jews, who held so long and firmly over their law, priesthood, kingdom and goods, until they finally came to nothing and were one with
They have lost one to the other, so that now and then they sit in misery, among the strangers, as if on a hump, and have to take this supper next to it, as the father of the house says: "I tell you that none of the men who are invited will taste my supper. But he does not want to have it prepared in vain; therefore he looks around for other guests, as follows:
Then the father of the house was angry, and said to his servant, Go out soon into the streets and lanes of the city 2c.
18 As if to say, "Well, then, since you are about to see your fields and oxen and take wives and miss my supper, that is, you want to keep your priesthood, kingdom and wealth, and let me and my gospel go, I will advise the matter in such a way that you will lose everything you intend to keep in this way, not even taste my supper, and make other guests for me. Therefore go thou, servant, into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and the crippled, the lame and the blind. This is what happened among the Jews. For since the great lords, princes and priests, and what was best among the people, would not accept the gospel, for cause as aforesaid, our Lord GOD accepted the lowly fishermen, the poor, wretched and most despised multitude. As St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 1, 26. ff.Consider, brethren, your calling: not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but what is foolish in the sight of the world, that God hath chosen, to put to shame the wise; and what is weak in the sight of the world, that God hath chosen, to put to shame what is strong; and what is base in the sight of the world, and what is despised, that God hath chosen, and that which is nothing, to bring to nought what is something" 2c. According to this saying, most of the wise, holy, rich and mighty things of this people were rejected by God because they would not accept the gospel. On the other hand, Christ accepted the foolish, simple, lowly people, such as Peter, Andrew, Phi-
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lippus, Bartholomew 2c.; which were poor fishermen and scanty beggars, whom no man esteemed worthy to wipe the shoes of the priests and princes of the people. For they were the basic soup, and as Isaiah says, the yeast of the good, delicious wine; so that the best of the people, priests, princes, rich men, and mighty men, were poured away because of their unbelief, like a barrel of good wine, and only the yeast remained, whom the Lord here calls poor, lame, crippled, and blind. They come to the graces and honors that they are dear guests at this supper and have all fullness.
19 Therefore the Pharisee says, "Blessed are those who eat the bread of the kingdom of God"; yes, Christ answers, blessed are they; but you and your kind are concerned about a field and oxen, that is what you are talking about. Therefore you should know that a supper has been prepared for the poor to eat, as Christ says in Matth. 11, 5: "The poor have the gospel preached to them"; for the mighty, the holy, the wise do not want it, nor should they have it. This means that the Jews are well forbidden, *) and especially this one, who wants to be so wise and eat bread in the kingdom of heaven, and yet wants to keep the priesthood and kingdom, let Christ and his gospel remain where he wants. For his heart is set on this, that he has no need of the Lord Christ in heaven; but our Lord God will say to him and to all the Jews, "Come, you Jews, and especially you priests, you saints, you princes, you fat citizens, the Lord's Supper is appointed for you. Yes, he says, it is true, you are invited; but you do not respect it and excuse yourselves, and still want to have the right to it. Therefore I let you go, and accept rather the least people, the crippled and the lame.
020 So far then is this gospel applied to the Jews only. For it speaks of the lame and crippled who are in the streets and alleys of the city, and calls the Jewish people a city, because they were a well-ordered people, and had the law, worship, temple, priest, king, all from God Himself.
*) gezwagen; zwagen - to wash the body or a bodyHeil. D. Red.
ordered and arranged by Moses. Now he sends his servant also into the highways, and commands him to take guests where he finds them, even the beggars at the fences, and everywhere.
And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and by the fences, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
(21) These are we Gentiles, who have not dwelt in any city, that is, have had no special worship like the Jews; but have been idolatrous, because we have not known what we or God are. Therefore our thing is called a free, open place, on the highway, in the field, where the devil runs over and has his room as he wills. Go there, says the father of the house, and force them in. For the world has this bad habit of always opposing the gospel, and will not tolerate this teaching, but this householder wants to have his house full of guests, because he has prepared himself so that he must have people who eat and drink and are happy, even if he makes them out of stones. And this is also the reason that God leaves the world standing so long, when he would have reason enough to push it into a heap every moment for the sake of our sin. But he does not do this because he needs more guests, who also belong to the Lord's Supper. Therefore, because his servants bring the dear gospel to us, it is a sign that we who are baptized and believe also belong to this supper. For we are the great lords who lie behind the fences, that is, blind, poor, lost heathen. But how does he force us? Doesn't our Lord God want to have a forced service?
22 So he compels us to preach, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." There he shows both hell and heaven, death and life, wrath and grace. For there our sin and corrupt state is first revealed to us, so that we must be terrified of it, because we hear that as soon as we are born we are under the devil's kingdom and in God's wrath.
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(23) This is called being rightly compelled when one is thus afraid of God's wrath and desires help from Him. When this has happened through the preaching, and the hearts have been shattered and frightened, then one preaches further and says: "Dear man, do not therefore despair whether you are already a sinner and have such a terrible judgment upon you; do to him: go, you have been baptized, hear the gospel. There you will learn that Jesus Christ died for your sake, and by his death on the cross has made amends for your sin. If thou believest this, thou shalt be safe from the wrath of God and eternal death, and shalt be a guest at this glorious supper, and shalt eat that thou mayest be fat and strong 2c.
(24) That is, "to afflict," that is, to afflict with sin: not as the pope afflicts with excommunication. He does not scare the conscience rightly, for he does not teach what right sins are, but goes about his foolish work: whoever does not keep his order and the statutes of men, let him be under ban. But the gospel reveals the right sins and the wrath of God from heaven, Rom. 1:18, that we all, none excluded, live in sins and are ungodly. This is what our Lord God proclaims to us through His gospel, when He says to the apostles, "Go and preach repentance." Now repentance cannot be preached, unless it is said that God is angry with all men because they are full of unbelief, contempt of God and other sins. This anger should frighten them, make their consciences timid and fearful, so that they will compel themselves and say, "O Lord God, what shall I always do to be freed from this misery? Then they will say to him: Sit down here and eat (for there are still many tables empty and full of food), that is, you have been baptized, therefore believe in Jesus Christ, that he died for your sin and has done enough. Otherwise there is no other means by which you can be saved, except by being baptized and believing. Then the wrath will cease, and from heaven will shine forth grace and mercy, forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
(25) That is why "need" here is used as much as "need".
Preach repentance and forgiveness of sins, wrath on sinners and grace on believers. So wrath and repentance presses in, that one must run and cry for grace. This then is the right way to this supper. And so Jews and Gentiles become one Christian church, and are all at the same time called poor, miserable people, lame and crippled. For after the terror they warmly accept the gospel and crawl to the cross. But those who do not want to do this, being so wise and prudent as they always can be, have here their judgment that they shall not taste this supper, that is, that the wrath of God shall remain upon them, and shall be condemned because of their unbelief. For then our Lord God does not inquire (as was also reported before) whether they are rich, wise or holy. And even if they are already sure and think that there should be no need, they will still find out that this judgment will not lie, that the Lord concludes here: Non gustabunt: they shall not taste it, my supper. But we who accept it, and with frightened hearts, because of our sins, do not reject the grace of God, which is proclaimed and offered to us in the Gospel through Christ, receive grace for wrath, eternal righteousness for sin, and eternal life for eternal death.
(26) Such a terrible judgment, as we see, is going on today among Turks and Jews, that they have no smell of the Gospel; indeed, it is a disgust to them that they cannot suffer it nor hear it. So are our popes, together with cardinals and bishops, they do not smell this food, let alone get their fill of it. But we, who have come to this teaching by God's special grace, are getting fat, strong and happy from it, and are in good spirits over this meal. May God grant that we may thus remain steadfast until the end, amen.
27 Therefore in this parable the Lord will admonish us to esteem the gospel precious and valuable, and not to keep company with the multitude that think themselves wise, prudent, mighty, and holy. For here is the sentence: They are to be rejected and not to take this supper.
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taste. So shall it be with us, if we prefer our fields, oxen, wives, that is, spiritual, as it is now called, or worldly honor, along with temporal goods, to the gospel.
028 He saith in simple, low words, They shall not taste my supper. As if he should say: "Well, my supper is also something; and what is more, it shall be far better, neither their oxen, fields and houses, nor their wives, although they despise it now and consider their fields, oxen and houses much more delicious. For the hour will come when they will have to leave their oxen, fields and houses, so that they would like to taste my supper. But then it shall also mean: Dear, I am not at home now, I cannot wait for the guests; go to your fields, to your oxen, to your houses, they will probably give you a better supper, because you have despised my supper so surely and boldly. I had prepared myself for guests, and had turned much upon it; which spurned you: now that ye have cooked it better, eat, and be merry; only that ye taste not my supper.
- These will be very hard words and a terrible judgment in that day, when he will call his supper eternal life with clear words, and their fields, oxen and houses the hellish fire, and remain stubbornly that they shall not taste his supper forever, that is, there shall no longer be any hope that they will be helped in eternity. For neither repentance nor contrition will help. Therefore these are terrible, violent words, which indicate the great, unending wrath of the master of the house. For this is not the way of great lords and great men: when they are really angry, they do not speak many words; but what they speak, a word weighs a centner; for they have more fierce things in mind than they can speak. How much more will these short words of the Almighty Lord indicate an unspeakable anger that can never be appeased.
- So we still go along as if such harsh, terrible words had been spoken by a fool or a child, that we might laugh and mock; or as if it were our Lord God's jest and reproach: and neither hear nor see that the text clearly says that he is angry and has spoken such things out of great anger, and that he is not a fool nor a child, but the LORD and GOD above all things, before whom the mountains tremble and are terrified (as the Scripture says) with ground and earth, and both sea and water flee before him. Only man is still so hard and iron that he does not fear anything, but still despises it and makes a mockery of it.
(31) But we preachers are excused here; for we ever admonish you faithfully enough that you should take this supper more than all the money and good things on earth. Therefore, on that day, the whole world will have to bear witness to us and confess that we were not lacking. For we do it so diligently and faithfully that even our opponents know about it and call our teachings heresy. We are grateful to them for accepting this. For thus they confess that they have certainly heard, read and seen it, and that we have not kept silent. But if we have not kept silent, but have faithfully and diligently taught and preached such things, so that our enemies themselves say, "We have done too much: ah! let the man be judged whom we believe to have told us; and let the man defend them, or condemn us, who drives them to condemn. Let it be known in the name of God which part of God is the right God, and which Christ is the right Christian, which church is the right church; it will be found when the snow melts. However, let us ask God to graciously keep us in such doctrine and faith through His Holy Spirit, so that we will certainly be welcome and dear guests at this meal. May our dear Father in heaven grant us this for the sake of His Son, Christ Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, Amen.
726 L. 2, 397-399. on the third Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1616-1614. 727
On the third Sunday after Trinity.
Luc. 15, 1-10.
And all the publicans and sinners came near to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying: This man accepts sinners and eats with them. And he said unto them this like thing, saying, What man is there among you, that hath an hundred sheep, and if he lose one, and leave not the nine and ninety in the wilderness, and go after him that is lost, until he find him? And when he hath found, he layeth it upon his shoulder with joy. And when he cometh home, he calleth unto his friends and neighbors, and saith unto them: Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost. I say to you: So also shall there be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, before nine and ninety righteous, which need not repentance. Or what woman, having ten pennies, if she lose one, doth not kindle a light, and turn the house, and search diligently, until she find him? And when she has found it, she calls to her friends and neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my penny which I had lost. So also, I say to you, there will be joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
This is one of the most comforting gospels preached throughout the year, in which the Lord Jesus teaches us that his ministry is a shepherding ministry, that he should go after sinners, seek them out, and bring them to judgment, so that they will not be given to the devil and eternally condemned. Such a sermon, however, stands out above the rest, because all kinds of tax collectors and sinners ran after the Lord Christ to listen to his sermon. The Pharisees and scribes saw this, grumbled about it, and reproached him very badly, as if it were a sign of a special recklessness. For it is right for a godly man to associate with godly people. But the Lord answers very well and says, "He does just what people usually do in matters where so much is not involved. So he wants to be unpunished by the Pharisees and be right in his cause.
For this is the question and the business at hand: how to deal with sinners and what to do with them. Just as two unequal parts, who have both studied God's word, come together, so the answer to such a question is also unequal. The Pharisees and scribes know nothing more of God's word than what Moses and the Law teach. Because the law preaches everywhere: God will be merciful to those who find pious and
Therefore, the Pharisees and scribes conclude that it is not fitting for people to deal with sinners in any other way than the way God deals with them. Because God is angry with them and does not take care of them, they should not accept them either, but let them go.
3 Our reason also judges in the same way. As soon as a man becomes aware of his sins, he thinks that God is angry, that there is no mercy, that he must wait for all misfortune. As we can see from Adam and Eve: as soon as they ate from the forbidden tree, and had to bear the conscience that they had done against God, they hid themselves away and were not allowed to be seen anywhere. We also see it in the young children: when they know that they have done wrong, they hide themselves. For this is the way of sin, that it makes a fearful heart, fearful of disgrace and punishment. Again, when the conscience knows itself to be innocent, man takes courage and does not ask whether someone is ungracious, because there is always confidence in the heart: You know yourself to be innocent; someone else will be found who is guilty, so that you will go out unpunished.
4 Like a heart that knows itself guilty, naturally cannot but fear, and for this reason gives itself all grace.
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and awaits disgrace: so do the Pharisees here judge of sinners also. They see that tax collectors and sinners have lived in a sinful state until now; therefore they quickly conclude that no one should deal with bad boys, nor show them any mercy; for God Himself is ungracious to them, does not want them, wants only pious, God-fearing hearts that do not burden themselves with such gross sins.
5 But think about it, if such a judgment is true, that God will have no patience with sinners and will always strike with a club, how will we all fare? Where will he have people and a church? For even if we do not all lie in outward gross vices: there is, praise God, many a husband who has not broken his marriage; many a man who has not murdered with his hand, not stolen, nor done other things that are dishonest and ungodly: nevertheless, we must all confess ourselves sinners before God. For we see and experience that there is nothing good in our hearts, although the hands, the mouth and other members are more blameless and pure in one than in the other. But now God will judge according to the heart. If then God should be ungracious to all sinners, throwing them away and not taking care of them; as the Pharisees here pass judgment according to the law, it would follow that no man could be saved. But the Pharisees themselves must confess that such an opinion is wrong and unjust.
Therefore, our dear Lord Jesus Christ makes a different judgment and does not want to accept such an answer of the Pharisees at all, and concludes the contradiction, namely, that God is not hostile to sinners, and does not desire their death; therefore, he, the Lord Christ, cannot be hostile to them, and came into this world to seek them out as erroneous sheep and to bring them back to rights. And all men, especially the preachers, should follow this example, that they, as one does in a house where something is lost, should make every effort to find it again.
(7) This is a different doctrine and preaching from the doctrine of Moses and the preaching of the law that
did not grow in our hearts, but was brought to us from heaven by the Son of God. As John the Baptist says: "No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared Him to us. For no man knows that God wills not to be angry with sinners, not to condemn them for their sins, but rather to accept them with grace and make them blessed. We know and feel the contradiction. Therefore, where there is sin, it follows, as previously reported, that one is afraid of God. But our dear Lord Christ teaches us through His Gospel that He has a different opinion of sinners before God's judgment, that He will not be angry with them, but will accept them in mercy, and that the angels in heaven above take great delight and pleasure in it, where sinners come to repentance and are converted.
(8) Such teaching should be remembered all the more diligently, because our reason includes the contradiction that we learn to comfort and endure ourselves with it against the evil conscience and sin. For whoever wants to follow his own heart, reason and understanding in such a challenge of the conscience, he goes and can neither be advised nor helped; he must despair. Therefore, all power is up to us, against our own heart and conscience, to join with Christ and say: I am a poor sinner, I cannot, indeed, will not deny it; but I will by no means despair because of it, as if God did not want me. My Lord Jesus Christ says that a sinner is like a little sheep that has lost its shepherd and gone astray. He will not leave such a sheep astray, but will seek it out and carry it to the other sheep. This is an indication that he will not cast us away because of our sins, but will use all his diligence to bring us out of sin and back into grace.
Now the Gospel elsewhere shows sufficient reason why God does not want to cast away sinners. Namely, as John says in chapter 3, that he is such a God who is not hostile to the world, but loves it, and so loves it,
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that he gave his only Son to her and made atonement for her, so that the world might be comforted by this sacrifice and not despair on account of its sins. For although God could have helped us humans in other ways, this help is so well done by Him, because His only begotten Son Himself takes our sin upon Himself and pays for it, that we have no reason to doubt such payment. For it must follow that God is more pleased with his Son's death and dying than he can be displeased with us and our sins.
(10) Besides such causes, in today's Gospel the Lord Jesus shows a special thought which he had in this matter, that he could not refrain from being about sinners, seeking them out, and doing everything that is conducive to their salvation, saying, "It is just as it is with us men. A rich man who has ten thousand guilders, if a thousand are stolen or lost, he is no different than if he had lost everything. For he is not so much pleased and comforted by what he has left as he is by what he has lost. This is our way, and where it concerns only the temporal, it is called a bad way. For there one sees that God always leaves more than the devil takes. Therefore, we should not let the temporal accident grieve us so much, but take comfort in the fact that we still have something and most of it, and that God can give us more every day and increase ours.
(11) This way then, says our dear Lord Christ, I also have. The sinners are my purchased, dear purchased goods and property; for I have purchased them for myself through my suffering and death. That it should not hurt me now, and that I should not worry about it and assume that they will go out of the way and out of my hands again, is impossible; because they cost me too much, and have become too sour for me, and it takes me that they should still be of the devil. For this reason, I cannot leave it alone; as soon as one of my sheep leaves me, I must act as if the others had nothing to do with me, and go after the lost one and look for it,
so that the wolves do not get it. Just like a mother who has many children, they are all dear to her, and she would not like to have one among them. But when one of them falls ill, the illness makes a difference between the other children, so that the sickest is the dearest, and the mother no longer takes care of any of them, nor does she wait diligently for any of them. Whoever would then judge love by the waiting would have to say: The mother loves only the sick child, not the healthy ones. Thus, says the Lord here, I am also with the sinners.
(12) This is the heart of our Lord Christ most kindly and sweetly portrayed, that it is impossible to make it more sweet and kindly, because he has such care, concern, trouble, and labor about how to restore poor sinners; and he himself leads us into our own heart to think how we should feel when we lose something that is dear to us. Thus, he says, my heart stands, thus it waltzes and is troubled, when I see that the devil has brought a poor man into sin and error.
(13) For this purpose also he takes the likeness of the little sheep and the shepherd before him. It is not a miserable thing for a sheep to go astray from its pasture and from its shepherd, for it has no way of advising itself and is in danger at all times of being caught and eaten by the wolf that is stalking it. In such a journey, it has no help at all, and can neither protect itself nor endure with the least. For there is no animal among all that nature has created so completely bare and defenseless. It is the same with a sinner whom the devil has led away from God and his word and brought into sin. For there he is not safe for a moment, since our enemy, the devil, as Peter says, prowls around like a lion, seeing if he may devour us. In such a time, this is the only consolation, that we have a shepherd, our dear Lord Christ, who takes care of us and seeks us out: not because he wants to punish us for our sins and cast us into hell; no, this is the devil's
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But when he finds us, that he will gladly lay us on his shoulders and carry us home, where we may be safe from the wolf and have our shelter and pasture in the best way.
14 But you know how such a search is made, namely, that he lets his word go and sound publicly everywhere. In the same, we hear how sin is a terrible misery and burden that throws us into eternal damnation. But since God was moved out of fatherly love toward us disobedient children, and has provided counsel and help for us from such misery through His Son, He desires nothing in return, except that we should accept it with thanksgiving, believe in the Lord Christ, and keep to God's word, and be willing and obedient to Him.
(15) When the sheep, the poor sinners, hear this and have confidence in God from such a sermon, they strike themselves and think: "What have you done to yourself, you wretched man, because you have such a gracious God, that you have not kept to His will and let the devil lead you into disobedience? What does the shameful money help you, since you are so stingy? Wouldn't it be better to make a fair profit with God and honor that is pleasing to everyone, than to be accused of being an unreasonable usurer before God and the people, and therefore have neither happiness nor salvation with such shameful profit? What good is the dishonest, lewd life? Would it not be better to be married and have a good conscience, than to lie in sins and shame outside of marriage, and wait every moment for the terrible judgment of God? What is the use of indulging, eating and drinking, since at last bodily sickness and sudden death and destruction may follow? Soon, soon the other way around, and you will be gone before God's wrath befalls you, who would gladly be merciful to you, if only you wanted it yourself and did not put yourself deeper into disgrace through such wanton sin. Where such things happen, namely, that the hearts beat within themselves and through
*) Ei, was hast du denn gewollt, du 2c. D. Red.
When the shepherd finds comfort in Christ, he finds his erring sheep who turn to the shepherd's voice and run to him in all confidence, and he takes them on his shoulder, that is, he forgives their sin and takes them into his protection and protection, so that they may be safe from the wolf and other wild animals.
(16) Now here we see what difference there is between sinners. In this all sinners are equal, that they give themselves to the devil for service against God's obedience. But after that they become unequal. For some and most of them, if you preach and tell them what you want, they still remain in sin, and do nothing better, comfort themselves, and think: "Well, there is no need, God is merciful, he will be happy with you always, you come and desire mercy when you want; I will first better myself in the world, I will first be a little bit pissed off; then I will also go to church, hear the sermon and become godly. These sheep hear the voice of the shepherd, but they do not want to be found. What happens then? Nothing else happens, except that day by day, the longer they go astray, the more they fall into the devil's trap, so that they can no longer work their way out. As you can see, things are going on in the world, and people are drowning in avarice, fornication, indulgence and other sins, so that it becomes a nature that they think they cannot live, so they do. We should beware of this, and when we hear the voice of the Shepherd, we should soon find our way to Him, that is, we should repent, not persist or continue in sins, but repent, amend, and believe that our Shepherd Jesus Christ will not leave us astray, but will accept us again in all graces and reconcile us to His Father.
17 For repentance does not mean becoming more devout for the sake of an outward life alone, but trusting in God's goodness through Christ and believing in the forgiveness of sins. Christ wants to accept such sinners. The others he would gladly accept, but they do not want to be, so he must let them go. For because they do not want to be found, they may remain astray as long as they do not believe in God.
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they want, and see how they will finally succeed.
(18) Not only does this gospel comfort poor sinners that their shepherd, Christ, will seek and accept them as erring sheep, but it also teaches us how to approach this shepherd, namely, to hear his voice and to follow him. As the history of the Gospel also tells us, that these people were tax collectors and sinners, but nevertheless ran after the Lord Christ, because they heard him. But what do we hear from Christ? Nothing else, except that God wants to be merciful to sinners through Christ and make them blessed; only that they let themselves be enticed and do not continue to run astray, but when they hear the Shepherd's voice, turn back and let themselves be carried by the Lord Christ, who has already paid for their sin and done enough, and reconciled them to God. For we do not want to suffer, because God has done so much for us and has shown His grace so abundantly to us, that we despise His command and do not want to keep His word and do anything to please Him.
19 Therefore, let us be mindful of such teaching, so that we may resist the devil and our own hearts, and endure against despair, as if God were such a God who would have no patience with sinners and would condemn them. For such a thought is in the hearts of all people. Against this, one must be prepared with God's word and press this image, which the Lord Christ himself presents to us, into the heart, that he is a shepherd, and therefore let his word resound in the world, so that the erring sheep may hear it and find their way to him.
020 Therefore, if thou knowest thyself to be also an erring sheep, which the devil hath driven far from the way, and led away, receive this preaching of Christ. For for your sake it is preached that you may come to repentance, that is, that you may take comfort in the Lord Christ and his grace, and come out of the devil's snares and become more godly. And beware of this, as of the devil himself, that you do not let such a voice pass, but soon turn back and go after the shepherd.
You have recovered and have brought great joy to the angels in heaven, who will gladly be around you and protect you from all the devil's journey with their presence and protection. On the other hand, unrepentant sinners cause the dear angels all sorrow, worry and displeasure, and therefore fall from their protection, and must stand and walk in eternal peril every moment.
- But that the Lord is not satisfied with the one likeness of the shepherd and the little sheep, but adds another, of a woman who has lost a penny; this is because he wants others to follow his example, and not to reject sinners, but to seek them out and bring them to repentance. For the first likeness is of our dear Lord and Savior Christ Jesus alone; he is the only and right shepherd, who is not hostile to the sheep, but lays down his life for them, so that they may be protected and pacified from the devil. The other similitude of the woman applies to the Christian church, which therefore has the office of preaching, so that poor sinners may be lured to repentance, saved from eternal death and damnation, and saved to salvation. She also rejoices, like the shepherd, when she finds the penny, lights a light, the word of God, and turns the house around, that is, she teaches how to be pious and to take comfort in the grace of God through Christ before God and His judgment. With this sermon she finds the lost penny.
(22) This is to praise and glorify God's word as the only treasure that takes away sin and all the misery that follows from sin, such as death, damnation, the devil and hell, so that we are no longer sinners and enemies of God, but a special joy to the angels in heaven and all the saints on earth. For this reason we should hold it in all honor and dignity, hear it gladly and with heart, love and value those who preach it; so that we may also come to such blessed fruit, out of error and free and free from all the ride of the sorrowful devil, and become eternally blessed. May the dear and faithful shepherd of our souls, our dear Lord Christ, grant this to us all through the Holy Spirit, amen.
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*On the fourth Sunday after Trinity. )
Luc. 6:36-42.
Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A full, pressed, shaken, and superfluous measure shall be put into your bosom: for even with the measure that ye measure with shall ye be measured again. And he said to them the same thing: May a blind man guide a blind man? will they not both fall into the pit? The disciple is not above his master; if the disciple is like his master, he is perfect. But why do you see a mote in your brother's eye, and do not see the beam in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, "Be still, brother, I will take the mote out of your eye, and you yourself do not see the beam in your eye? You hypocrite, first take the beam out of your eye, and then see to it that you take the mote out of your brother's eye.
In today's Gospel, our dear Lord Christ teaches his disciples and all of us how we should relate to one another and live a Christian life. For when we have believed, and are called Christians, saved by the Lord Christ from sin, death, and all unhappiness, a new life shall follow, that we may do what he would have us do. Such a new life the Lord puts into one word: "Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.
Now everyone knows what merciful means, namely, such a person who bears a kind, friendly heart toward his neighbor, has compassion on him, and takes his need and misfortune, whether it concerns his soul, body, honor or goods, with seriousness, and lets himself go to the heart in such a way that he thinks how he can help him; he also proves it by deed and does it with pleasure and gladly. Such a heart, says the Lord, you should have toward everyone, so that it is not a mercy like that of sinners and tax collectors: they also (as Christ says shortly before this Gospel) practice mercy among themselves, love one another, show kindness and friendship to one another, lend to one another; but they do this so that they may receive the same again. This is a ruthlessness that does good in order to receive good or better again.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
But we, if we want to be Christians, should be merciful, as our Father in heaven is: not only to those who are our friends, but to everyone, even to those who are enemies to us and persecute us, because we let ourselves think that they are not worthy that we should speak a kind word to them. As we then learn, that it goes out very hard. Let us say, what is the knave to me, he has done this and that to me, I know his useless mouth well; should I help him? I would rather that the lice eat him 2c. So our nature always wants to draw us to the ruthlessness that only goes to our comrades who play tricks on us; it does not want to go with the others.
(4) This is not the opinion, saith Christ; but if your neighbors have offended you, if ye will be Christians, remember that ye be merciful, and as merciful as your Father is; otherwise ye cannot be his children, nor my brethren, who with my blood have redeemed you from sins and death. For this you must all confess, that you have done your God and Father in heaven all harm and offence, and have kept none of his commandments at all, yea, have transgressed all of them, who would have cause enough to say, Should I give my son for such desperate husks? To the devil with them, into the abyss of hell; for they do not fear, love and trust me, yes, they despise, blaspheme and hate me, swear and curse by my
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names, persecute and condemn my word, disobey parents and authorities, are murderers, adulterers, thieves, covetous, usurers, perjurers, and in sum, they do all evil; therefore let them always go where they belong. So God, says Christ, could also say to you: but he does not; but over all your wickedness he goes and is kind and gracious, giving not only life and limb, food and drink, wife and child, food and all necessities for this life, but also his Son and eternal life.
(5) You shall also learn such mercy. For if someone has offended you and done something that is not pleasing to you, what is that compared to what you have done so often and so grievously against God? Now if God has such great mercy that He gives His only begotten Son to His enemies, that through Him they may be redeemed from sin and death; and gives us for this purpose soul, body, goods, and all that we need, since He should justly send punishment, even hail, thunder, lightning, and hellish fire, and all calamities: learn thou also by this example, that thou mayest say, Though this man or that man hath offended me so greatly, that I should make him eat maggots, yet will I not do it. For such would be only a pagan, and not a Christian mercy. If he has done me evil and wrong, who knows where I have deserved it. Therefore, now that he is in need of my help, I will not repay him, for I see that he is in need of help and that I can help him. So does my Father in heaven with me 2c.
(6) One can see what the peasants are up to; if they could give their goods, which they bring to market, for a lot of money, they would rather do it than not. It is the same in the cities. Everyone collects money, feasts and brags, and lies and cheats others wherever he can. This should at least be a displeasure, if it would again cause a need, so that one would think: "Oh, right, let the boys only be worn down. But a Christian should not do this, but say: What do I care, even if they are bad? This shall not move me, that I also would be wicked.
I will do like a good tree. If you break off the fruit that it has borne for a year, it brings forth others, and is not angry about it; so I will do likewise. If I have done thee good before, and thou hast been unthankful, and hast done me evil in return, thou shalt not move me to be angry with thee. If thou be a briar, that canst not but prick, let it remain; I will not therefore become one, but will remain a fine and fruitful vine, and bring forth good grapes. For so does my Father in heaven: He gives wicked men and wicked women as well as the pious and the righteous, cattle, oxen, calves, eggs, butter, cheese, house, farm, wife, child, money, goods, body and soul, peace, good weather, and whatever is needed. He lets the dear sun shine, since we well deserved that he let hellish fire rain down. But he does not: he does not want to become a thorn bush because of our ingratitude, but says: "If you will be nothing but evil, I will remain good, let my sun and my rain go over the evil and the good.
(7) This is the example which our dear Lord Christ sets before us, that we should continue in such godliness, and not allow other people's wickedness to cause us to become wicked also; as the world is wont to do, it avenges itself, and soon pays for itself. This shall not be among Christians, but shall say, Thou art a briar, thou hast pricked me evil: but for thy sins I will not become a briar also, but will do thee all good in thy trouble; beseeching God for thee, that he will forgive thee these things, and turn thee out of the briar into a goodly fruitful vine. That is, "Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful," who does the very best to his worst enemies.
Now, one must understand this so that one does not think that God wants to have all punishment forbidden and removed. For Christ preaches here to his disciples, who had no regiment. The children in the house, the peasants in the village, the citizens in the city, the princes in the empire have no right against each other; for in the house rules father and mother, in the village the judge, in the city the burgher, in the city the governor.
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In the empire, it is the emperor. The children in the house, the peasants in the village, the citizens in the city, the princes in the empire are all equal among themselves; therefore they should keep this rule among themselves, which the Lord gives here, that no one should do evil to another, but be merciful to one another. But where persons are unequal, as the emperor in the empire against the princes, the nobleman or judge in the village against the peasants: there one should not use mercy against the wicked, but punish the wicked. So parents should not be merciful to their children when they are wicked, but should strike quickly. Husband and wife are not to be merciful against the servants either, but punish what is to be punished and do not overlook anything. This is what God demands of them; and if they do not do it, they must give God a hard account for it.
(9) Therefore this command of Christ of mercy is for those only who are equal. But where there are unequal persons, let each wait for his special command, and let not mercy hinder such a command. But where there are equal persons, citizen against citizen, peasant against peasant, child against child, servant against servant, a Christian should speak: You have done me harm and evil, that God may forgive you; but I do not have to punish you for it. This is called mercy.
(10) If any further harm comes to thee, tell thy father, judge, mayor, or prince, and say, This and that he doeth to me; that thou judge not, neither pass sentence. So no child shall strike another, no peasant, no burgher shall strike another, no nobleman shall overreach another; but to the authorities announce and say: This and that has happened to me, which is not mine to punish, for I do not have the office. This is called mercy, where this proper means is sought from those who have it in their power, so that the wicked may be controlled and their will to anger increased. So Joseph did. He saw much wickedness in his brothers, but he did not punish them himself, for he was not commanded to do so; instead, he told his father: Father, so do Simeon, so do Levi.
may watch and defend. This was right and well done, and a special work of mercy. But he earned disfavor, hatred and envy with it. For his brothers could not believe that he meant so well for them and did such a great work of mercy for them. For with such an announcement Joseph helped the soul from the devil and the body from the executioner.
(11) So shall it be among the children and the servants, that no man revenge himself, but with a gentle and not bitter heart declare to the rulers, parents, lords, and wives, what is wrong. In this way, one helps the other in body, money and goods, and even in soul, so that you will no longer be so lazy, careless, careless, forward, unfaithful, but will be better. Therefore the young servants should learn such mercy, if something happens to you, or you see something naughty, that you do not strike, but say: I am sorry, I wish you had not done it. This is called praying for your neighbor. Then go and tell him who has the power to punish, who can correct and change it, and who has the command to do it. For God has appointed enough people to do this, namely princes, lords, officials, fathers, mothers, priests, chaplains, and finally also the executioner, who are to punish sin. The others, who are not in such offices, should leave it unpunished and show mercy, that is, advise and help with what they can.
(12) Now then, we are to understand that this command is for equal persons, since no one has authority or command over the other. But where there are unequal persons, one is a father, the other a judge, the third a prince, they shall also show mercy to their equals; but not to the subjects. For there is a special command that they should punish the evil of the children, servants and subjects. But where there are like persons, they shall bear toward one another a kind, friendly, compassionate heart, help, admonish, announce; this is called living a Christian life. But if they scold you about it, as the children and the servants do, and call you a traitor, it does no harm. Think that you are a fig tree.
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or good vine, and let no thorn bush make you. So does the dear sun: it now looks at many a rogue who has stolen the previous night or broken the marriage, and yet it remains a beautiful sun, even though you are a black devil, and because of your sins you are not worthy to look at it. For she thinks thus: Even if I must now watch your mischievousness, I also want to see one day that you are hanged on the light gallows. Now you laugh at me, and I must shine upon you for your mischievousness; but what matters if you do not improve, I will also shine upon you one day for your punishment?
Experience shows that God does not let any evil go unpunished. For he who escapes from his father and mother does not escape from the executioner. You must either atone and mend your ways, or certainly await punishment; for God will not leave anything unpunished where correction does not follow. Many a murderer and thief passes through, becomes a fugitive, leaves all the country, and thus escapes punishment for a time; but where no correction follows, it ultimately happens miraculously that they run into the hands of the authorities and receive their reward. For the common saying is not lacking: Bad boys can escape from their parents, but they cannot escape from the executioner. Therefore, what the father cannot force with the rod, the executioner's rope and sword shall force. If you do not want to turn to the life sentence, then suffer the death penalty, that is your deserved reward.
- *) So the Lord Christ would have us lead a good life, and do good works among ourselves, which are righteous, and not a bad show. For this reason he commands us to be merciful, not like the Gentiles, who are merciful to those from whom they expect help, so that one hand washes the other. Not so; but as the Father which is in heaven, which poureth down with heaps what we have need of, that the whole world may have enough to raise up: not to the pious only, whom he would have paid all in one day; but also to the wicked.
*) From a sermon preached in the house in 1533.
Therefore do not let his goodness fail, although most of the part is evil and ungrateful; indeed, the evil ones always overtake the best and most part.
(15) This, saith Christ, I set as an example unto you that are my Christians, that ye should not only help your friends; for such godliness will I have among the heathen: but also unto enemies, as ye see that your Father maketh the sun to shine upon every man, even upon murderers, thieves, adulterers, wicked scoundrels, citizens, and peasants, who should be worthy that their eyes should never look upon the dear sun. But he does not do so; he will not let his mercy fail for the sake of people's wickedness.
(16) So, saith he, do ye also, be not offended, withdraw not your hand, as the world doeth, saying, All is lost that is done to the wicked. That is not saying anything. Serving friends is nothing special; for the heathen themselves are friendly and helpful as long as they hope for and feel help. But if the help is not forthcoming, the good deeds dry up. There one sees publicly that it is not a spring or a living fountain of love, but only water carried in sand and a heathen help. You Christians must rise higher, and be undaunted to help even your enemies, since you deserve vain ingratitude, and think: If they want to be ungrateful, well, there is God, who still has so many devils, so many bad boys on earth, so much water, fire, pestilence and other plagues, so that he can punish them; he will find them well. Knowing then that it cannot go unpunished, I will keep a sweet, compassionate heart, ready to counsel and help. This means a Christian heart and Christian love, which the heathen do not have, who do not help further, so they deserve thanks and help. But the Christians should have such a heart and love, which, like a living spring, is not to be exhausted, nor does it dry up, although the benefit, like the water in the sand, is lost and is in vain. Now the Lord goes on, and divides such mercy into several pieces, and says:
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Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
The Lord would have us be righteous Christians, who do not boast of the faith and the gospel with words, as people do now who want to be evangelical and know much to say about Christ; but if you really look at it, there is nothing behind it. So most of them, even those who have and hear the gospel, deceive themselves and go to the devil with their false faith. Christ would gladly prevent such evil; for this reason he does not present us with a strange, unknown example, but with his Father's and our own example, which we ourselves have experienced, that he has acted in this way with us, and says: We should do the same with other people.
For we have all been in the judgment of God and in condemnation because of our sins. What then has our Father in heaven done? Is it not true that he has neither judged you nor condemned you, but has forgiven your sins, has removed hell and condemnation, and has accepted you into grace? You have such an example in yourself and in your person; follow it and do the same to others: then you are a true Christian who believes in Christ and does not judge or condemn your neighbor, but gladly forgives him for what he has done against you.
(19) But if thou wilt not do it, but wilt receive mercy with the servant of the devil, Matt. 18, and wilt not prove the same to others here, know that thou art not a Christian, and that God will again cast thee out of mercy into judgment and damnation, and will deprive thee of all the goods which he hath given thee, and will again lay upon thy neck all the iniquity which he hath left thee: this thou shalt have for a certainty, for it is written: "Judge not, that ye be not judged," that is, if ye will not refrain from judging, God also will judge you.
20 But now we see how it is difficult to leave it so excessive; as soon as someone offends us in the slightest, then the judgment comes quickly: What shall I do to the rogue?
do more? I have done this and that to him; that is the thanks, so he pays me. That is an unmerciful mercy and an annoying help, that one wants to judge as soon as the thanks does not follow. And it is fine, as Gregorius says: Vera justitia habet compassionem, falsa autem est duplex iniquitas: The right piety is compassionate, but the hypocritical piety is a twofold unmercifulness. This is what one learns when someone gives me a florin, he would like to buy me with it and make it his own. Therefore, as soon as I say or do something that he does not like, or that is not useful in a certain case, he soon says to me: "See, I have given you this and this; will you not also do this friendship for me? That is to serve, to serve thee again, as the heathen do, and to judge.
(21) But it shall be thus: If thou doest good to any man, and he knoweth it not, or doest evil against thee, thou mayest warn him not to do it, lest he sin against God. But if you want to become an enemy to him, and deliver him or judge him, and not help him again in his need, beware. Commit him to his judge, for you do not know what God will do with him, whether he will convert or not. If he does not convert, God has, as said before, so many devils, executioners and other bad guys that he can punish him in his own time. As you can see, now here, now there a misfortune can happen unawares. Therefore beware that you do not judge, but think: If God had wanted to deal with me according to the severity that I have long deserved, I would have had to die in my sins ten, twenty, thirty years ago, since I lived in all shameful idolatry and hypocrisy.
(22) So also beware of condemnation, for it does not belong to you. You may punish, instruct, admonish and announce it to those who are to judge and condemn. But nothing else belongs to you, except to be merciful, not to judge, not to condemn, but to forgive. And though thy neighbor would not cease from sinning against thee, yet let thine heart be with him.
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be inclined to forgive, neither hinder him nor desire to avenge you; but where you can, promote and create his best.
23 But such things are painful and very difficult. But remember that you are a Christian, and if you want to remain a Christian, you must attack yourself more seriously than the unbelievers. As the example of our Father in heaven shows us. For if you do good to your neighbor, and he does not thank you, or even wants to harm you, you must not doubt that God will find him well; let him take revenge, and do what you are commanded.
(24) One reads a story of how a misbehaving son took his father by the hair and dragged him to the threshold, where the father began to cry out: Stop it, stop it, my son, for I also dragged my father to this place; as I did to him, so now do you to me again. This is the judgment of our Lord God, who knows how to punish iniquity and especially ingratitude. Therefore command thou him, and do as thou art commanded here, that thou be not punitive, but merciful. God will not remain outside with the punishment, as the Lord further reports here:
Prayer, and it will be given to you again. A full, pressed, shaken, and superfluous measure will be given into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure with, you will be measured again.
(25) The Lord has ever summed it up well, and would like us to become fine, pious Christians, and to be righteous in all things. Therefore, just as he commanded that we should deal graciously with poor sinners, as God deals with us, not judging them nor condemning them, but commanding judgment and sentence from God and pleading for them: so he further commands here that in other needs we should also be helpful to them with giving and counsel; and then we should certainly hope that we cannot give so much and so abundantly, but that God will always give more and more abundantly. So that the heart may always spring up in love, and not let the thorns prick it, that it may dry up. As the heathen do, they cannot refrain from judging and condemning;
As soon as you do something they don't like, they won't forgive it until you fall at their feet and worship them. So, where they do not know how to enjoy again, they give nothing. Therefore, the heavy judgment remains upon them, that God will judge them again, condemn them, and neither forgive nor give them.
(26) We should beware of such naughtiness, and do to our neighbor as our dear God in heaven has done to us. He cancels the judgment and wants to forgive; he will neither avenge nor condemn, regardless of the fact that we are so ungrateful and throw our hands and laps at him for his good deeds. We should also learn this. If not, then we may wait for the judgment that he says: "With what measure you measure, it will be measured to you again.
27 But now we must confess that our God has measured us very richly. For if God had wanted to measure us according to our merit, we would have deserved wrath, strife and all misfortune, so that the earth would have swallowed us up as soon as we were born on it; not to mention that we have kept ourselves so badly throughout our lives. So that the right measure for us would have been death and hell. But what does God do? He pours away all that we have deserved, wrath, disgrace, judgment, death, hell, and gives us heaven, grace and freedom from the accusations of the law and our evil conscience. He pours out all lack and guilt, and gives all good. That is ever graciously measured. But afterwards, if you do not want to measure others again, do not wait for anything else, because as you measure, God will measure you again. Thou didst tarry before, for God had pardoned thee with all grace: but now, as thou doest and misteakest with thine ingratitude, so shall it be measured unto thee.
(28) This is a wonderful sermon, in which one sees that God is more concerned with the service of his neighbor than with his own service. For in his cause and as far as he is concerned, he forgives all sin and will not avenge what we have done against him. But again, if we do evil to our neighbor, he will be merciful to us.
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also be at odds and forgive nothing at all. Therefore, the measurement here must be understood after faith and not before faith. For before you came to faith, God did not deal with you according to your merit, but according to grace. He made you come to his word and promised you forgiveness of your sin. This is the first measure of us, since we began to believe.
- Because we have received such a measure from God, he says, "Remember and measure other people in the same way. But if thou doest not, it shall be unto thee even as thou doest unto others. Thou art ungracious unto them: I will be ungracious unto thee also. Thou judgest and condemnest them: I will judge and condemn thee also. You take from them and give nothing: I will also take from you and give nothing. The measure is according to faith, that our dear Lord God takes such care of works toward our neighbor, that he will call back what he has done for good, if we will not also do good to our neighbor.
30 Therefore, whoever thinks of serving God faithfully, let him do to his neighbor as God has done to him, that is, let him not judge, let him not condemn, let him forgive and give gladly, let him be kind and helpful where he can. For otherwise we will be like the servant in Matthew 18, who was given a great deal of grace, because the Lord released him and freely gave him all his debt: but since he would not give his neighbor the hundred pennies, nor be patient until he paid them, the ten thousand pounds came back to him, and he was handed over to the tormentors until he paid everything.
(31) Now it is true that it is not possible for us to keep to this rule at all times. We very often forget mercy: where we should be kind, we chasten; where we should speak good words, we curse. If therefore these things come to pass, that in this case we do contrary to the commandment of Christ, let us take heed that we beware of the sin of the Pharisees, and not go and continue in sin without conscience; but that we soon repent, remember this image, and do as our Father hath done unto us, that we also forget, and
Forgive, and let no iniquity nor ingratitude make us bitter.
(32) But if one is to forgive, it is also necessary that the one who is to be forgiven recognize his sin and be sorry for it. For that I should forgive the pope and other enemies of the word their sin, that is not possible for me. Cause, they think it right that they persecute our doctrine. But if they confess that they have done as fools, they will henceforth cease: then should forgiveness of sins follow. For if sin is to be forgiven, there must ever be sin. Whoever wants to be right and does not confess sin, as Saul did with Samuel, cannot be forgiven sin.
This is the doctrine of Christian faith, which the Lord holds up to us from the example of our Father in heaven. He elaborates on this doctrine in the simile of the splinter, or pike, **) in the eye, and the beam. As if to say, "I see that you are grieved, for you are grieved by your harm, and you cannot soon forget it: as soon as you see your adversary, or think of him, you are filled with bile, and think, "He has done this and that to me; I would that he had all the misfortune. Dear children, says Christ, not thus: if he has harmed you here and there, or touched you with a word, in truth it is only a splinter and a small penny, a small stick in the eye; whereas you have a great beam in it, if you want to see what you have done against God. Therefore, it takes a lot to judge and condemn another.
34 In other matters, the schoolmaster must be more learned than his pupil, or the pupil will not learn much from him. What manner of schoolmaster art thou then, that wilt teach and judge others, and yet art just as wicked, and canst teach no more than he whom thou dost presume to teach? In the sight of men, the Lord will say, such things are not fit for a drop; how then will it be
*) Life a b c. D. Red.
**) Bechtlein - Splitter. D. Red.
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in my kingdom and in the sight of God, since you are all criminal at the same time?
35 Therefore, learn this parable finely in the work: when you hear, see, or suffer something that you do not like to hear, see, or suffer, that you say: Patientia (patience), it is a small sin compared to my sins; God sees much more fault in me than I can see in other people: therefore I will gladly keep silent and forgive; only that God also forgive me and keep silent. But there is no end to it; in the world one brother always punishes another for the sake of the splinter, and yet he himself has a large beam in his eye. For where you have one thing for your neighbor, God has a thousand and a thousand for you, that you have never kept His commandments all your life, and have sinned against them manifoldly. You do not see this, and you go on, wanting to eat your neighbor for the sake of a few bad words. Fie on you, are you so sharp-eyed and yet cannot see such a large beam?
For this reason a Christian should be accustomed differently: when he sees the splinter in his neighbor's eye, he should first, before he judges, stand before the mirror and look at himself in it; there he would find such large beams that one would like to make troughs out of them, and he would have to say: What is this? My neighbor offends me once in a quarter, half, whole year; but I have become so old, and have never kept my. God's commandments, yes, transgress them every hour and moment; how then can I be such a desperate rogue? My sins are vain four-clawed great oak trees; and the poor little splinter, the little stick in my brother's eye, do I let myself err more than my great beams? But it shall not be; I must first see how I shall be rid of my sin, then I shall have so much to do with it that I shall forget the little splinter. For I am disobedient to God, to my authorities, to my father and mother, to my dominion, and I continue to do so, and I do not cease to sin.
Be so ungracious to my neighbor and not credit him with a few words? Oh no, Christians should not do this.
(37) Thus the Lord will always point us to the example of our Father in heaven, who will not see our great beams, that we may have patience even with the little splinter, and not judge nor condemn.
- Whoever will not be moved to mercy by such a glorious, beautiful promise, that God will abolish all judgment and condemnation and gladly forgive us if we forgive and do not judge one another, that there will be neither hell nor death, but only mercy and kindness; again, whoever will not be frightened by this and will not be turned away from judgment and condemnation, that where he finds a mote in his neighbor's eye, God will find a beam in his eye: I cannot know what will move, comfort or frighten him.
(39) Are we not wicked men and great fools, that we will not give a word of credit to one, when God will give credit to us for all our sins? and where we slacken our judgment for a moment, that he will slacken his judgment for eternity? But what good will it do us if we do not do this, and want to follow the example of the world rather than that of our Father in heaven? Nothing else, but that we throw ourselves out of grace into the highest disgrace, and where we could otherwise have a gracious, merciful, mild God, we ourselves make God unfriendly to us, and move him to anger and punishment against us.
40 We should well consider such misery and thus learn to live our lives in a Christian manner, so that everyone, friends and enemies alike, may see in us that we are true disciples of Christ and have such a heart, where there is an inexhaustible fountain of love within that never seals up. May our dear Father in heaven, through his Holy Spirit, graciously grant this to all of us for Christ's sake, amen.
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*On the youngest Sunday after Trinity. )
Luc. 5, 1-11.
And it came to pass, when the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, that he stood by the sea of Galilee, and saw two ships standing by the sea; and the fishermen were gone out, and were washing their nets: and he entered into one of the ships, which was Simonis, and besought him that he would lead them a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. And when he had ceased speaking, he said unto Simon, Go up to the high place, and let down your nets, that ye may make a draught. And Simon answered and said unto him, Master, we have labored all night, and have caught nothing: but at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had done so, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was broken. And they beckoned to their companions that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them draw. And they came and filled both ships, so that they sank. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell to Jesus' knees and said, "Lord, go out from me; I am a sinful man. For he was sore afraid, and all that were with him, because of this fishing which they had done one with another; even Jacob and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simoni's companions. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not: for from henceforth thou shalt see men. And they led the ships to land, and left all, and followed him.
In this Historia Lucas shows how Peter and others were called and came to the apostleship. And the Historia is very fine. For the Lord wanted to show them how the gospel would go into the world by force, and how he would catch people from the devil's kingdom and bring them into God's kingdom. For the Lord Himself indicates at the last that Peter, Andrew, James and John are to catch men from now on.
2 This is a special comfort against the temptation that all pious preachers commonly have, that they worry that the world is too evil, that their preaching will be in vain and for nothing, and that no one will improve. Christ says that this may be the case with the sermon to Moses, but where my word goes and I am called to preach, it should be done as it was done here with the fish haul, which Peter did at my command.
Before the evangelist begins the story, he says how many devout people followed the Lord Christ with multitudes, so that they loved to hear him preach. With such an example he wants to provoke us that we should also gladly hear God's word and diligently adhere to it. For whoever hears God's
*) Held in the house, 1534.
If you listen diligently to the Word, you have two great advantages, which you can never attain without the Word.
The first is to learn to know God's will, how He is disposed toward us and what He wants to do with us after this life. It is impossible for a human being to know this apart from God's word. The contradiction is thought to be that God is angry with us and wants to punish us. But the Word teaches, as we will hear later, that God is not angry with us, even though we are sinners, but wants to be merciful to us and help us from sins and death to eternal life. This is a fruit that we have through the Word, and for this reason we should hear it gladly and diligently.
The other is that we learn from the word how our outward life, status and nature, put into the word and sanctified by the word, is a right service to God, since God is pleased with it; that it is not necessary for anyone who wants to serve God to do something special for the sake of his outward life, as the monks have done. He should stick to his profession, do what his authority, his office and status require and want him to do. This is called serving God rightly, and if he is particularly pleased with it, it will also bring happiness and salvation.
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(6) This is a necessary teaching, since it is very important for us to put our calling in God's word, and for everyone to be sure that everything he does and leaves is done and left in God's name and by God's command. Then the heart can defy the devil, be in good spirits, and say: I have done this and that today, and have done it because I know that God has commanded me and commanded me in His word; therefore I know that it is a good work and pleasing to God 2c. But he who cannot say these things, let him only cease in time, intending what he will; for it is sin, and God is displeased and displeased with it; as St. Paul says, "That which is not of faith is sin."
(7) But here we must know that whoever does not live in the air, as the Gentiles do, but wants to put his actions into the Word and do everything in faith, must first of all have and know the Word of God. For faith cannot be where there is no word. Then you may think to yourself what such a word is that encompasses all states and the entire outward life. But it can be told you very soon. For first of all there is the fourth commandment: You shall honor your father and your mother. This commandment covers all classes. For the marriage state is the source from which all states grow. And God has especially bound it together in this way: just as the married state must serve all other states (for where there should not be married couples, there could be no government nor civil life); so again all states should serve the united married state.
(8) Secondly, in addition to this word, which covers all states, we have another word which covers all works, namely, the word which is called and commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Let these two commands shine before our eyes forever, so live our lives according to God's word and command.*)
(9) Now if you count it by the work, it is a very small thing for a maid to cook, wash, sweep, carry children, wipe, and bathe in the house. For this is what the heathen do
*) See the appendix at the end of this sermon.
D. Red.
and unbelievers also; but they do it without God's word, that is, they do not believe that God requires service and obedience in such works, and do not know His command. But a maiden who is a Christian knows from the fourth commandment that God commands such works and wants us to do them, and sees that love for one's neighbor also requires them. Therefore, make a holy work of it, and do not need any Chresam for it. For the word is the true Chresam, which the Lord saith by St. Paul: "Ye servants, be obedient to your physical masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart"; item: "Ye children, be obedient to your parents in the Lord", Eph. 6, 5. 1. Such a word and faith make the bad works (which the pagans do as well) holy and pleasing to God, since they cannot please God where the word and faith are not. For on earth nothing is holy except the name and word of God. What is to be sanctified must be sanctified by such a name and word of God.
(10) The command of the fourth commandment passes through and over all ranks and works, blessing them so that they are holy and pleasing to God, provided you believe in Christ and obey in God's name. Die therefore in such a state, if God wills, and you die blessed and well; for you die in the right faith and obedience, and are a child of eternal life: not because of such works, but because of faith, from which such obedience and works follow.
(11) For a monk to put on a cap, to be given a present, to get up at night for matins, to say mass, to have his special rule with food, 2c.: such works have a great appearance, for they make people angry: but all the fault is in the fact that such works are not done according to the word of our Lord God; therefore they are not holy works. But this is a holy work, and maketh holy, that thou believest on Jesus Christ, and afterward takest the fourth commandment before thee, and there doest thine obedience; because thou hearest that thy estate, wherein thou art, is adorned with the word of God, and therefore is a holy estate.
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(12) Therefore, one must look first and foremost at the word. For he who looks only to the work itself sees no difference between Christians and unbelievers. For they do in both parts what father and mother, servants and maids, master and wife do in the home. But there you can see the difference. The heathen and unbelievers do it in sins and unbelief, for they know nothing of the word. But a Christian does it in faith, and considers such works according to the word of God to be obedient and pleasing to God. Therefore, this is a holy work, but that is an unholy work.
(13) Therefore, if we were to listen diligently and gladly to this example according to God's word, we could come to it this very day, together with Peter, that we would have a certain command for our actions, and after that there would be all the more happiness in everything we do; otherwise, where God's word is not, there must be no real blessing, but rather a curse and disgrace, and an evil conscience. That is enough of the example that the evangelist reports in the beginning, how this people diligently kept to the word, and Peter himself held the word in such high esteem, and did what Christ called him.
14.*) Now let us take the history before us. There are two parts in it: first, a bodily comfort and teaching that God will not let us die of hunger; then a spiritual one, that He will not let us be condemned for sin, but will accept us with grace. These are two doctrines that are very necessary and useful; therefore, we should remember them diligently and apply ourselves to them.
15 The comfort of the flesh is that Christ calls Peter to make a move, and Peter follows and catches an abundance of fish. This may be a fine householder: who only could have him in his profession and in his work, he would certainly have all things enough, and suffer no want. But the evangelist gives so much to understand that our dear Lord Christ does not want to do this to everyone; but only to those who labored in vain a whole night before, and afterwards
*) From a sermon preached in the house in 1533.
Have heard God's word. That is, he wants to help the pious and poor, who have suffered hardship before, with his blessing. For Christians must suffer and be tempted here on earth. But if they are tempted, and yet remain faithful to the word in their profession or work, then Christ will be there and help them with rich blessings.
(16) This is the one consolation which is held out to us, that we should believe; and though we sometimes lack, and have not all things, that we should not despair, nor be impatient, but hope that the blessing may yet come. For so it is with Petro and his companions: they labor all night in vain, and can catch nothing; but Christ our dear Lord comes, and first gives them his word, and makes Christians of them; after that he bids them go into the sea, and try themselves once more. Then Peter follows, and is very well pleased with him. It should be the same with us. God does not want to give us all fullness immediately at the beginning. For if he gave it as soon as we were baptized and became Christians, we would think we had it from ourselves. That is why he lets us lack for a while beforehand, so that a man has to despair and say to himself: "Who knows how I will fare in the end? Who knows how I will fare, how I will be provided for? If we then hold fast to hope and to the word, the dear Lord and good steward will be with us and say: Be content, make a move, do not be driven by work and wait for my blessing.
(17) For this is not to be the case with Christians, whether they are already in want or not, that they should be anxious, deny Christ, and become impatient about it; but they should hope that in time the Lord will still give them what they need, and for this reason they should continue and persevere in their work forever. For Christ does not give the fish to Petro in such a way that they jump into the boat by themselves: he must go up to the heights, prepare his net, and, like other fishermen, send himself to the trade, even though he has now become a Christian; and must let the Lord see to it that he catches something.
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(18) So shall it be with us, in what estate God has placed each one. If you are a servant, a maid, a lord, a lady, a mayor, a prince, do what is your duty, for it does not hinder your faith, and in such a state you can serve God rightly and well; then let God take care of how he will feed you and provide for your needs; and do not be frightened by it, even if you have to suffer hardship and lack for a while. For a time may come, which thou knowest not, when happiness and blessing shall be found, as it is found here. But persevere faithfully, and do not be weary or impatient. But whoever does not do this, but wants to throw away the net as soon as he is tired of it, and in impatience abandon his profession and trade and start another, would have to remain a humbler all his life, and would neither get behind nor ahead of himself.
19 This is the first lesson, that we should be undaunted, even though we feel lack and God does not give us the blessing as soon as we need and would like it. For it would ever be unreasonable for God to give us a boost as soon as we want it. Work for a while in vain, as Peter did, and suffer yourself; say: I also have to have my night and get up, I also have to work in vain; in time my Father in heaven will probably do it differently. As it is said: Dat Deus omne bonum, sed non per cornua taurum. One must work, suffer something and dare; then God will also come with his blessing: but provided that one does not forget the first part, and with Petro lend the little ship to the Lord Christ, that he may sit in it and preach, and that we may diligently listen to the word and learn it well.
- And here we see a special great virtue in Petro; he must have been a pious heart, that he can break himself so finely and hold to the word so stiffly. For here it is as usual that our Lord leads and pretends his commandments and works (as reason sees it) very foolishly. Otherwise it has such an opinion with the fishing that one does not catch much at noon, the night is much better.
*) From a sermon preached in the house in 1532.
to this. The fishermen also do not go into the middle of the sea, but stay on land, where there are plenty of fish. But the Lord turns this around and tells Peter to go up to the heights, that is, to go into the sea; and since they had caught nothing all night, he now tells them to cast their nets at noon. Peter senses that this is not a matter of skill, so he answers very politely, "Lord," he says, "we have worked all night and have caught nothing, and if it is to be according to our skill, there is little hope that we will catch anything now. But still, on your word I will dare; if it does not produce something special, it is lost.
(21) This is a very fine, courteous answer, for otherwise he would have gone out and said, "Dear, do not teach me; I certainly know better how to catch fish than you can teach me. Preaching and fishing are two different things. You can do that; I can do that. I will not teach thee to preach; neither teach thou me to catch fish; it will not do. So we might have answered the Lord. For this is our way and nature, that we always want to be wiser than our Lord God. But Peter is more pious, he drops all such thoughts and thinks: I can and know what I want about catching fish, but I will not despise this word, but follow it. So he clings to the word with all his heart and lets go of reason, experience and everything.
(22) This is a fine piece of faith, if only one could follow the example of our beloved Peter, and leave all that comes to mind, and keep his word alone. For this is what we learn: one man likes another to believe and follow him; and even if it should be a mistake, one is not angry about it. Again, it is very annoying when the master in the house commands something that the servant does not want to follow, saying, "Lord, it won't do; I tried it before and it didn't work out; therefore I won't do it. No one would like to have such a servant in the house. But indeed, we are always doing so against God in heaven, letting ourselves
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reason errs, that we do not follow the word as we should. As is seen in the sacramental devotees. Christ says: "Take and eat, this is my body; drink, all of you, this is my blood." No, no, they say, it is not his body and blood, but only a sign of his body and blood; for Christ sits at the right hand of GOD. So they want to judge the word according to their reason. Fie on you! That is to teach the chickens to lay eggs and the cows to calve, if one wants to teach our Lord God to preach. How would we like it if our servant and maidservant behaved against us in such a way that what we said they wanted to do everything differently?
(23) Therefore God considers it a great honor when we act against Him and His word, as Peter does here: although reason wants to lead us elsewhere, that we nevertheless stick to ourselves and say: Reason this way, reason that way; there stands God's word and command, and I will keep it that way. So whoever can keep to the word, our Lord God and the whole heavenly host laughs. People also like such obedience. If a prince commands his servant to do something, and he quickly goes and does it, do not argue long about how it should be done, but think: My lord has commanded it this way, I will do it in the name of God; if it is right, it is right for him and for me; if it is not right, it is wrong for him; if it is foolishly commanded, it is foolishly done. What is it to me? I am there to follow 2c. Whoever could do this against God and His word, as we are obliged to do, there would be greater peace on earth. Neither herds nor heretics would arise, but all churches would remain finely united and healthy in doctrine. But because they do not do so, and the wise part is puzzling and disputing, and does not merely want to follow the word, that is where all error and disunity comes from.
(24) It is true that it is important to be free from temptation. When it happens to us, as it does to Petro, that we work in vain even for one night, we do not fail to grieve and soon grumble about it, become impatient, and think that we want to leave it all behind and walk away. But such temptation shall
One must not give room, but remain in the profession, one way like the other, and let God take care of it. For we often see that there are fine, pious, obedient children, for whom nothing goes right, nor will go right; while other bad and disobedient boys are fine, and go out as they wish. But it does not last long, and in the end it is found that the evil in the beginning turns, and the good in the beginning finally goes out badly. Therefore, even if it happens to you that it does not always go well with you, only hold fast and do not let yourself be weary; for the evil is better where you remain in obedience than the good there. Cause, God finally pushes the disobedience to the ground with happiness, be it ever so great. But he finally helps out obedience and gives happiness to it.
(25) Therefore, we should take note of this and follow the beautiful example that Peter alone looks at the word and follows it; other thoughts that would have occurred to me and to you, and which undoubtedly also occurred to him, neither err nor hinder such obedience. For there is God's word and command, both over us and over St. Peter, that God commands us to work and do what our profession requires. Whoever now looks to such a profession, and diligently perseveres, even though fortune blocks and blessings fail to come for a time, will finally have to do well. For God cannot leave it alone, He takes pleasure in obedience and also gives happiness to it, even if He postpones it for a while, and tries us whether we also want to hold fast to His command. Therefore, let no one be displeased or unwilling, even if he fishes with Peter one night in vain. For if Peter had fished this rich haul by night, he would have thought it was due to his art and labor, not needing anyone else to do it. But because he fishes all night and catches nothing, and the Lord gives him the word first and tells him to try again, Peter must conclude that he did not fish alone; the word and the blessing of God did it, not his work at all. That is enough of the first comfort and teaching,
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which is bodily and goes to food: that Christ will not always leave his Christians to labor in vain; he will be with his blessing at their work, and will not let them die of hunger.
- The other comfort and teaching is spiritual. For there your love hears how Peter is frightened by the fish, and learns to know the Lord JEsum, that he is more than a common man. But because he knows himself to be a poor sinner, he falls at the feet of the Lord JEsu and says, "Lord, go out from me; I am a sinful man." This is a spiritual piece, which few people quite understand. For it has such an appearance, as if Peter were so devout and humble, that he would gladly flee from the Lord Christ. But it has a different opinion.
When God comes with His grace, promising forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ for nothing, the grace becomes so great that one thinks it is too much and cannot accept it. One can well believe that God is gracious and merciful, but that He wants to be so exceedingly gracious to us is hard to believe. Everyone thinks: If I were as pure and pious as the Virgin Mary, St. Peter, St. Paul, I would also want to comfort and accept such grace; but I am a sinner, I am not worthy of grace, but of disgrace and wrath. Then the devil also strikes, he blows up the sin in the heart in such a way that you can see nothing but your unworthiness, and so you must be frightened before the great, overflowing grace. This is a spiritual challenge, since raw people, as we all commonly are, know nothing about it, which one learns only in experience, and nowhere else. For most people live in such a way that they think neither of their sin nor of God's grace. But the true Christians are afraid of this, and they always think that it is too much that God should do this for their sake. What am I? they think; I am not worthy that God should be so gracious to me.
*) From a sermon preached in the house in 1531; after a b, from 1533. D. Red.
028 Now this comfort and teaching goes with Petro, that the Lord lets himself be heard here so kindly against him: Oh, Peter, I am not here to choke you or punish you for your sins; do not be afraid. If thou art a sinner, be thou content: I can and will save thee from it, and make thee a great man: therefore be thou content for my sake; there shall be no need.
29 So that this consolation may serve to teach us that where such thoughts try to frighten our hearts and make us fainthearted, we should reject them and not give them room. For it is not the opinion of Christ that he cannot suffer poor sinners. He came to earth for their sake. Therefore he comforts Peter here against such thoughts, and Luc. 12, 32. he says: "Fear not, little host; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Then the Lord also speaks to such fearful hearts as Peter is here, who think, Who? Should you go to heaven ? live with the dear angels in eternal joy and delight in heaven above? Yes, if you were pious and holy! But as you are now, nothing will come of it. Nay, saith Christ, ye fear me; but ye shall not. My Father will give you the kingdom; and will give it to you out of gracious good pleasure. For since you, poor sinners, are not worthy of it, it is his gracious will to give it to you freely and by grace. Therefore do not be afraid of it; accept it with love and thanksgiving. For if God should not give us something sooner, if we had earned it and were worthy of it, then he should hardly give us the dear bread and mere water. But he does not want to look at our merit and worthiness, but at our need and his grace and mercy, and above the bodily blessing also give eternal life.
(30) Peter is in such a challenge here. He realizes that it is the Lord's gift and blessing that he and his companions catch such a large number of fish in one go, but he considers himself unworthy of such a feat and wants to despair because of it. What," he says, "shall I, O Lord, do with you?
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Keep to pious people, I am unfortunately a wicked, sinful man. But Christ comforts him, and holds himself far differently against him than he thinks; saying, Let him be without fear, and be content. As if he should say: It is a small thing about the fish; I will still make you a fisher of men. Now thou hast the office of a fisherman; but I will command thee another, that thou shalt go into other waters, and catch men, and make heaven full of fish, and fill my kingdom, as these fish fill thy little ship. For such fishing I will give thee another net, the gospel; by it thou shalt catch the elect, that they may be baptized, believe, and live for ever. And not in one place only, but in the whole world; and thou shalt catch and convert here a city, and there a whole country.
This is the spiritual comfort which the Lord gives to his disciples, not only that he will not let them die of hunger, but that he will put them in spiritual government, and send them out into the world, to rumble among kings and rulers through the gospel. Whether the devil is angry at this and opposes it with all his might, it does no harm; nevertheless the word, whether the devil is angry or laughing, shall break through and bring forth fruit, so that many may believe in the Son of God and thus receive forgiveness of sins, become righteous, blessed and heirs of eternal life. As a certain sign of this, God has given us His word, baptism, the Lord's Supper, and absolution, which are His nets, so that He may gather His own from the world, where the devil is prince and God, and thereby protect them from the devil's cunning and the world's tyranny, and keep and strengthen them in faith, so that they will not be condemned with the world. And though sin still stirs in them, and faith is weak, so that they think they are not worthy of the great and glorious treasure, yet Christ comforts them, as I said in Luke 12, saying, Fear not, neither consider whether ye be worthy or unworthy: but hear what I say unto you, that your Father's good pleasure is good.
is to give you the kingdom. If so, your Father will not let you go to hell, even though you deserve it. Therefore, only hold on to me, crawl into baptism, go to the holy sacrament, let yourselves be drawn and caught by my gospel, and there will be no need.
(32) So your love, besides the example that God's word should be gladly heard, has these two things: the first, that although God lets us suffer a time of lack and labor in vain, He will nevertheless be with us in due time with His blessing and help us; the second, that He will also help us against sin and not condemn us. For this reason he also gives us his word and comforts us with it, so that we may certainly believe that we are his children.
Such people also do righteous good works afterwards, if they know beforehand through the Word and faith that through Christ they have a gracious God and Father in heaven, of whom they are little fishes, who in his Word, as in his net, are well protected from all misfortune. They can be cheerful and of good cheer even in lack, hunger and sorrow, and say, "Though I suffer poverty here, it does me no harm; yet I know that my dear God will not let me suffer need. For he hath given me Christ, and all blessedness in him: he will also give me so much, that the body shall have its need during the short time of my life.
34 Therefore, it is most important for the Lord to comfort our hearts and make us certain that we firmly believe and do not doubt that we have a gracious God in heaven. Whoever believes this will not only not allow any temporal lack to be disputed, but will also not ask whether the devil and the world are angry: if only God is merciful to us, heaven and all the dear angels smile upon us. That we may firmly believe these things, and in all temptations, bodily and spiritual, comfort ourselves in this way, may our dear Father in heaven grant us this, through Jesus Christ, His Son and our dear Lord, amen.
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Appendix to the sermon on the fifth Sunday after Trinity.*)
But now God has made his word available to us in abundance, so that we can easily and without any effort put all our works, doings and non-doings into it. For he who believes, that is, who puts his heart and trust in God's grace, which He has shown us through Christ, sings or prays, eats or sleeps, is said to have done well, for he does it as a Christian man who believes in the Lord Christ, and says, "I will pray, read, work and thus serve in my Lord Christ's name. This would be just enough from God that He has given us the word of faith, so that every Christian can be joyful in such faith and serve God. For whatever is done in faith, no matter how small, is called well done and is the best of works.
But God is not satisfied with such things, but adds that he sanctifies all ranks in his word, when he says and commands: "One should honor one's father and mother. Then a child can say: I will now go to school, study, cook, spin, sew, and know, if I do it faithfully and diligently, that it is pleasing to God. For my father and mother told me to do it, and I have God's word that I should follow them. So a child could spend a whole day in his parents' obedience, and know that it is pleasing to our Lord GOD. So servants and maids, master and mistress of the house, each in his position, have God's word for himself, so that he can say: God has commanded me this; in his name I will get up, go to work, lie down, sit at table 2c.
Whatever one does, even if it is no more than sweeping a room, it is all well done and means living in obedience to God. For the word, Thou shalt honor thy father and mother, embraces all ranks, offices and works that belong to the marriage state and come from the marriage state.
*) Instead of the two §§ 7 and 8, the edition a has the above. D. Red.
Whoever does not have or know the word of God, cannot have such confidence and must be deprived of this excellent consolation. Therefore, we should gladly hear God's word, so that we can learn from it how to make our lives pleasing to Him. For then we could be all the more joyful and have a good conscience. No pagan, no Turk, no Jew knows this; only Christians know it, and they can say: What I am doing now, I will do in the name of Jesus, and in the obedience to which I have been placed by God, and I will do it with joy. If something happens to me and the devil comes upon me, what is the harm? Nevertheless, I am in the position where God's word comforts me, whatever I do or suffer is well done, and God is pleased with it and will be with me with grace.
So let every Christian be accustomed from his youth to be sure that he is in a blessed state. Whoever can do this, even if he falls down the stairs and breaks his neck, can still say: My father, my mother, my lord, my wife has commanded me; therefore I die in a blessed state and right obedience. Thus, whoever goes to war by the command of his ruler and authority, and goes there in the name of God who has placed him under such authority, whether he is shot or stabbed, he dies well. For he lives in the obedience of God, and knows what he does according to such a calling, that he has orders from God.
In this way, all men could live blessedly and well, and have nothing more to live for than the Ten Commandments and faith in Christ. But there the devil warns day and night, that one does not think of God's word; badly risen, laid down, eaten, drunk, like swine, and not asked whether one also serves God: that is the custom and manner of the godless world. But Christians should beware of this, and learn how to live their lives according to God's word day and night, for this makes everything holy.
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*On the sixth Sunday after Trinity. )
Matth. 3, 20-26.
For I say unto you, Except your righteousness be better than that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said unto the ancients, Thou shalt not kill: but whosoever killeth shall be liable to judgment. But I say unto you: He that is angry with his brother is guilty of judgment; but he that saith unto his brother, Racha, is guilty of counsel; but he that saith, Thou fool, is guilty of hell fire. Therefore, when thou offerest thy gift upon the altar, if thou thinkest there that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave thy gift there before the altar, and go first, and be reconciled to thy brother; and then come and offer thy gift. Be ready to meet thine adversary soon, while thou art yet with him in the way, lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the servant, and thou be cast into prison. I say unto thee, Verily thou shalt not come forth thence, till thou hast paid the last farthing.
001 In this gospel we see that our dear Lord Christ will teach his Christians, if they believe and are baptized, and have the name and glory of being called Christians, and have received all spiritual goods and gifts, that they may think to live righteous lives among themselves, which are neither false nor hypocritical. For he hath not bestowed upon us a false grace, which is only in appearance; but as our sins are real, great, damnable, and not painted sins: so also is his grace in earnest, and a righteous truthfulness. Therefore we should think that we do not act falsely against our neighbor, but faithfully and truly; as God has acted with us because of our sins.
2 For this cause the Lord takes the fifth commandment before him in today's gospel, and sets before us an example to beware of, saying, "I say unto you, Except your righteousness be better than that of the Pharisee, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." This is a short sentence: whoever wants to go to heaven must have better piety than the Pharisees. Now what is the piety of the Pharisees? That it was not unjust, that they hieled themselves in a fine, chaste, unruly life and walk.
*) From a sermon preached in the house in 1534.
ten. For this is what God wants from us in all our ways, as His word says: Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not lie 2c. He who keeps himself in such obedience does right. But this was wrong of the Pharisees, that they boasted about such outward works, discipline and respectability, wanting to be pious and righteous before God through them, and went along safely, as if the law had no further accusation against them, they had now fulfilled it completely; when God wants not only the works, but a new, pure heart.
The Lord wants to warn us against such certainty. Even though we offend no one with our works and are blameless before everyone, we should not let ourselves think that we have fully obeyed God. For Christ says here: Even if someone does not kill with his hand, he can still be a murderer and transgressor of this commandment before God. Cause, God has not only forbidden the killing with the hand, but also the anger in the heart, an angry word, an angry sight in this commandment.
4 Now this is the Pharisaic righteousness, to be outwardly pious, not to kill, not to commit adultery, not to steal, and to think that because of such works one is pious and holy and needs nothing more; the law has no more claim on us, we have completely fulfilled it, God is well pleased and not angry;
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although the heart inside is full of sin and evil lusts. This righteousness, says Christ, does not belong to heaven but to hell. For God's commandments cannot be fulfilled by mere works; the heart must be pure from all anger, hatred and envy, fornication and all kinds of evil lusts. Whoever can bring it to that point may say that he is pious. But because sin and evil desires are not yet all dead in the heart, but are still stirring, even though they do not always come into the work; so beware that you think you are pious, or that you intend to go to heaven. A higher and better righteousness is needed, says Christ; with the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees you will not enter heaven.
What then is the better righteousness? This, that works and heart at the same time are pious and directed according to the word of God: that not only the hand be not deadly, but also the heart be wholly without all wrath; that not only thou be not an adulterer by works, but that thy heart be wholly pure, without all evil desire and lust. So henceforth in other commandments all; for such the law requires. It does not want the work alone, but a pure heart, which compares perfectly with the word of God and the law.
Yes, you say, where can such a heart be found? I do not find it in me, neither do you find it in yourself. For it is exceedingly soon that the gall runs over you, that you are moved to anger. So the evil desire in the heart can also be aroused very soon, even against our thoughts and will, because we would like to do it and become hostile to it. How then shall we do to him? We do not have such high righteousness (that is, a pure heart), and yet here we hear the judgment: If our righteousness is not better than that of the scribes and Pharisees, then we will not enter the kingdom of heaven. So let us do to him: let us not be like the scribes and Pharisees in thinking ourselves righteous because of our works; but, besides all the good we do and can do, let us humble ourselves before God and say: Dear Lord, I am a poor sinner; have mercy on me, and do not judge me according to my own works.
works, but according to thy grace and mercy, which thou hast promised and rendered unto us in Christ.
(7) So this teaching is primarily to warn us against spiritual hope and to bring us to the knowledge of our unclean, evil heart and sinful nature, and thus to lead us to the hope of his grace. This then is the true righteousness that belongs in heaven. It is not found in our works, whether they be holy and unrighteous or not, but in the forgiveness of sins and in the grace of God. For even though we have gone so far as not to offend anyone outwardly, and diligently practice God's word and will, the greatest defect is that the heart is still full of evil desire and sins.
(8) Whosoever therefore hath the record of the word of Christ, and believeth that such sins are forgiven him, is justified; not because of himself, for he hath sin; but because of grace, that such sins are forgiven through faith in Christ. Therefore Peter says in the Acts of the Apostles Cap. 15, 9: God purifies the hearts through faith. But this cleansing does not take place in such a way that we no longer feel evil thoughts or desire in our hearts; this will not happen until we are buried and resurrected to another and eternal life; then the heart will indeed be truly cleansed. But here it is in word and faith that God will not impute or punish sin for Christ's sake, but forgive and remit it. Nevertheless, the fruit of faith follows, that by the help of the Holy Spirit we begin to be pious and to render obedience to God; but, as reported, it is still an imperfect obedience, therefore forgiveness of sin must be included.
(9) Now the words of the Lord, "Unless your righteousness is better than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven," are not to be interpreted as if the Pharisee's works are evil in themselves. For the Pharisee boasts that he is not unrighteous, not a robber, not an adulterer, that he fasts twice a week, and that he gives tithes of
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He said that he had not lived unjustly, and that it would be desirable if all people behaved in this way in their outward conduct, so that worldly authorities, the executioner, father and mother, master and wife in the house would not have much to do with bad boys and naughty people. But the same Pharisee thought himself righteous for the sake of such a life, and thought that he did not need God to be merciful to him and forgive his sins and evil desires in his heart. The Lord warns us that we should not stay with such righteousness, but strive for a better one, if we want to enter the kingdom of heaven otherwise. He therefore sets before us an example of the fifth commandment, that we may learn by it what Pharisaic righteousness is, and beware of it.
(10) The fifth commandment, as you know, is, Thou shalt not kill. The Pharisees thought that if they could only break off so much that they would not kill with their hands, they would have done enough with this commandment, there would be no need for it, no one could push them higher. But Christ stretches it higher for them and says: No, journeyman, it has another opinion. If the fifth commandment were therefore, Thine hand shall not kill, then he that killeth not with his hand hath done enough for the commandment. But it reads thus: Thou shalt not kill, that is: Your heart, your mouth, your five senses and everything that you have and is in you, that shall not be harmful to your neighbor. You shall not only not kill the corpse, but also leave everything that serves for death.
(11) From this it is clear that the Lord does not take the word "to kill" so narrowly that it means only to take life and make a carrion; but it understands all the doing, because of which death must follow. As if you were an enemy to someone and did not give him a morsel of bread, as the rich man did to poor Lazaro, such a man would have to die and perish because of you. You do not strangle him with your fist, and yet you are a murderer, according to the saying of Ambrosii: Si non pavisti, occidisti: If you do not give food to your brother, you have strangled him. And 1 John 3:15: "He who hates his brother is a murderer,
And ye know that a man that is slain hath not eternal life abiding with him." Cause, where there is hatred, there is but lack of season, and it may easily come to pass that the death blow shall follow. Therefore, whoever wants to keep this commandment must not only keep his hand on himself, but his heart must also be without all anger: so that one does not see a sour look, does not let a harsh word pass, even against those, when all the world must say, they have deserved all misfortune for us.
Accordingly the Lord clearly indicates that this commandment is transgressed in four ways: first, with the heart, when it is moved to anger and dislike against the neighbor; second, when the heart breaks out, and the man sets himself up with gestures to be angry. As when you pass by your neighbor, not wanting to look at him, not wanting to talk to him, not wanting to thank him when he greets you 2c. For the little word "rachah," which the Lord uses here, refers primarily to a sour, unkind gesture, when anger is seen in one's eyes or face, or heard in one's speech. The third is when anger comes from the heart into the mouth, that one curses, evil-does people, or otherwise says nothing good. The fourth is the grossest and most fearful, when it all comes together, an angry heart, an unkind attitude, an angry tongue and an angry hand, so that one strikes and strangles, or desires to strangle. Although one degree is always more severe than the other (for the Lord himself divides them and makes a distinction between the punishments), they are all, the least as well as the highest, sins against this commandment: So that whoever bears in his heart an aversion, anger or disfavor against another is called and is before God also a mortal slayer.
(13) Now consider whether you have kept this commandment so purely all your life, or whether you can still keep it as Christ commands. But you will have to confess, if you are not a hypocrite, that you have not only not kept it, but that it is completely impossible for you. How then shall you do it? For how God will punish the transgression of His word, Moses indicates with clear, plain words when he says,
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Deut. 27:26: "Cursed be he that fulfilleth not all the words of the law, to do them." So you shall do as Christ teaches you here: that you take heed, and do not become a Christian scholar or a Pharisee, so that you think yourself righteous, even though you have not struck death with your fist; but take heed to your heart, to your mouth, and to your words; and where you find that wrath has seized you, turn quickly to God, and say: Lord, I, a poor sinner, have broken the fifth commandment, I have been enraged, I have been unkind to my neighbor in word and deed; forgive me this great sin of mine, and grant me thy mercy, that I may amend myself, and henceforth do no more. This is a thing that thou shalt do, which the Pharisees do not do, who walk in all security, regarding such anger as a small sin, and ask not forgiveness for such sin.
- After this, you should also attack yourself with seriousness, not letting the bridle of anger be too long: But even if you cannot leave it out of your heart, first confess and complain of such sin to God with all your heart and ask for forgiveness; and then defend yourself so far that such anger, which has not yet been forgotten in your heart, does not grow again and in time break out again, showing itself with unkind gestures, angry words and a belligerent hand, but at least get rid of the anger and speak kindly to your neighbor. Then a good word will find a good place; and you will certainly experience that where you keep yourself in this way, anger will leave your heart from day to day and will vanish like smoke.
15 The Pharisees did not do this. They did not consider anger in the heart, unkindness, or even evil words to be sins, so they let them go freely and without fear. For this vice, anger, has a special bad habit of adorning itself. For we think, "He has done this to me and that to me; if I should not be angry or angry about it, I would be doing wrong, for otherwise I would be wronging him in his evil ways.
strengthen. I have to let the boy become a little bit mellow, otherwise he would become too wild and insolent 2c. If the heart is inclined to anger beforehand, and the delusion arises that one is doing right and well to be angry with one's neighbor for his own sin, then the fire really starts and the devil has won his game, so that the resentment grows from day to day, and the hearts become more and more embittered against one another. The Lord warns us not to let ourselves be seduced by such pharisaical thoughts, but to be righteous Christians who either do right or confess the wrong and ask God for mercy so that he will forgive and give us pure hearts.
(16) Therefore, if anyone practices the Ten Commandments, do you not think that he would have reason to confess his sin every hour, to pray, and to practice faith and the Word? For confession must be, when anger or other lusts overtake us, that we neither deny nor excuse it, but confess to God and confess to Him with all our heart that we have done wrong. This must be followed by prayer that God will not reproach us for such things, but will forgive us and, for Christ's sake, make us more godly through His Holy Spirit. Such prayer should be followed by faith, so that we do not doubt that through Christ we are forgiven for this and other sins.
(17) That is, to practice the law or the Ten Commandments rightly, and there is no need to look around for other good works or worship; as the pope and his crowd do, they are up to their ears in Pharisaic righteousness. As then the saying, so that they, just like the Pharisees, interpreted the fifth commandment to mean only outward works, testifies: Rancorem ponere necesse est, sed signa rancoris non: The grudge, they say, thou shalt let fall; but the sign of the grudge is unnecessary to let fall. That is, if a man grieves thee, beware that thou shouldest be at enmity with him, or that thou shouldest smite him: but not to speak to him, not to have fellowship with him, is not sin. Therefore they considered the Ten Commandments to be a bad thing.
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The people of the world are supposed to deal with them. But they have invented their own and higher services and works. But whoever wants to deal with the Ten Commandments, as I have now said about the fifth alone, I think he should have enough to do that he should not look for other practices or services.
(18) But now the Lord is exceedingly severe, and, if we would be Christians otherwise, he would have us always enter into this practice of the Ten Commandments. For it is a hard saying when he first says, "Unless your righteousness be better than that of the Pharisees and scribes, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." So he concludes at the end, making two parties. For where there is anger and dissension, there are always two parties: the one that does wrong and offends the other part; the other that is offended. Now to the one who has given cause for anger and has offended others, the Lord says here that he should remember briefly and remain unconjured to God and to the service of God until he has first been reconciled to his opposite, saying thus:
If thou wilt offer thy gift, and there remember before the altar that thy brother hath a matter against thee, leave thy gift, and first be reconciled to thy brother.
- If this is not done, your sacrifice and worship is in vain, and God has no pleasure in it.
(20) With these words, the Lord of the Pharisees is very subtle in their thoughts, who thought that they wanted to make a smoke before God's eyes, so that He would not see their envy and hatred in their hearts against their neighbor, and other people would also consider them pious. No, you are not; you are deceiving yourself. God looks first of all at your heart, how it stands against your neighbor. If he finds it in hatred and envy, do not think that he has any pleasure in your sacrifice or worship. For since he commanded, "Love thy neighbor as thyself," he wants the same obedience from thee above all things, or does not want thine at all. For what would this be, that thou shouldest offer unto our Lord GOD an ox, which hath ten
How can you give your brother a gift worth a hundred thousand guilders and then kill him? That would be giving a penny there and stealing a hundred thousand guilders somewhere else. That should not and cannot be. If you want to serve God, serve him with a heart that is not hostile to your neighbor, or know that your service is an abomination before God.
(21) Hence many, when they are at odds with their neighbor, abstain from the Sacrament and do not want to pray the Lord's Prayer. For the word strikes them in the forehead when they pray: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Because they do not forgive, they pronounce the judgment against themselves, that God should not forgive them either. This is true, and no one should think otherwise: if you do not forgive, God will not forgive you, and it will never be otherwise. Therefore, think carefully about what you are doing to yourself if you keep your anger and do not let it go. For you will not make your cause better by it, if you do not want to pray or go to the sacrament, but only worse. For as God finds you, so He judges you.
- Therefore, follow the counsel of Christ: humble yourself before God and confess your sin; then also be reconciled to your neighbor and let go of anger. Then offer your gift 2c. Otherwise, you hear here that you are to be on your word with God, as He will not put up with your sacrifice, prayers 2c. This is what Christ means when he says, "Leave your offering before the altar." As if he should say: You are not doing anything with God with it. This is the one who gives cause for anger and offends his neighbor: he should not only humble himself before God and confess that he has done wrong, but also before his neighbor; and then also wait for forgiveness from God.
(23) Now the other part, which is offended, and thinketh that it hath good cause to be wroth, the Lord also warns that it should gladly forgive, and not be long celebrated. For there, says the Lord, is a great trial. For if thou shouldest plead long, and not be found gracious in atonement, thine antitype would bring the matter to the attention of the Lord.
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Judge, God in heaven, and say: Lord, I have done what I should: I find grace with you, but not with the people; well, I will command you. If then God hastens you, what do you think the judgment will be? He will take you, who will not forgive nor forget, and hand you over to the servant and throw you into the dungeon. Thou shalt not come out, for thou hast paid to the last farthing. That is, there will be no mercy, as he says in Luc. 6, v. 38: "With the measure that you measure, they will measure you again.
24 Thus the Lord wills for both parts that one be merciful, let go of anger, and be kind to everyone. Otherwise, the fifth commandment is there, accusing us of being death-slayers before God; therefore, the punishment will not remain outside. Such teaching and life should remain among Christians and be diligently practiced. Otherwise God will be displeased, and we will harm ourselves, not only in body and goods, but also in soul, as the Lord threatens.
(25) But apart from the Christian state or the kingdom of Christ, in worldly offices and states, the fifth commandment no longer has its course or power. There God has given a special command to be followed and obeyed. For he who is in the secular government has orders to be angry, to punish and to choke, where something unjust is committed by the subjects. Item, father and mother in the house have a special command from God over children and servants, that they are not to laugh when children or servants have done wrong; but they are to rebuke and punish confidently. That is what they tell God; and if they do not, they are disobedient to God and do contrary to their office and command.
26 Therefore it is not for a thief to say to a judge: Do not kill me; for in the fifth commandment it is written: Thou shalt not kill. He may say this to his
of his equal, who is not in office. But the authorities have the command to use the sword to prevent the evil. So it would not rhyme that a maid in the house, if she had neglected, neglected and rotten something, would want to say to the woman: Dear woman, you are a Christian, remember the fifth commandment, that you be not angry with me; for it is forbidden. "He that is angry with his neighbor," says Christ, "is guilty of judgment." No, handmaid, GOD has made a different order here. You are a maidservant, and you shall diligently wait upon your office and what you are commanded. If you do not, you shall not be rewarded with good words, but you shall be punished for it.
(27) God has not only imposed this on masters and wives in the household, but also on the temporal government of the rulers; such anger does not make them unbelievers any more than the office and profession they have. But this would make them unchristians if they abandoned their profession, and wanted to drop house and town discipline through industrious attention, and act as they please with their children and servants, and do not ward off trouble at times. So that the difference remains: In the kingdom of Christ there shall be no wrath, but only kindness and love; that the heart be not bitter against any man, neither that the mouth nor the hand deceive any man. But in the kingdom of the world, and in the government of the house, let every man's mouth and hand, according to his station and office, do evil, and hurt all them that do evil, and do not the things which are commanded them. For there it is not a matter of sparing or being merciful, but of punishing. But whoever leaves the punishment pending causes the highest judge, God Himself, to come and punish the evil. There is little advantage in this. For when God comes, he comes and stops.
This is the teaching of today's Gospel. May our dear Lord God help us with His Holy Spirit, so that we as Christians may keep one another, and each be diligent in his office and profession, amen.
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*On the seventh Sunday after Trinity. )
Marc. 8, 1-9.
At that time, when there was a great crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them: For they have tarried with me three days, and have nothing to eat: and if I should send them home without eating, they would die of hunger by the way. For some had come from afar. And his disciples said unto him, Whence shall we have bread here in the wilderness to fill them? And he asked them: How much do you have of bread? They said, "Seven. And he commanded the people to lie down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples to set before them: and they set before the people. And had a little fish; and he gave thanks, and commanded the same also to be presented. And they did eat, and were filled: and they took up the rest of the fragments, seven baskets. And there were about four thousand of them that had eaten; and he sent them away.
This miraculous work was done twice by our dear Lord Jesus. For at midfast your beloved hears that with five loaves and two fishes he fed five thousand men, without wife and child, and twelve baskets of fragments remained. But in today's Gospel you hear how with seven loaves and a few fishes four thousand were fed, and seven baskets full were left over.
- But it seems as if such a miraculous work was ordained to be preached at this time, so that the people would learn, because the harvest is now beginning at the time of the year, that the fruits of the field are beginning to be brought in, that everyone would be reminded by this gospel that it is God's blessing, and that God is still doing the miracle with us today that he did in the wilderness, that he can reach far with a little through his blessing, and feed and nourish many; so that, even though there may be a small supply or the grain may have turned out badly, we may still hold on to this comfort, that it does not depend on that alone whether one has much, but on the blessing of our dear Lord Christ.
(3) For this is the proper way of the shameful, unbelieving world: if it does not see and have an abundance of all things, it soon wants to despair, as if it had to die of hunger. And indeed God has supplied us abundantly for many years now; it does not help yet, it will
*) Held in Dause 1533; after a and b and after Röhrer, 1532. D. Red.
Nevertheless, everyone will starve. In addition, the misers and usurers, who keep grain and wine behind, do not want to let it happen to the people for an equal penny, but wait until it becomes more expensive and may be worth more. These are unbelievers who neither know nor believe in such blessings and miracles; otherwise they would primarily look at God's word and keep to it, and entrust all their worries to the rich God in heaven, who can bless what is small and make much out of it.
(4) Now we see here two consolations, namely, that our dear Lord Christ will supply both the soul with the word, and the body with bread; so that, though he may cause his own to suffer want for a time, to be poor and despised (for all the world is hostile to them, and grudges them not a morsel of bread), yet they shall not doubt that he will provide for them, that they shall not die of hunger, and that he will provide them with a fair livelihood, that they may be able to support themselves with means.
Now the Lord deals with such blessings according to the rule he gives in Matthew 6:33: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all the rest will be added to you. The evangelist reports that the people stayed with the Lord for three days. But what do you think they did or sought with him? No doubt nothing else, but that they followed the word and desired to hear it. This is after
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The reason that he cares for them so warmly, and makes himself believe that he must see to it that they get something to eat so that they do not die of hunger.
(6) That therefore this should be the chief doctrine, that we should seek first the kingdom of God and the word, and pursue the same. When this is done, we should then let the Lord Christ take care of the belly. For he has already determined, if we are disciples of his word, that we shall not die of hunger. Therefore he saith, "I mourn for the people." And it is certain that before there is a lack of bread, the stones must become bread.
(7) In the same way, in chapter 6, when Christ feeds the five thousand men in the wilderness, Marcus says that he crossed over and went into a wilderness. When the people became aware of him, they ran after him from all the cities and towns. But when he saw the great multitude, saith Marcus, he was grieved of them, because they were as sheep having no shepherd; and he began a long preaching.
(8) This is the first lamentation, which the Lord, as the right shepherd and bishop of souls, considers, that they were like a scattered flock. Just as we were under the papacy: the one called St. Barbara, the other St. Catherine; there was no right preacher anywhere to lead us to the right pasture (that is, to hold out the pure doctrine); everything floated and lived in idolatry and error. Marcus says that it was the same with the poor people of the Jews: priests and Levites were appointed to preach about the future Christ and his kingdom of grace. But what did they do? They turned the shepherds into harmful wolves, preaching their own dreams so that the poor sheep pined away. Just like us in the papacy, since no one knew how he was with God: that God for Christ's sake wanted to be merciful to us and forgive sin. Everyone thought that if he wanted to be saved, he would have to help with his works and life. This is the first sorrow and harm that the Lord sees in the poor people.
He said, "What are the wicked priests and Levites doing? There are so many people who would like to hear and learn from our Lord God, but there is no one to teach and guide them; those who should do it are busy with their splendor, avarice, and pride.
(9) Therefore Marcus says: "They were like sheep that have no shepherd. Ah, Lord God, if a sheep has no shepherd, it is a poor, abandoned little animal. It is in need, even if it has a shepherd, a dog and a pen; what will it be, then, if there is no shepherd, no dog, no pen? It is the same with us poor people. Shouldn't the devil reign there, where there is no word of God nor right preaching; because those have enough to do to stay safe from the wolf, who like to hear the gospel, pray diligently, and also have pious pastors and faithful pastors? Therefore, where God's word is not pure, and no one knows how he should pray and command God, it very soon happens that people are persuaded to accept this saint and that one another saint as savior, and thus all go astray and come under these wolves.
(10) The Lord's first remedy for such afflictions and great distress is to preach, and to draw and gather together the erring sheep by the word. Therefore we have great cause to consider this good deed, and to praise such kind and loving eyes of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, that he sees into the hearts of the people in this way, and takes care of them so warmly that they go without a shepherd. Therefore, even though he had gone into the wilderness for the sake of his rest, as Marcus says, he still comes forth and laments to the people that they are spiritually hungry and famished, and preaches a long sermon to them, feeding and comforting them first of all in their souls.
(11) So it is in today's Gospel, when the evangelist says: "The people stayed with the Lord Christ for three whole days, no doubt hearing his sermons. And it would be good that such sermons were written; but the evangelists only wanted to report the work.
12 This is now the first piece that our
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The Lord Christ is careful and has a sorrowful heart for the abandoned souls. For this reason, he stops his prayer, which he has to do against his Father, takes care of the poor people and preaches to them.
(13) Because he has such a heart, how do you think he will receive on the last day the industrious pastors who do not faithfully maintain their office and still seduce their parishioners? item, princes and lords who force the people to idolatry and do not want to let them keep the word pure? Especially, however, what do our bishops want to say here and how do they want to answer for themselves, who bear the name and boast of the office that God has made them bishops and pastors, and yet do nothing, except that they knowingly keep the people in idolatry, and do not want to let them come to the right knowledge of the Word and right worship; punish their subjects for this, both in property and in body, where they do not want to allow such idolatry and do not want to handle it.
Item 14: What will father and mother say, who do not keep their children and servants diligently to the church and the word? Then he will undoubtedly say, "You lords and wives, you kings and princes, you had so many souls under your jurisdiction that you should have raised them to godliness and kept them diligently to the word; but you did not do so, you let them become reprobate and grow up without any godliness. From whom shall I demand an account for such unspeakable harm? From no one, but from you parents, lords and wives, kings and princes, whom I have commanded to see that your children, servants and subjects learn something. For this is not the reason why fathers and mothers, rulers and sovereigns are here, that they alone make peace for their children and subjects and fill their bellies; but they should also do everything possible to lead children, servants and subjects to the truth and knowledge of the Word, and thus, above all, to feed the soul, so that people may become God-fearing, pious and blessed.
(15) Therefore, the highest and greatest work and the noblest service that we can do on earth is to help others.
Bring people, especially those who are commanded to us, to the knowledge of God and the holy gospel. The devil is very hostile to such good work and opposes it fiercely with mobs and persecution. Besides this, it is a very difficult thing in itself and takes a lot of effort and work before the children and the young people are brought a little on their feet, so that they accept the teachings and become God-fearing.
(16) This service and the greatest almsgiving is the first thing the Lord does here, helping the poor people's souls. This means that the Sabbath is properly sanctified, so that God is served more and the people are better helped than if the Lord had given a thousand guilders to each of them who heard his sermon. For spiritual food far surpasses bodily food, by which a man lives forever.
(17) Let fathers, mothers, lords, wives and rulers follow this example, so that they may earn heaven for their children, servants and subjects, that is, do the highest and most pleasing work for God, if they first help souls that they do not lead to the devil.
(18) After this spiritual almsgiving (after the sermon, which is called rich almsgiving), the other, lesser almsgiving also comes, that the Lord may also help the body. For Christ did not come to destroy soul or body; he wants to help everywhere. Therefore, there is no reason to think that a Carthusian would want to fast and pray himself to death. The body is indeed given the task of not walking idly, but of exercising itself. But the exercise should be such that the body remains healthy. But whoever harms the body (as has happened in the monasteries of the papacy to many who have corrupted themselves with too much praying, fasting, singing, watching, casteism, reading, lying so badly that they have had to die before their time) is his own murderer; beware of this, as of a great mortal sin.
19 Sirach speaks on the 33rd chapter v. 25.: "To the donkey belongs his food, scourge and burden; so to the servant his bread, punishment and work." "But," he speaks soon after,
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V. 30, "lay not too much upon any man, and keep moderation in all things." The body is mortal, therefore it must have its food, that it may remain healthy. Then it must not walk idly, but have something in mind and work; otherwise it will become horny and restless. Thirdly, the scourge or punishment must also be there, so that he always stops and continues, not becoming lazy or careless. But it should have a measure. For man cannot always work, he must also have his rest, without which no one can last long. Therefore, God has not only ordained the day for work, but also the night for sleep and rest; and we keep the noon hour for eating. For God is not a murderer, as is the devil, who wants the saints of works to fast to death, to pray, to watch. But God has no pleasure in this; so it is said: Keep moderation in all things, as the wise man admonishes.
20 This is the other consolation, that we learn the matter well and seek first the word of God. Whether we seek the same in the wilderness and suffer lack of it is not the issue. We have a rich Lord who takes care of our needs and provides for us in a far better way than we can provide for ourselves. For we can do nothing with our worry. But where Christ cares, all abundance must be found, even if there were nothing at all, as can be seen here.
21 The apostles also care, but much in a different way than Christ; they say, "Whence shall we have bread in the wilderness, that we may satisfy them?" This is called worrying, but such worrying does not help the cause. On the other hand, when Christ takes care of the people and thinks how to provide food for them, although there are only seven loaves of bread and a few small fish, it is enough to feed four thousand men, and there are still seven baskets full of loaves left over; not counting the women and children, there will undoubtedly have been many of them.
- Now tell me, is it not true that anyone who could know for certain that with a few guilders he could reach as far and live as long as a rich man of ten thousand, would certainly not dispute it?
If he had only one florin, he would not consider himself richer than the other man with ten thousand florins. But if he wanted to insist and defy his large pile, the latter would still mock him and say: You have a vain joy, for though you have much, you have no advantage over me, unless you count more than I do; otherwise your ten thousand florins must melt away as soon as my one florin.
(23) How is it, then, that we, who are all Christians, or at least we all want to be, do not do the same, neither taking comfort in abundance nor in plenty, and not being afraid of lack, nor being careful about it? For if we faithfully and diligently adhere to God's word, there shall be no lack; Christ provides for us, and must follow that we may have food. For it is not a question of whether we have a little or a little; it is a question of his blessing. If he adds it to the small supply you have, not only will you not run out, but the blessing must also overflow, and more must remain than was there in the beginning.
(24) If we learn this, we will not only have nothing to worry about, even if there is a shortage, but we will also be able to avoid the miserliness that otherwise always afflicts us. For we all have the bad habit of thinking that he who has much may do all the less, and may go all the further. That's why everyone wants to have a lot, and people finally get to the point where they ask neither for God nor for people, if only they can satisfy their avarice and scrape together a lot of good things.
(25) He that diligently meditated on this miracle would have other thoughts, and would not be comforted by abundance, nor be dismayed by want. For he would set his heart and conclude: He who has Christ has such a steward, who can make much out of little, even everything out of nothing. But where Christ is not with his blessing, great heaps are broken down *) and decrease from day to day.
*) to break up, that is, to come apart in fibers.
D. Red.
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(26) These seven loaves here and the small fishes may have belonged to a meal for the Lord himself and his disciples. For since the Lord was in the habit of spending time with the people for prayer and other things, the disciples had to take food on such journeys. But since so many people come to the Lord, and this need arises that they do not have enough to eat, this supply must serve to feed the whole crowd. As soon as the Lord takes the seven loaves, breaks them and gives them to the disciples to present to the people, they visibly grow under his hands, so that he always gives to the disciples what he has broken, and yet more remains in his hands than he gives out. He knows this art and demonstrates it too well to his disciples, who follow his word, but not sooner, unless there is need and lack. Therefore, whoever desires such a blessing, do not complain about the lack, that for a time it is bad. Hold fast to the word and to your profession, according to Christ's command; then let him take care how he feeds you.
27 For no man hath seen or heard that a Christian died of hunger. They may be persecuted, imprisoned, and many killed; but if they have first received the first and rich alms, and have believed the word, they have all found food, and have been fed. For a Christian shall not be put to shame, though he have not so good, glorious, and plenty, as the rich men have. For here things are also bad. The Lord Christ gives his guests a piece of bread and fish, and a drink of water, and does not set before them ten dishes, delicious malmsey and various wines, as the rich use to have in abundance.
28 The Lord also wants his Christians here not to strive for great things during the short time of their pilgrimage, but to be satisfied with the little that he has given them. For what more do you want, but to be able to avoid hunger and keep a healthy body? Be content with that. If other people have better, let them thank God for it, and be careful not to get carried away with the abundance.
sin and abuse to their own detriment.
(29) For it is evident that rich men's cakes do not serve everyone, and that people do not remain healthy for long; that some would rather have a piece of bread and a fresh drink of water to keep them healthy than such abundance, since sickness and an unhealthy body must follow. As is commonly seen in the rich, who seek pleasure more than what is healthy for the body and serves their needs. That is why they prosper so much that many of them die of various diseases before their time. On the other hand, poor people, who must eat and drink what they have for their necessities, stay fresh and healthy and live many years. And it hardly serves such bankers right. They could eat and live moderately, make less of excess, make do with two, or at most three, fairly good meals, so that they would be full, cheerful, in good spirits and remain merry. They do not do this, but make too much of the desire, thus harming their body and life, so that they still become sick and ill in their youth, and must die before time.
(30) But where are the poor, who cannot have dry bread, and who should not suffer the rich if they could escape the great expenses and excesses which they spend on clothing and banqueting, since not only is everything superfluous, but also many useless things must perish and perish? For the rich, who are the disciples and followers of the rich man, Luke 16, have this unkindness about them, that they do not take what belongs to and serves for splendor, abundance and lust. But if they should give a poor man a coat, or otherwise help him, they complain, or do it unwillingly; and if they should give and help the poor abundantly, they do it unwillingly, and act as if their ruin were upon them.
31 Therefore our Lord God does exceedingly well, either to let it finally melt away, where they have bathed before in wine, so that afterwards they have scarcely the good water; or, if they have no lack of the good, to let them have it.
790 L. 2, 469-471. on the eighth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1791-1794. 791
If the rich have their own sicknesses and diseases, they have to suffer in their bodies, which is more distressing and painful. As you can see, the rich have their own special afflictions and diseases, ailments, stones, gout, paralysis and the like. This is because they know how to care for their bodies so well, and leave the poor, meager people to suffer hardship; for whom God repays the lack they suffer, even though they have only dry bread and a drink of water, so that they are still healthy, cheerful and in good spirits. This is what I wanted to report here as a reminder, since we hear how the Lord feeds his guests so briefly, with a piece of bread and a piece of fish.
32 So today's gospel serves this purpose,
That we may learn to know our dear Lord Jesus Christ as a gracious Lord and Father, who is pleased to help body and soul, and who comes first with the help we need by sharing his word with us, and thereby teaching us how to know God and be saved by grace. By grace we shall be saved. After that, whoever is in need of the He will not leave us alone, but will add His blessing to our small supply, so that it may prosper and increase against all the world's reason and thoughts. For such teaching we should give thanks to God today, and ask that he may provide us with his spiritual and temporal blessings through Christ, amen.
*On the eighth Sunday after Trinity. )
Matth. 7, 15-23.
Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. By their fruits ye shall know them. Can you also gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? So every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, and a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore you shall know them by their fruits. Not all who say to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not taught in your name? have we not cast out devils in your name? have we not done many deeds in your name? Then I will confess to them: I have never known you; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.
The Lord preached this sermon at the end of the long sermon on the mountain, which St. Matthew describes in the 5th, 6th, 7th chapters. And this is because he knows that where our Lord God builds a church, the devil builds a shrine or inn with it; or, as it is said to the young children, when our Lord God took a hole in the ground and made a beautiful man out of it, the devil wanted to imitate this work and made toads and snakes.
1533 After a and b and after Röhrer: held in the house, 1533. D. Red.
For it has always been so, when right preaching has had its course, that the devil has mixed false doctrine and heresy in with it. As you can see in a garden, when you sow something good in it, the weeds grow with it, and it is difficult to keep the good seed from the weeds and to bring it up.
2 Because it cannot be otherwise, we must be here on earth under the devil, who has the world under him and always sows his tares among them: so the Lord admonishes and warns us in today's gospel, as our faithful teacher and arch shepherd of our
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Souls, that we should beware and beware of false prophets. As if to say, "I have given you my word and have faithfully taught you what to do and how to understand the Ten Commandments correctly, how to pray correctly, how to fast correctly, how to trust in God, and other things. Now it is up to you to take care that you are not led away from such teaching. I warn you, you will not be able to excuse yourselves; for I do not send you among angels, but among wolves; and I do not sow you among the wheat, but among the tares. Therefore take heed that ye be not deceived.
(3) Therefore the Lord wills that we hold fast to the word, and not be led away from it. But what is contrary to the word we are to hate and flee, as the devil himself. Therefore let no one be safe, nor sleep. For it will not fail (as said before), where the word is right and pure, the wolves will not stay outside, but will surely come. As can be seen, first in the church, then also in secular government and households. Everywhere the wolf is creeping in, whether he could snatch us from the word and do us harm. The Christian church has the true, pure Word of God; the devil cannot leave it at that, and brings in all kinds of fanatics who bring something new and special about baptism, about the Lord's Supper, about Christ Himself, and thereby mislead and seduce the people. And where such enthusiasts are to be found, we, as unruly, rash people, have the bad habit, as soon as we hear something new, of bursting at the mouth, falling away from the word, and gawping after such mobs and enthusiasts.
4 This is where this warning belongs in the first place. As if Christ should say: The false prophets will not remain outside, but will certainly come to you, and in addition with a beautiful, glittering shine, and make you monkey-mouths, so that you will think, you have never heard a better sermon in your life; will therefore fall, like the untimely, wormy fruit, when the wind comes in. Then what will be the fault? Not mine, for I warn you against it; but yourselves, who hear the word and have it, but do not abide in it.
For if a Christian were diligent, and had no more than the Catechism, the Ten Commandments, the Faith, the Lord's Prayer, and the words of the Lord concerning Baptism and the Sacrament of the Altar, he would be able to defend himself finely against all heresies.
(6) But because we hear the word so diligently, and because we keep empty hearts that do not keep the word, the devil finds his way into such empty hearts and leads them into gross and palpable error. The Lord would like to warn us against this, so that we do not keep such careless hearts, but consider how we can grasp God's word well and firmly. For he does not send us among the angels, but among wolves; there it needs well attention. Whoever then wants to be sure of the matter and not to err, let him keep my word, says Christ. This is the right light which I have lighted for you, and the armor, that ye may be able to withstand the stings of the devil, and to resist him, though he come unto you in sheep's clothing.
Now this is terrible, and we are in for a great ride, that the devil, when he comes to us (in his spirits), does not come as a devil, but he adorns himself as if he were God Himself; as he came to our dear Lord Christ, saying, "Worship me, and I will give you all the kingdoms of the world. These were not words for the devil to speak, but belong to the high majesty, the eternal GOD. For it is he alone whom one should worship, and he alone is powerful of all the kingdoms of the world, and gives them according to his pleasure to whom he pleases. Therefore Christ punishes him, saying, "Arise, Satan." As if to say, Thou wouldst gladly give thyself up for GOD; but I know thee: thou art the devil. Therefore we must not look upon the sheep's clothing; otherwise we would be deceived, and would have to accept and listen to the devil in God's stead. For, as I have said, he comes to us in his mobs, in his flocks, and in his heretics: not in a wolf's skin, which is knowable and loathsome, but in sheep's clothing. For first of all, they lead God's Word and the Scriptures, boast much of Christ, of God's Spirit, know all things better than others, even give it with such a
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They appear to attract many people and do great harm. Moreover, they lead a strict, seemingly glittering life, so that one would like to swear that they are holy, that they mean well, and yet they are the wretched devil. As we see in the case of the Anabaptists, devotees of the sacraments and others. Wherever the hearts are careless and unconcerned and do not look carefully at the Word, the devil creeps in through such spirits' false teachings, like a snake into a man sleeping in the grass.
Therefore we should diligently accept our Lord Christ's faithful warning, and not be such muzzlers who can do nothing but keep their mouths open, always looking for something new. We should hear the word diligently, hold fast to it, and judge and judge all doctrine according to the word; then the devil would not be able to do harm so easily.
(9) This is also the case in the secular government, which is also an example and an illustration of the Christian church. If the rulers are sure and industrious, if they do not wait for their own office and command, then the country becomes full of hypocrites. For they trust here, they trust there, they rely on their officials; they keep such a house that is probably better. Nevertheless the poor man is neglected and weighed down; God finally gives an evil blessing to 2c. For it is not good that lords should command their great matters and affairs to others and trust everyone, and not take care of the affairs themselves. They should look into the game themselves, take account themselves, and believe no further than they see, so they would be the less deceived.
So it is also in housekeeping. If master and wife snore, and leave everything in the hands of the servants, and put good trust in them, then it goes according to the common saying: Trauwohl ritt das Pferd weg. It is true that one should and must trust; for it is a shameful thing about unfaithful (mistrustful) people, who do nothing good to anyone: but there should nevertheless also be a measure, so that one does not trust too much; but watches himself, and by trusting too much, as commonly happens, does not give the servants cause to sin.
Now the servants should not be safe, but should diligently obey the command of their rulers, and not let evil company lead them away. For how can it be when father and mother speak to the child, master and wife to the servants? Do this; that they let their journeymen and their companions persuade them to leave that which they have been commanded to do, and do something else? meanwhile they should go for a walk, play, carouse, while they are working in the house, doing this and that. But such loose company does not act as if they meant it badly, they say very good words; but because they give cause for disobedience, it is the wicked devil; you should not follow him.
- many a servant or maid has a good service with honest pious people who did not like to see or suffer fornication or levity in theirs. But what has the devil to do through wicked mouths? Here comes one, there one, and says: What do you show yourself,*) that you let yourself be locked up and kept hard like this? You could well improve your cause, be in a place where you would have more pleasure, not have to work so hard and have better days. With such words a simple-minded man is soon persuaded, does not think that anyone means him ill, even considers such honey-sweet mouths good friends, when they are the worst of enemies. For nothing is more harmful to a young person than to let him have his own way and not to always encourage and drive him to discipline and work.
(13) So it goes everywhere in all classes that the wolf finds himself and tears the hearts away from the word. For the devil can neither tolerate the word in the church, nor a serious disturbance in the worldly government, nor obedience in the household; but everything that God has ordered, he must worm out, in the household and worldly government as well as in the church. For this is God's order and will, that His word be kept in the church, good order and laws in the government, and the strictest discipline and obedience in the household.
*) What do you want? That is: What do you want?
D. Red.
796 L. 2. 476-478. on the eighth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1801-1805. . 797
The devil gets in the way everywhere, so that he can destroy such a godly, useful and necessary order. Therefore, we should be careful and not be sure, for we do not live among the most pious Christians; most of them are wicked and false, yet they can adorn themselves with the sheep's clothing, so that the wolf cannot be known.
This is what happens most often and is most dangerous in the church: there come all the mobs, fanatics and heretics with the pretense that they care a lot about the salvation of the people, and that they would like to see God's word pure and the truth promoted. When the poor sheep see such sheep's clothing, they make themselves believe that it is pure gold, soon burst out of it and put up with it. For who would not like to hear God's word and know the truth? But then the Christians should learn that the devil can name the truth and praise God's word just as well as the pious Christians. Therefore, they should say: I also want to hear God's word and the truth with pleasure; but do not trust too much, but see if it rhymes with my catechism and with the sermon I have heard so far. Whoever is careful and not only believes, but also sees the word, is healed and undeceived. But whoever does not, it is impossible that he should not be deceived.
(15) So it was with Eve in Paradise: the devil came with good, smooth words, and made our Lord God as pious as if he could not be angered. He said, "He gave you the whole garden to enjoy; how could he not give you this one tree, which does not harm you, but can serve to make you wise like him? These were smooth, sweet words that came to Eve, so that she fell and forgot the commandment of God. Or if she did not forget it, she put it into doubt. Then it was also over with her. At the first, when the devil set upon her, she acted very wisely, and struck the devil away with the command that God had given her. But when he stopped again and said, "If God had forbidden them the tree, then he must be an envious, unfaithful God who would have given them the tree.
not begrudging them to be as wise as he; so she abandoned the word, broke off the apple, and ate it; by which she and all of us fell into all unhappiness and eternal death.
(16) For the sake of such a journey, that we also be not deceived by the devil through his apostles, the Lord warns us here, saying, "Take heed. As if to say, "If you are deceived, the fault is not mine but yours. Cause, I have given you my word pure and clear, which shall be your guard and light to shine before you. Only you look at it, and do not let this light out of your sight, but hold fast to it. If you hear someone talking against it, which does not rhyme with it, say: I do not hear; here is my light, which shines differently for me.
- *) So God has sufficiently protected us in that he has given us his word, and warned us to beware of false prophets, and is therefore well excused. But we are not excused if we do not keep the word and listen to the cry of the wolf, when we have great need that we should not do so. For he is a liar and a murderer, who desires nothing to do but to seduce and strangle.
- as he soon proved in the beginning in paradise with Adam and Eve, and threw them with all their descendants into sin, death and wrath of God. Our merciful God and Father in heaven helped us out of such misery through His Son, so that we were saved from sin and death. That is why the enemy is creeping up on us again, to see if he can move us out of such grace and bring us into the old accident. We must be careful and faithfully keep our word, otherwise we will be lost.
19 Let this be said in general of this gospel for bad, simple teaching, because the Lord tells us to beware of false prophets and to be careful to stay with the word and not be led away from it, but to flee everything contrary to the word as the devil himself. This would be enough. For, as we have heard, he who
*) From a sermon preached in the house in 1532.
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follows this light and does not let it out of his sight, he is recovered.
(20) But the Lord does not leave it at such common teaching, but gives his Christians two rules to follow, so that they will not be in trouble. The first is that they should not let the sheep's clothing deceive them, nor should they place their judgments after it. For as the wolves, when they are hungry, bark and howl like dogs, if they can deceive cattle or men with it: so do the false prophets, coming with a delicious appearance, pretending great holiness 2c. Let no one turn to them. This is the one rule that is very important.
(21) First of all, this is the sheep's clothing in which the false spirits clothe themselves and adorn themselves, so that no one comes who confesses that he wants to deceive the people and preach unrighteousness. They come with good, smooth, gentle words, pretending that they are driven by God's zeal and that they no longer want to see the misery of the poor people, that they have been kept from their virtue for so long. The common man is not accustomed to such words from bad boys, and for this reason he soon bursts, and considers it pure sanctity what such sneaks say and do. But a Christian should learn (as reported above) that the devil does not come as a devil, but as if he were God. So these wolves do not come like wolves, but put on sheepskin, so that whoever does not know them thinks they are silly pious sheep.
(22) After this also the sheep's clothing is called the office or profession and the great, glorious titles. As we have learned, then, that pope and bishops have done the most harm with it, and still that they have vaunted their office, and for that reason have kept their statutes. For even though their life is so annoying that they can neither deceive nor catch anyone with it, it still has a very great appearance that they sit in public church office. Just as the Lord says of the Pharisees and the scribes that they sit in Moses' chair. And we ourselves cannot take away such glory from them; we must confess that they have the office, and the
Office be right in themselves, if they only needed it right.
(23) Therefore, when the pope and bishops boast of their ministry and want to be heard as those who cannot err, a Christian should be warned and say: I know the office well, it is a true sheep's clothing. But Christ warns me not to be satisfied with it when I see the sheep's clothing, but to look around to see if there is not a wolf hiding under the sheep's clothing, that is, if there is not an ungodly, wicked wretch in charge of the ministry, who wants to introduce false doctrine through the appearance of his ministry.
24 So it is also a sheep's clothing, that the false prophets outwardly lead a beautiful appearance and glittering life. As can be seen in the Anabaptists, there is not a trace of them, their clothes, food and drink are poor and bad, they deal much with God's word, pray much, are patient in suffering, not vengeful. Such things are not wrong in themselves, and it would be desirable that all people were like them. But that one should therefore consider their teaching right and follow them, Christ says: Beware of them. For under the sheep's clothing you will find a wolf, viz: that the Anabaptists, like the monks, put their comfort in their own righteousness and works; that they prove God false in his promise, because they allow themselves to be baptized again, and thus nullify the first and right baptism; teach unjustly about the Lord's Supper, as if one received nothing there but bread and wine, and impose unnecessary burdens on Christians; tear up the household, say it is wrong to have something of one's own, despise worldly authority as an unchristian state; thus turn back and destroy all three of God's institutions, namely, the church, worldly government and household government. Such a harmful and shameful wolf is under the fine, smooth fur, that the Anabaptists lead such a beautiful appearance in the outward life.
(25) The life of monks and nuns has also had such an appearance that the whole world has been fooled and deceived with it. But God's word exposes such deceit publicly, so that one sees the wolf under the sheep's clothing.
800 L. 2, 481-483. on the eighth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1808-1811. 801
26 So also the great gifts are a sheep's clothing, since the Lord says here that some will prophesy in his name, cast out devils and do great miracles. For a Christian should also beware lest he for this reason plump himself, cling to such people, and without diligent attention accept and believe everything they say; but he should especially watch the word, whether there is not a wolf under the sheep's clothing.
27 This is the first rule, that we should not let the sheep's wool deceive us. For though the words be good, the ministry right, the outward life without offense, and beside them great, peculiar, and not common gifts; yet one may be deceived and defrauded: that under the good word there is a harmful poison, under the right ministry a dangerous abuse, under the glittering life a deceit, and under the great gifts a false heart. Therefore, as soon as you see the sheep's clothing, think: It is not good to be safe here; for Christ himself warns that even wolves put on sheep's clothing and hide under it. Therefore I must uncover the sheep's clothing and look down. Now how does this happen? So:
028 Now this is the other rule which the Lord giveth, that one should leave off outward appearances, and look after the fruits. "By their fruits," saith he, "ye shall know them." Gives it a likeness. No one is so foolish among you, when he sees a thorn or thistle bush in the field, as to go and see if he can find grapes or figs on it. No, one looks for such fruits at another tree, which is not so prickly and prickly. It is the same in the garden. When a tree hangs full of apples and pears, everyone who sees it says: Oh, what a good tree that is! Again, if there is nothing on a tree, or if it is all wormy, broken, and naughty, everyone says, "The tree is worthless, only cut down and thrown into the oven, and a better one put in its place. This art, saith the LORD, which ye also use against false prophets, ye shall not lack it, be the appearance what it may; if twenty sheepskins lay upon the wolf, ye
yet know him, that he deceive you not.
29 What then is the fruit of a true prophet or preacher, that he may be known to be not a wolf, but a godly little sheep? The outward life, the title and the office, special gifts and graces are not. For the Lord himself testifies, as experience also teaches, that people are often deceived and seduced by these things. But the true fruit, as the Lord says at the end, is to do the will of the Father who is in heaven.
(30) Notice here that the Lord does not say of all Christians in general, but of the prophets. It is true that all Christians should do the will of the Father, so that they may be saved. But "the will of the Father" does not only mean that one does the Ten Commandments and obeys God in this way; for since we cannot fully do this in this life, it is impossible for us to boast that we have done the will of the Father and therefore will never enter heaven: but the will of the Father means, as Christ says, Joh. 6:40: "This is the will of him that sent me, that whosoever seeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. This is the only way that all of us, preachers and listeners, should go at the same time, if we want to be saved in any other way. Now the Lord speaks here especially of the preachers or prophets, whose right and proper fruit is nothing else than that they should diligently recite this will to the people, and teach them how God is gracious and merciful, who has no pleasure in the sinner's death, but desires that he should live; and that God Himself has shown such mercy in that He allowed His only begotten Son to become man.
Whoever therefore accepts him and believes in him, that is, whoever comforts himself that God will be gracious to him for the sake of His Son, forgive sin and make him eternally blessed, 2c.: whoever preaches this sermon purely, and thus points people to Christ as the one mediator between God and us, he, as a preacher, does the will of God. And this
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is the right fruit, by which no one can be deceived or seduced. For if it were possible, if the devil himself preached thus, such preaching could not be false nor lying; whoever believed it would have that which it promised him.
(32) After this fruit, which is the noblest and most certain, which cannot be deceived, others also follow, namely, that life also rhymes well with such doctrine and is not contrary to it. But such fruit is to be considered true fruit when the first fruit, namely, the doctrine of Christ, is present first. For sometimes doctrine cannot be unjust, though life be vexatious and evil. For this reason we must look primarily not at the life, but at the doctrine; so we will be able to know finely whether he is a wolf or a sheep who comes to us in sheep's clothing.
(33) If anyone wishes to judge the pope and his church, let him begin with the first fruit, and he will find that the doctrine of beatitude and forgiveness of sins is based not only on Christ but also on all kinds of works, monastic vows, the observance of mass, indulgences, and the merit of the saints. This is a shameful, poisonous, stinging thorn that cannot be found on any fig tree or vine. On the other hand, look at life: there you will find that the pope and his whole crowd have withdrawn from all proper obedience. They are bitter enemies of the Word and of Christians, persecute, torture and strangle them wherever they can, live in abominable fornication, work in the fields of
They eat nothing and eat the church's goods for nothing. In sum, there is not one good drop in all their lives.
34 Where therefore the evil fruits both beat together, that doctrine and life are useless, think that it is a thorn and a pricking thistle, whereon thou shouldest not seek grapes nor figs; and if thou shouldest support thyself to do so, that thou shouldest not only not find them, but thou shouldest also prick and rend thyself upon them. It is not because the vine has such a rough, rough bark, and the fig tree such a weak, unfit wood, but the thorn has such a beautiful smooth bark and such a lovely, tasting,*) beautiful blossom and rose. It is the fruit that matters, not the external appearance. Learn to do your calculations according to that, and nowhere else.
(35) But what punishment shall befall such false teachers the Lord shows by the similitude of the rotten tree, that it should be cut down and cast into the fire. Just as it is with false teachers, so shall it be with their disciples if they do not hear the right teaching or bear fruit.
Therefore let us keep the word of God before our eyes, let us hear it diligently and remember it well, and let us live our lives according to it, so that we may bear good fruit and learn to know and flee all false teaching. May our dear Lord Christ, through his Holy Spirit, grant this to us all, amen.
*) smelling b. D. Red.
*On the ninth Sunday after Trinity. )
Luc. 16, 1-9.
And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward, which was reproached before him, as if he had destroyed his goods. And he challenged him, and said unto him, How hear I of thee? Give account of your stewardship, for you cannot be a steward henceforth. The steward said to himself: What shall I do? My lord takes the office from me; I do not like to dig, so I am ashamed to beg. I know well what I will do, when
*) Held in the house, 1533.
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I am now set apart from the ministry, that they may take me into their houses. And he called all the debtors of his lord unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred tons of oleum. And he said unto him, Take thy letter, and sit down, and write fifty. Then he said to the other: How much do you owe? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy letter, and write eighty. And the Lord praised the unjust steward, because he had done wisely. For the children of this world are wiser than the children of light in their generation. And I say also unto you, Make friends with the unrighteous Mammon, that, when ye now offer, they may receive you into the everlasting tabernacles.
Today's gospel is a sermon about good works, and especially against avarice, that one should not misuse money and goods, but help poor, needy people with them. As the Lord says at the end in clear words: "Make friends of unrighteous mammon", that is, help poor people with your money and goods. For the word "mammon" in German means as much as wealth.
(2) The Lord puts this teaching into a simile, as he likes to do (because it is easier to remember), and says, "We should send ourselves three ways, like this unjust steward. He saw, because he was deposed from office, that he would need the help of other people; therefore he needed his office, because it was still in his hands, so that he left half to one debtor and the fourth part to another, so that they might remember such friendship and also help him when he needed it.
3 Now it is not the Lord's opinion that we should do wrong to one another, and cheat one another out of what is his, and give alms out of it. No, but his opinion is that we should follow this steward in prudence, diligence and prudence, turning money and goods to enjoy them in a different and better life; that we should make friends with our mammon, as the steward made friends with the unjust mammon.
4 Here we are to learn first of all why the Lord gives the name to mammon, that he calls it an unjust mammon. For unjust goods should be given back, and no good should be done to others with them, nor should alms be given. As Isaiah says in chapter 61, v. 8: "I," says the Lord, "am he that loveth righteousness, and hateth robbery or stolen offerings." This is said so much: Who sacrifices, gives alms and wants to do a service to God with the money,
Let him do it from his own, which he has acquired with God and a good conscience, or be satisfied. For one should not do anything else with someone else's property, except to give it back to the one from whom it was unreasonably taken. Now how is it fitting that the Lord should say here: from unrighteous mammon one should make friends, that is, give alms from it and help the poor? Answer: The Lord does not call mammon or goods unjust because they are unjustly gained (for, as I said, unjustly gained goods are to be restored), but because no man has a right need of mammon, except the right, pious Christians who keep the fear of God and the commandments of God. The others need mammon for this purpose, according to the common saying: "Good makes you brave," they flaunt, bank, live in luxury, and let the poor pass by unharmed, whom they could well help. That is why wealth and riches must have and bear the shameful name that they are called unjust.
(5) What pleasure God has in such abuse can be seen in the saying of Ezekiel, where he says Cap. 16:49: "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodoma: High-mindedness and all fullness, and good peace, which she and her daughters had. But to the poor and needy they would not willingly have given their hand; but were proud, and did abominable things in my sight." There it is, peace and having all sufficiency, that one does not know what to do with it because of great courage, and yet one does not help poor people. That is the pity, and yet the common custom in the world, since the disgraceful name comes from the estate, that it is gained as honestly as it always can, that it is called an unrighteous mammon, a damned money, a stolen good: not because of its kind and nature (for what can the poor penny, florin, jochimsthaler, bread, meat, etc.), but because of its value?
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Fish, wine, and other things in addition?), but of the man half, which does not need it quite.
(6) Therefore, the teaching of today's Gospel is primarily that we should not be stingy, but that we should make good use of what God has given us and make friends with it, so that when we die and are in want, that is, when we have to leave everything behind, we will find friends there who will take us into the eternal dwellings. For whatever good we do to poor people here, whatever friendship and charity we show, these works will not only be witnesses on the last day that we have kept ourselves brotherly and Christian, but will also be rewarded or paid for. Then one will come and boast: Lord, he has given me a coat, a florin, a loaf of bread, a drink of water in time of need. Yes, as Christ says in Matthew 25, he himself, the Lord, will come forward and say before his heavenly Father, all the angels and saints, what good we have done him, and how we have thereby proved our faith. These friends will do it and help us to heaven, if we have to live in want and leave everything we have on earth.
(7) Whoever follows this teaching and gives money and goods, which God has given him, to the poor, who cannot gain their own bread, for taxation and help, would make a right mammon out of the wrong one, because he would turn it from abuse to the right use. For this is by no means the case with Christians, that they want to use money and goods only for themselves, for their splendor, honor, pleasure and pride. As can be seen in the case of citizens and peasants, and the common saying that such felons carry in their mouths: I have grain and bread for myself; if you also want to have it, get it for yourself. This means an unjust grain and bread, an unjust mammon, which they use for sins and their eternal ruin, when they could well use it and serve and please God, if they served their neighbor with it.
8 But if some have unrighteous mammon and do not help others with it: Dear, what will be the unrighteousness of those who steal and take in addition? As there are almost all hands
merchants and traders, servants and maids, since one always translates, misrepresents, deceives and lies to the other. They will not only not make friends, but many enemies, all of whom will accuse them on the last day before God's court and judgment, because they suffer injustice here, keep quiet about it and call such enemies grace-junkies.
9 But in that day it will be different; they will open their mouths and say, "Lord, there was a great time, and this man had many boxes of grain and cellars full of wine; but he would not have given out a grain or a drop, because he would have been paid in cash as he wished. He has been my landlord, has increased me from year to year with the interest. From him I have taken my bread, beer, meat, fish; but there has seldom happened to me and my kind the right weight and measure, nor otherwise the same. Yes, in that day not only the saints, who have suffered hardship and lack here, and the Lord Christ Himself, but also all creatures that have ever had and enjoyed them, will lament and cry out for eternity over their necks, that they have misused them so badly to their eternal harm and damnation. How do you think, you wretched servant of idols and mammon, that when this judgment comes upon you, you will stand? For if those who do not come through without punishment, who do not harm others with increases, but do not give to the poor, how do you think it will be for those who not only do not give, but who, as real thieves and robbers of stools, make a fuss with their avarice, usury, stealing and robbery, and weigh down the dear poor, just so that they scrape together a lot of money and become rich, and yet have no conscience about it?
(10) This is the sermon against stinginess, that he who wants to be a Christian should not always open his hand to take, and to give so hard that not a penny drips from it; but he should gladly, willingly and charitably help the needy and give where he can. This means serving God, who will finally reward you. Whereas the
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Misers and usurers, who can do nothing but scrape up everything for themselves, give nothing or even meagerly to no one, serve the wretched devil, who will also reward them.
- but especially all the saints will cry out over them in that day and say: This farmer, citizen, merchant, nobleman 2c. could do nothing but scratch, scrape and scrape; I would have needed his help often, but he would not have helped me with a word, let alone that he should have helped me with money and goods 2c. The Lord makes such a prosopopeiam here, that he makes it so before the eyes, how the poor saints will stand before the Lord Christ on that day, and complain about the rich, meager felts.
(12) On the other hand, the rich, who have been mild with their goods and have gladly helped others, will be greatly honored, will find many friends (and above all the Lord Christ), who will praise their good deeds. From this we are to learn to begin with right earnestness, to be pious, mild, kind, charitable, 2c., thus proving our faith, and those, if we have done good,* may have its witnesses before Christ at the last day, that we have abstained from shameful vice, which does no more than scratch at itself, let others besides have it as they will.
- **) Now it says here: The Lord has praised the unjust steward. This must not be interpreted as if he should put up with us doing wrong to other people, but only praises speed and prudence, and wants us to use the same earnestness and diligence in a good matter that this steward used in an evil matter, for his own benefit and to the detriment of his Lord.
14 As when thou seest a lewd woman adorning herself most beautifully for the purpose of fornication, poor gold, silk, and silk cannot help but be used for fornication. But nevertheless I can praise it and say to you: Do you also see how this woman knows how to use her fornication?
*) c D. Red.
**) Held publicly 1533; after a b c: 1532.
D. Red.
send? Why do you not also need such diligence to please your bridegroom, our dear Lord Christ? With these words I do not praise fornication, but diligence, care and prudence, that we should use it in good, honorable, honest things.
(15) We must also pay attention to the fact that Christ speaks a very terrible word here, when he says: "The children of this world are wiser than the children of light in their generation. This does not need much interpretation; we see it before our eyes every day, unfortunately more than is good, how the world searches so exceedingly precisely when it sees its advantage, and does not let any effort or work be put off. How much trouble, worry and danger have the shrub thieves who make do in hedges? They have neither day nor night to rest, if they are in danger of being killed by a blade or a rope; nor do they love their devilish life, so that they cannot tire of it. So a thief, a fencher, an adulterer, all of them lead a hard life and a hard order, need all kinds of cunning and trickery, intrigue and advantage, so that they can carry out their mischievousness and fornication; and they get mad beyond measure, until they give the devil his joyful service.
(16) On the other hand, we see how the children of light, that is, the true Christians, are lazy, discontented, careless and industrious in the things of God, knowing that God is well pleased with them and that they may enjoy them for eternity. So the good comes to them sourly. Thus, according to the common saying, it is twice as sour for the wicked to deserve hell, since they serve the devil so diligently, and do and suffer everything for his sake, as the godly do for heaven; and this is well said, if one understands it correctly. God must pull his Christians by the hair and force them to do what they are supposed to do.
(17) Therefore this is a very fine similitude which the Lord here holds up to us. If we are Christians and want to do what we are supposed to do, we must not look into the books; every man must look into his own house, like evil children, evil servants, maidservants, 2c. on evil, mischievousness and everything that is dear to the devil,
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are so sweaty, trained and ready. There you will feel such great diligence, that people are so cursed with mischievousness that they do not know how to be sufficiently nasty and wanton. Then learn that you do such things against God and His Word, and to the good of your salvation, and take a useful lesson and example from such wickedness. Remember, can the peasant, the burgher, the merchant, the sheriff, this woman, maid, 2c. serve the devil with such diligence, and let no effort be spared: why would I not also serve my Lord, whom I am to enjoy for eternity, in this way? They run, as if they were senseless, after their eternal harm and destruction: how am I then so sleepy and lazy, since it concerns my soul's bliss, that God must still drag me to it with my hair? I should spit at myself, so that I do not crawl to heaven, since those run and run to hell!
- But especially the children of the world set a fine example to the children of light in the case the Lord says here. For behold one whom covetousness hath rightly possessed, thou shalt find that he hath no rest day nor night from his own thoughts; all his care and mind is for money. If he finds an empty corner in the house, he makes a little room or a little shop out of it, so that he can take an interest from it; now he makes this trade, soon another, and tries which one will bring the most profit. In sum, he leaves not a penny behind, and takes no trouble nor work where he sees money.
(19) Then we should learn that as a miser takes care of money, so we also take care of eternity with seriousness. But where will you find a Christian who does so? who rejoices when he finds a poor person whom he can help with ten florins, more or less, according to his fortune and that need; as a rich usurer rejoices when he knows how to make a great profit with his money? Here everyone runs to, and would like to bring the hundred to ten, twenty or more guilders.
- but what is that against the usury, which our money shall certainly bear, if
we help the poor with it? For thus saith Solomon: "He that hath mercy on the poor lendeth to God by usury." O how a certain debtor, o how a faithful payer we would have, if only we ourselves wanted! But the devil will not let us believe such things and earnestly seek such rich usury, which brings more than the main sum. That is why it is right for us, because we prefer usury with men than with God, that not only great, horrible sin, but also great accident and misfortune is involved, and we lose body and soul with the shameful mammon.
Therefore Christ decides rightly and says that the children of the world are much more diligent and clever than his children. For thus it is found in the work, that the devil hath a hundred ministries with his own, whereas Christ hath scarcely one. What shall we do about it? We cannot change it, for the world will not let us tell it. We may preach, and always persist with punishments, threats, and admonitions, if we could free some of the world's children from the devil's snares; We may also confidently promise the lazy, careless Christians, yes, all of us, that we may take an example of such diligence, which the world needs in the service of the devil, that we also practice good, as the children of Adam practice evil, if we may obtain a little of such an example; especially because we have the advantage (no matter how difficult it may be) that we are children of light.
(22) If we keep this name, that we belong to the light, though we are not so industrious, not so clever, as the children of the world, there is no need but that we do something, and are thus found to have begun to be among the least of the company that is called "children of light.
(23) But let no man suppose that we shall bring it where the children of the world bring it in their generation. It would be well if we were far ahead of them, because we have the promise that we will receive the eternal crown; but there are too many obstacles in our way. Nevertheless
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We are to be diligent to continue from day to day in discipline, patience, meekness, gentleness, mercy, and other Christian virtues. For if we are and remain only in lifting up and on the right way, the step, however slow and narrow it may be, will be fine for us to follow. But we must not let ourselves think that we have even taken the wrong path.
24 Our consolation, then, is that where we thus begin, God will not judge us like the children of the world, who surely run to hell and get angry; but He will say to us in all grace: You should have served me more faithfully and been more diligent, because you are a child of light; but it did not happen. Therefore I must cover it with the mantle called grace and forgiveness of sins. This must be thrown into our lives, yes, drawn up above, so that we walk under it, as under the free, wide sky. So we will still find a friend or two there, but especially the right friend who can give heaven and make us blessed, our dear Lord Jesus Christ.
(25) This is the lesson of today's gospel, that we should learn to deal rightly with unrighteous mammon and make friends with it, that is, serve people with it; just as this steward made friends with other people's money.
(26) Here it is asked how such a doctrine rhymes with the doctrine of faith. And especially the papists make much ado about it, pointing out that one can earn heaven by works, but faith alone does not do it; for the Lord says here, "The friends will take you into the eternal tabernacles. Although they are not worthy to be told of these or other questions (for they do not accept them, but blaspheme and persecute more and more), we will nevertheless, for the sake of the pious, briefly answer such a question.
First, the papists themselves must confess that the friends the Lord speaks of here are people who live with and around us. For how else could we give them?
On the other hand, they must also confess this: Because these friends are human beings like us, they cannot give heaven. For God alone, as the right householder, is mighty in heaven. Why then does the Lord say, "Make friends of the unrighteous mammon, so that when you offer, they may take you into the eternal mansions"? How can this be? We are to take the interpretation from the words of Christ, Matth. 25, where he says that he will boast at the last day what we have done good to our brothers here on earth, that it has happened to him, and that he will give us eternal life 2c. These words show you who is the right friend who wants to give heaven, namely, Christ. The poor beggars, whom we help with a florin or a penny here on earth, will not do so; whether they can serve and benefit us again with their intercession, prayer and other things.
(28) Therefore, the answer to this question is whether we can buy heaven and eternal life by almsgiving. This is to be answered soon. Paul says: "Whatever does not come from faith is sin", Rom. 14, 23. Therefore it must follow that God has no pleasure in the alms of unbelievers, much less will he give them heaven and eternal life. But those who believe in Christ and prove their faith with works, their works are pleasing to God for the sake of faith. God also wants to pay or reward such works in that life. But it does not follow from this that eternal life is given for the sake of works, which alone is promised to him who believes in Christ; as Christ very often testifies: "He who believes in me shall never see death." "I am the way, the truth, and the life." "GOD gave his Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. "2c.
This report is certain and thorough. For there is the judgment of St. Paul: "What does not come from faith is sin. Therefore, if almsgiving is to be a work pleasing to God, faith in Christ must first be present. The same faith brings with it eternal life and receives forgiveness.
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and makes all our doings pleasing to God, even though they are frail and imperfect in themselves; and God will reward them in the life to come. As Christ says in Matthew 25, and as Paul says: "That the sufferings and afflictions of Christians may be paid for in the life to come, and that they may be refreshed in return.
(30) Now that Christ says, "Make friends of unrighteous mammon, so that when you give, they may take you into the eternal tabernacles," the words can do no more than this, because if we are disciples of Christ and do good works, God will pay for those good works in that life. But what does Paul say? If they are to be good works, they must come from faith. And Christ says that it is through faith that we come to forgiveness of sins and eternal life. You must believe such sayings as well as this one, that they are true and not lies.
(31) But how is it to be put together? Nothing else, but that through faith in Christ we have forgiveness of sins and eternal life; and that God, for the sake of such faith, will be pleased with our almsgiving and other good works, and will pay and repay us abundantly in that life; so that, although it is a sore matter for us to serve God and do good works, we may be all the more willing and glad to do so, for the sake of the hope that is set before us in heaven; as Paul says to the Colossians, Cap. 1:5. 1, 5. This is the right and proper understanding of this saying, and correct, thorough answer to the question of good works. May God impart His grace to us for the sake of His Son Christ Jesus, and through the Holy Spirit awaken our hearts in such a way that such faithful, beautiful promises and admonitions may also bear fruit in us, and we may live our lives according to them, and finally be saved, amen.
*On the tenth Sunday after Trinity. )
Luc. 19:41-48.
And when he was come nigh, he looked upon the city, and wept over it, and said, If thou knewest, thou wouldest consider in this thy time what is for thy peace. But now it is hid from thine eyes. For the time will come upon thee, that thine enemies shall make a siege against thee, and against thy children with thee, and shall besiege thee, and be afraid in every place, and shall drag thee, and shall not leave one stone upon another, because thou hast not known the time wherein thou art afflicted. And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought therein, and said unto them: It is written: My house is a house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests, and the scribes, and the chief of the people, sought after him to destroy him, and found not what to do for him: for all the people adhered unto him, and heard him.
- Christians should diligently remember this gospel, so that they may learn to fear God from it. For it is one of the most terrible gospels in Luke; for this reason it should go to our hearts, so that we never forget it. For here we hear what a great wrath is
*) Held in the house, 1532 and 1534.
and earnestness has fallen upon Jerusalem. From this we certainly conclude: He who wants to be secure in his wickedness and continue in sins should not take it into his head that he will escape punishment. For if God has not spared the excellent, highly gifted city, because it has had God's word, and yet has not reformed, then only think of every-
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man, and at times desist from sins and improve himself; otherwise the punishment and wrath will certainly not remain outside.
(2) Now the wrath and woe that has come upon this city and people is so great that the Lord Christ himself is moved to the heart and weeps bitterly over it, that the beautiful city should perish and be torn apart so miserably that not one stone should be left upon another, and wishes, "Oh Jerusalem! If you knew, and believed such future misery to come upon you, you would certainly not be so sure, but would also weep, and consider what serves your peace, and pray that God would be merciful to you.
Although the Lord speaks of Jerusalem alone, he wants to warn and threaten all those who have the word of God and yet hear it in vain and despise it, that they should not be sure or rely on it as if God were giving it to them. No, the punishment will be found, as God lives. Therefore, one should beware of all sins, but especially of the one that is called despising God's word or the time of the visitation, that is, hearing the sermon, and yet not reforming, but continuing in sin forever, preaching and saying whatever one wants. The punishment for such sin certainly does not remain outside, although it is stopped for a while.
4 In this gospel we are given a special example of God's terrible judgment of His most beloved and holy city Jerusalem and His own people, which city was our dear Lord's own house and hearth, and the people His own household. For Jerusalem was like half a heaven, where God Himself dwelt with His angels, where all divine services were held, where almost all the patriarchs lived and had their burial, and finally where Christ, the Son of God, Himself walked, died, was buried, rose again and gave the Holy Spirit. So that this city is so heaped with holiness that it has not been like it in the whole world, nor will be like it until the last day. Nevertheless, all this is unseen, since they do not accept God's word.
When the Jews did not want to follow it, our Lord God kept his word so firmly that his dearest city had to be devastated in the most horrible way. How much less will he give to other cities that cannot hold a candle to Jerusalem, and to other peoples who do not belong to him as closely as the Jews, who were his blood friends.
(5) Therefore, in this example, notice God's anger, and beware of despising the word, lest we say, as we commonly do, "God will not be so angry, he will not punish so severely. For if he has caused the holy city Jerusalem, his most precious treasure on earth, to be torn apart so that not one stone was left upon another, so that the Jews heard the gospel and did not improve, you must not think that he will give it to us if we also lie in the same sin. For Jerusalem is so far gone that it could not be said that a house stood there.
- But God let this terrible punishment happen at that time, when the Jewish people had gathered in crowds to Jerusalem for the Easter feast, and almost thirty times a thousand *) people (as the histories testify) were there. For God intended to kindle a great fire, therefore He brought the fires all in heaps. When he had gathered them together like a great funeral pyre, yes, like a forest, he led the Romans over them, so that they set it on fire and burned it. Josephus says that from the time of the siege until the city was conquered, ten times a hundred thousand were slain and died of pestilence, and seven and ninety thousand were taken captive. They were so despised and worthless that thirty of them were sold for a shilling. So Christ also had to be smelled, whom they had sold for thirty pieces of silver.
7 Now this is the miserable and pitiful punishment that God has inflicted on His people, which He brought out of Egypt with such great glory and miraculous signs, which He placed in the land of Canaan, which He had been their father, and which He has destroyed.
*) one hundred thousand a b D. Red.
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spoke and dealt kindly with them. But because they despised his word and did not want to follow him, he let such wrath and terrible punishment pass over them 2c.
(8) The Lord sees such sorrow, that it is not far off, and weeps for it, saying, If thou knewest, thou wouldest have considered in this thy time what was for thy peace. But now it is hid from thine eyes." Therefore you go safely, as if there were no need for you. But it will not remain so long, it will have to break; and is already before the hand, without that it is still hidden and you do not see it.
(9) Here it may occur to one why our Lord God hides the punishment? Why does he not let it go immediately? Answer: He does it to prove his patience, and to see if we will mend our ways and seek mercy. For if he should strike us with thunder and lightning as soon as we deserve it, none of us could live seven years. That is why he keeps the punishment to himself, to give us time and space to mend our ways. This is fitting for God, who thereby praises his mercy toward us. The devil, however, is an angry spirit, he will not do it; if he could beat you to death with a straw, he would do it, and would not tarry long. But God is merciful, that is why he wants to draw out the punishment, but not let it go at all.
(10) This makes people sure that not only do they not improve, but the longer they stay the worse they become. As you can see: An adulterer, a usurer, a thief, because the punishment does not come as soon as possible, makes himself believe that there is no need for a long time, that he may well atone for his lust. But beware, do not let yourself be seduced or deceived. For here you hear that God may hold back and hide the punishment, but that is not why it remains outside. Therefore, turn back at times, repent and improve yourself. This is what Christ means here when he says: "But now it is hidden from your eyes"; as if he should say: Do not be deceived that the punishment is hidden. You will kill me and shed my blood, as you did with other prophets before me. I will keep silent, let it happen and suffer it. This is what makes you think that it is
will always go on like this and probably remain unpunished. For this reason, no one is serious about becoming more pious and better. But beware, you are not exempt from punishment. If you could be persuaded to believe it, you would think about escaping the punishment. But you do not believe it; that is why you go so safely, let the time of your visitation, in which you will be warned and you could come back to grace, rush by, are safe and do not improve. This is the very sin for which God's wrath will overtake you and hasten you.
(11) Study diligently and notice what God considers to be the greatest sin, which He can least tolerate nor suffer, namely, that His people did not recognize the time of His visitation. For the Lord is silent here about all other sins, and remembers only this, that they went safely there and not only did not turn away from the prophets' admonition and threat, but also persecuted them and shed much innocent blood, until, as the Scripture says, Jerusalem became full of blood here and there (just as Germany today sins horribly with manifold persecution of the Word and its servants). Alongside this sin, adultery, fornication, usury, avarice, stealing, indulging, drinking and the like went on with power.
(12) Christ says here that I have punished such iniquity with the word, and have taught you to be godly and to amend your ways. For this cause I sent my prophets, John and my apostles beforehand; indeed, I myself appeared, preached, performed miraculous signs and did everything that might serve to correct you. Now all other sins, great and many as they are, should not harm you, but be forgiven and remembered no more for eternity; Jerusalem should stand well and remain unchallenged by the enemy: if only you knew the time of your visitation. For I come to you not with the sword, not with the club, but meekly and a Savior. I preach and cry, Repent, amend your ways, and be godly. Hear and follow before
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the wrath comes with power. So I seek you out.
(13) Yes, it will not end there. You make all your sin greater by not wanting to recognize, accept or suffer the visitation. That is why, as the saying goes, "He who cannot be advised cannot be helped. What devil would want to be the barber of the sick person, who would take the razor out of his hand and stab him, the master, in the body? This is exactly how you Jews deal with our Lord God. He lets you offer forgiveness of sins through me, wants to be your merciful God, gladly forgetting and forgiving everything: only that you still stop sinning and accept his word. But you go to me, blaspheme me, say: I have the devil, call my preaching heresy, want to put me on the cross on top of it, will not be satisfied sooner, you have done it. But that is the devil, when God not only wants to forgive sins and be merciful, but also wants to give great, high gifts, so that one turns his back on him and blasphemes his grace in the most horrible way. If it comes to that, I can no longer hold on, the punishment must come. For where one cannot suffer forgiveness of sins and God's grace, there is neither counsel nor help.
14 And this is the main cause that the wrath of God is so exceedingly great and terrible. For just as the Jews would neither see nor hear His word, so God would not see or hear their cries, prayers, worship and other things, and His wrath would not be quenched until Jerusalem was destroyed, that not one stone was left upon another. Purely from and everything is it turned to the ground. That is what they wanted to have. This is the terrible example that the evangelist has written for our correction, that we should not despise God's word and let the time of our visitation pass without fruit.
(15) It is especially to be noted that the Lord says, "But now it is hidden from your eyes. For so it is common that one does not think that God will punish, but because God out of kindness will punish with the
If you go away and wait for correction, the world will think that you will always remain silent. But beware, saith Christ; though ye see not the punishment, yet think ye that, if ye amend not, it shall not remain without. For even though God has tarried for a time, He has laid so many nets and ropes everywhere, set so many mouse traps for the sake of the wicked, that it is impossible that you should escape from Him at length.
16 He has commanded father and mother, lord and lady of the house, to have respect for wicked children and servants. Whoever will not let them defend themselves, he commands the secular authorities, who punish by Master Hansen; he is a very rough preacher, has such a harsh voice that he can scream your head off your neck. The devil is also still there, who can punish you with pestilence, hunger, water and fire (if you do not want to improve yourself) out of God's decree. Therefore, let no one think that he will lead it out and escape punishment. If thou wilt not be pious, and wilt not let the word of God guide thee, then thou must let the executioner or the devil guide and lead thee without thy thanks; but truly with thy harm and destruction.
(17) Therefore make no distinction between the punishment that is hidden and that which is certain. For the punishment of sins is certain in every case, though it be hid. But that it is hidden deceives men. As Solomon also says, "It is not good that people should not be punished soon, and that our Lord God should remain silent for so long, for they will only become more wanton.
18 A thief who steals today, when it suits him, steals again tomorrow, and thinks he will always get away with it; this finally brings him to the gallows. If he would think to stop stealing when the time comes, he will not stop. So do adulterers, usurers, and in sum all sinners: the better they like their behavior, the more heated and lustful they become about it. For they do not see this definition or sentence, although the punishment is hidden.
822 D. 3. s-12. on the tenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 18S9-1862... 823
is that it is nevertheless certain. How it finally turns out that, according to the proverb, the jug goes to the well until it breaks.
Therefore beware, and be not deceived. Even if the force is already hidden, it is nevertheless certain and does not remain outside. As the Gentiles have learned from experience, and therefore have said: When our Lord God wants to come and punish, put on woolen socks, so that he may walk quietly and not be heard. Learn this, and therefore do not be sure that our Lord God will not strike quickly; but be afraid and beware. For he has so many angels, so many servants, so many plagues, war, famine, pestilence, that he may well strike you. He can make the air full of fire and burn you. He can drown you in water, strangle you with poison, by untimely or otherwise unhealthy fruit. In sum, there are a thousand and one thousand ropes and nets that God sets for the wicked and unrepentant sinners.
020 This then is the cause that our dear Lord Christ so faithfully warns, and weeps, saying, Behold, O Jerusalem; because the punishment is hid, thou thinkest that it shall remain without; but thou art far from it. For the punishment is not hidden, that thou shouldest be free; but that thou shouldest be struck the more surely, if thou wilt not know the time of thy visitation. If then thou wilt not abuse such delay, but use it aright, cease from time to time to sin, keep thee here to the word, and counsel shall be given thee; if not, thou must go down.
(21) In this way Peter preaches to us, 2 Pet 3:15: "Consider the patience or longsuffering of our Lord," he says, "for your salvation. That is, let it be thought to be your salvation, let it be for your good, that you be not condemned. For if God were to punish us in all ways, as and according to what we deserve, then, as I said above, none of us would live beyond seven years. Well, he does not, but is long-suffering, sticks to himself, and forgives the punishment. This, saith Peter, take heed; let it be for your salvation's sake, that ye should say: O Lord, I am sorry to say that I have sinned much and often, and now in
dem, now in another. Now the punishment doesn't come, but it passes. But what does it mean? Certainly nothing else, except that even though the punishment is hidden, it will certainly come. Therefore, dear Father, forgive me, and I will repent and amend. This saying of Peter is very well to remember, that the patience of God is our blessedness. "For God," he says shortly before, "does not want anyone to be lost, but that everyone should turn to repentance." Therefore, where God forgives the punishment, it is for our good. But whoever does not remit, but continues in sin and abuses such patience of God, the jar must ultimately break. As you can see, because the thief does not want to desist from stealing in time, he will finally be handed over to the executioner; a lewd woman who does not want to desist from her lewdness will finally become a disgrace before everyone. But God has proven it especially with the city of Jerusalem, even though he hides and holds back the punishment, that he will finally come and not give us the disobedience.
Therefore let everyone fear God, everyone, great and small, young and old, learn that if he does wrong and will not desist from it, the punishment will not remain outside. For Jerusalem stands as an eternal example, the holy, beautiful city, which even the pagan histories praise as having been longe clarissima urbium Orientis, the most glorious, most famous city in the Orient; it is gone and destroyed, so that no one knows where a house has stood, because it has not refrained from sins and has not turned to the Word. This. The Lord gives us this example in today's Gospel, so that we should take it to heart and amend our ways, or know that if we do not remit our sins, do not follow the word, and do not want to accept it with faith, that God will not remain outside with the punishment, even if he forgives it for a time; which, as I said, is for our good, so that we may take advantage of the time and remit our sins. If, however, you do not want to improve yourself, but only to become more insolent and to comply more with your will of courage, know that the evil hour will come before you know it.
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Our Lord God will also make you cry out, but will not hear you.
23 For he did likewise with the Jews. The siege lasted a short time, from Easter until the autumn moon. Every day they had such a sacrifice in the city, such singing and praying, that it was a miracle. But it was all in vain. God had stopped his ears and would not listen. Cause, he therefore hid and delayed the punishment, so that they would mend their ways and recognize the time of their visitation. But it would not be with the hardened people. Therefore, when he revealed the punishment, he also hid himself and would not be found. As Hosea also threatens the kingdom of Israel in chapter 5, v. 6: "They will come with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord, but will not find him, for he has turned away from you"; and Isaiah chapter 1, v. 15: "When you lift up your hands and pray, I will not hear."
(24) Let us therefore diligently keep this example in mind, so that, since God will not remain outside with the punishment, we may fear Him; and since He does not strike us as soon as He sees fit, but gives us time to repent, we may also love Him as a merciful Father, and say: O dear Father, You will certainly not let sin go unpunished; so grant me Your grace and the Holy Spirit, that I may amend myself and escape the well-deserved punishment. So whoever goes to repentance shall find grace.
- Jerusalem would still be standing today if the Jews had recognized themselves in this way, humbled themselves and said, "Dear God, we have done wrong by being such bad boys and strangling your dear servants the prophets. Now thou hast given us the holy gospel through thy Son: give us grace, that we may be instructed, and become more godly. If they had done this, there would have been no need; the Romans, with all their power, would have had to leave them alone and stay at home. But because they continued in sin, saying, "Oh, there is no need; do you think that God will let the city go down like this, where he himself dwells and has no other place of worship? Oh no,
nothing will come of it. There it went so that not one stone remained on the other. And now the poor Jerusalem, destroyed, devastated, and ravaged, stands as an example to all who are wantonly wicked and do not want to mend their ways, so that they must also suffer such punishment.
But to others who accept God's word and amend, this history is held up for their comfort and instruction, so that they may learn that if God hides the punishment, it is for their peace and good, that God will graciously forgive their sins if they cease and amend. For it is no wonder that we sin; but to defend sin, to persist in it unrepentantly and stubbornly, is something that God cannot tolerate; rather, everything must come to nothing; especially when He comes with the gracious visitation of the Word and would like to call us to repentance.
27 So poor Jerusalem is gone, and nothing hath overthrown it, but the great title, that it was called the city of God, his own house, and his own habitation. This made the Jews sure that they thought: Should Jerusalem perish? Nothing will come of it, God is more concerned; therefore, even if the whole world were to come, it would not be able to harm us, God will not let His dwelling place be desolate. On such title and grace they sinned, asking for no sermon. This pushed the bottom out of the barrel and brought them into all misfortune.
Because God, out of His special grace, is also visiting us with His word today, but we in both parts are very badly opposed to it, the bishops are persecuting it, we are misusing it for our avarice, hopefulness and other sins: so I fear that Germany will actually have to suffer a great defeat, whether by the Turk or otherwise by war, famine and other plagues. Therefore, let us take this example to heart, that Jerusalem was so miserably destroyed because it did not accept God's word, but despised it: so that we may learn to honor God's word, to hear it gladly, and even if we sin, to repent and amend. This is the first part of today's Gospel.
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29 After this the evangelist tells how Jesus went into the temple and began to cast out those who were buying and selling inside, saying, "My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of murderers."
(30) This is done by Christ out of a special power, and is to be respected like other miraculous signs, which we cannot imitate. Otherwise, so many great and mighty nobles, who had their enjoyment of it, would have resisted him and not allowed it, nor would they have yielded to him alone, who without a sword but with a scourge (as the other evangelists report) undertook such a thing.
(31) That they should suffer such violence and harm, and keep silence, is a sign that the Lord has spoken to them just as he spoke to the Jews in the garden, when they all fell back to the ground behind them. We will slowly imitate Christ in this. Therefore, no one should interpret this history to mean that the preachers wanted to lay hands on them and use force in the same way as Christ did here. For if Christ had not wanted to use more than human force here, he alone would have achieved little against so many.
(32) We are not to look at the work alone, but also at the cause. The Lord attaches this to the words: "My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. What could move the Lord to such a harsh word? For they committed no murder in the temple, but waited for their trade, namely, that they had there their exchange bank, with the cattle large and small, as one needs for the sacrifice. Market held. For the Jews, who lived far from Jerusalem, could not bring out from their homes what they wanted to sacrifice. The servants of the high priests were sent so that there would be livestock and perhaps money for sacrifice. For the temple had its own special coin, as one finds now and then in the histories.
This seems to be more praiseworthy than desecrating. For since God Himself ordered and commanded such worship, who would consider it wrong that it should be so
promotes and faithfully helps that he goes well in the Schwang? But they had a different opinion. The priests pretended that they were doing it to promote the service; but they would not have cared so much about the service if it had not carried so much. That is why they were concerned about the money and not about our Lord God. They were driven by such avarice that they could preach nothing but sacrifices; they praised such worship just as the monks and priests praised their sacrifice of the mass, that one would thereby put away sin and come to God's grace. This has brought the people together and driven them to abandon the right worship (which means to fear God and trust in His goodness, and to diligently keep to the word of God); they have continued in sin with all certainty; they have let themselves think that if they only slaughter and sacrifice, there will be no need. As you can see in the prophets, they preach very strongly against their sacrifice for this reason.
34 This is the real sin, which is called murder, because not the body but the souls are murdered for eternity, namely, when people are taught to trust in their own works and not in God's goodness and mercy. Christ could not suffer that. We are not to suffer it either, but to prevent it as much as we can by the word (for otherwise we are not commanded): that people refrain from trusting in their own works and merits, as if they wanted to put away sin and become blessed by them; and that they give up their hearts and put their trust in God's mercy alone, who for Christ's sake wants to forgive us sin and make us righteous and blessed. After this, people should also be called pious, not following their own thoughts, but the word of God and keeping to it. Whoever does this is in need of the temple and its office. He who does not, abuses it and is a murderer of souls.
35 Hosea also gives this title to the priests in the kingdom of Israel, and it almost seems as if the Lord had seen such a saying of Hosea here, because he says Cap. 6, 9: "The priests together with their companions are like the priests of Israel.
828 3, 16-18. on the eleventh Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1873-I87S. 1884-1887. 829
the storms that lie in wait and choke in the way that goes down to Shechem. This is to indicate the damage they were doing with false teaching. For since they were supposed to point the people to the sacrifice of Christ, they pointed them to the slaughter of cows and oxen, as if everything had been arranged and nothing else was needed for eternal life. This was well received in the kitchen, for they always had their share. But people were not only deprived of money, but also of soul and blessedness. Christ could not stand that, so he threw everything into a heap.
- but how he was more wonderful then
*) Ströter - strings, bush thieves. D. Red.
Thus it can be seen that God still allows such punishment to be inflicted in the church against the idolatrous spirits and false preachers. Therefore, with the godless bishops, priests and monks, who hold so strongly to the mass and other idolatries for the sake of their avarice, one day will find that God will expel them and overthrow their fair, whether it be the Turk or someone else.
That is enough of today's Gospel for this time. May God, the Father of all mercies, for Christ's sake, through His Holy Spirit, awaken our hearts to His fear, and graciously keep us in the Word, and guard us from all sorrow bodily and forever, amen.
*On the eleventh Sunday after Trinity. )
Luc. 18:9-14.
Now he said to some who presumed themselves to be pious, and despised others, the like: Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself thus: I thank thee, O GOD, that I am not like other men, robbers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this publican; I fast twice a week, and give tithes of all that I have. And the publican stood afar off, neither would he lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you: This man went down justified into his house before him. For he that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that abaseth himself shall be exalted.
In today's gospel, our dear Lord Christ teaches us how to be righteous Christians and humble. For through this virtue alone one comes to grace. But where this virtue, namely humility, is not present, God cannot be pleased or gracious. As we see here in these two persons, the Pharisee and the tax collector.
- The Pharisees were among the Jews, like the monks in the papacy, had special clothing, special days for fasting and prayer, and practiced holiness so much that the other people were vain sinners against them.
*) Held in the house, 1532 and 1533.
they were. Therefore they also had the name that they were called Pharisees. But "Pharisee" in Hebrew language means as much as a special one, who separates himself from the common crowd and wants to be something special.
(3) The tax collectors, on the other hand, were just like the castles and bailiffs in our country, who paid and accepted water rates and land rents and other things from the Romans for the aforementioned money, and then scourged and scraped the people as they wished. That is why everyone considered them to be miserly and public sinners, who had such an office, in which they were stingy and caused all kinds of trouble to the people. Therefore it was not to be supposed that one of them had
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Just as it was not to be assumed that there was a mischievous one among the Pharisees.
4 But our dear Lord Christ makes a different judgment here, saying that the tax collector is pious and righteous, but the Pharisee is a sinner, and a very great and shameful sinner. For Lucas makes it very vexatious and so vile, *) that it is a wonder. For thus he begins the similitude, "There were some that presumed to be righteous, and despised others."
5 These are two ugly vices of the Pharisees, that they not only thought highly of themselves, which would have been sin enough; for hopefulness is a devilish sin: but despised others also. Then think, what is the use of such a hypocrite, if he immediately prays and fasts himself to death, because the devil sits in his heart with such hopefulness that he puffs himself up and says: "If I did not make myself holy, I would have to wait a long time for our Lord God; but I fast so much, I pray so much, I do this and that, which others do not do: I give my tithe faithfully. If the others could give the priests nothing but straw and stubble, they would; but I am not like that, I am more pious 2c.
(6) Thus the two most abominable vices abound in the holy man, that he is so excellently hopeful and presumptuous, and so deeply despises others, saying, They are nothing but robbers, unrighteous men, and adulterers; but in particular he masterfully depicts the publican. He, he says, stands there, scourging and scraping everyone, taking what he can. I am not such a bad boy, praise God: I am a living saint against whom to reckon 2c. Such pride and hopefulness is also a very annoying vice in the eyes of the world, as the common saying testifies, "If you are something, be it; but let other people be something too. How then may it be before our Lord God? It must be a thousand and a thousand times more contrary to him, where one wants to be presumptuous and hopeful against him.
(7) That this gospel is primarily
*) disagree b c.
Our dear Lord Christ is teaching us what true righteousness is and how to distinguish and recognize it from hypocritical righteousness. As if to say, "You will find a man who walks as a living saint; he fasts, he gives alms, he does not break marriage, he does no one wrong, he likes to go to preaching. Who can interpret all this otherwise than that he is a pious man? But I tell you, if you want to know him rightly, you must not look at such appearances, which even a rogue can lead; but you must look at what it means to be righteous before God. For this Pharisee is pious because of his outward life, so that one should wish, as far as outward conduct is concerned, that all the world were as he is. But this is not yet enough, and beware lest thou rest and rely thereon. For here you see how under such a holy life there is such a great devil's hope. For the sake of such hope, the devil could not stay in heaven; Adam and Eve could not stay in paradise; how could he stay in the church?
Fasting is right, praying is right, tithing is right, keeping a pure marriage, not robbing, not doing wrong to anyone, is all right and good in itself. But the Pharisee is so disgraceful with such hopefulness that it becomes pure devil's muck. For so it goes in the world, whoever does good to another, that he may catch him and make him his own, does him more harm than good. As the saying goes: Nihil carius emitur, quam quod donatur: Good given is received most dearly. How can God be pleased with holiness, since one wants to throb with it and pride against it? There holiness becomes a twofold mischievousness.
(9) So does the hypocrite here also: O God, saith he, seest thou also that thou hast in me such a righteous man? The world is nothing but robbers, unrighteous men and adulterers; but I am righteous 2c. In such hopefulness, let him do what he will, even if he sweats blood and lets himself be burned with fire, it is an abomination before God and the greatest sin. Therefore Christ speaks here:
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If you want to be pious, be right, and beware that you are not hopeful saints. For though ye stumble, or sometimes fall into the mire, it shall not grieve me so, as if ye had all holiness, and were trustworthy.
(10) Therefore conclude this lesson with a subtle and significant saying: "He who exalts himself will be humbled; but he who humbles himself will be exalted. So that everyone may learn to be humble and not despise anyone. For this is humility, that I think nothing of myself, but much of others. But he who thinks highly of himself, and thinks how he is learned, beautiful, rich, pious, is called hopeful. As the Pharisee does, he considers his fasting, tithing and other things, and therefore thinks highly of himself. This is what the Lord has forbidden. On the other hand, the tax collector is not seen as a pious man, but as a man of true humility. For he boasts nothing, and asks only that God may be gracious to him. This also, saith the Lord, learn ye to say, I can boast of nothing: for though I would boast that I am learned, rich, mighty, yet our Lord God may say, Dear man, whence hast thou? Did you get it from yourself? No. Where from? Is it not my gift? Yes, Lord, it is yours. Why do you boast then? If any man should boast, it should be I who give thee all things. Thou shalt not do it, but say, Though I be rich, yet I know that thou canst make me poor in an hour; though I be wise and learned, yet thou canst make me a fool with a word. That would mean to be humble and not to boast about yourself and to despise others, because you are more beautiful, more pious, richer than others.
(11) That would be fine if we used such hope against the devil and said: I have God's word, I know it; I have done so much good with it, I have taught, comforted, admonished this one and that one; I have helped this one and that one with almsgiving; I know it is a good work; and in spite of the devil, you should blaspheme it'. Against the devil, I say, such things go, that they may be praised; for we have it not from him. But against God, since we
If you have everything, you should not boast, but humble yourself.
(12) After this, one should not despise one's neighbor either, but think thus: Since all the gifts of our Lord God are His own and come from Him alone, even though I have more of them than my neighbor, I know that our Lord God can pronounce a judgment between me and my neighbor, who has barely a tenth of my gifts, and be as favorable to him as to me. Why should I boast or exalt myself? If I have much, I should be afraid not to misuse it, and always think: God does it according to his pleasure; to one he gives much, to another little. But it may well happen that he is more merciful to him who has little. Cause: he who has much must give the more account; but he who has little may endure the less.
(13) But the Pharisee does not do this here; he goes out on a limb: I am not like other people; neither am I like this tax collector. I tithe; the tax collector robs alone. I cheat no one; so this one scarfs and scrapes all the world. In sum, the Pharisee makes himself think that he is alone and has everything; the tax collector is nothing and has nothing. But, thou double-minded wretch, shalt thou not say, True, I tithe diligently, I fast and do as much as I can; but I know not how to build upon it. Dear Lord God, it is your gift, and do you think that this tax collector is more pleasing to you than I am? So he should have lifted him above himself, or even let him go beside him, saying, "It matters not whether I have much or little, but whether anyone has a gracious God. Why then do I want to defy and despise others, because it all depends on God's mercy, and not on what each one has for gifts. But he does not do so, but defies in his piety, and even as he stands before God and prays.
14 Therefore the Lord has forbidden us not to be presumptuous because of our piety. Again, he wills that no one should despair because he has already fallen into sin and been deceived by the devil. For we all have one God, who has bestowed his mercy upon us, as
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a mantle, over the pious and the sinful, over the learned and the unlearned, over the rich and the poor; for he is the God of us all. Therefore, we should not exalt ourselves, but be humble: do not look at whether we have much and others have little. For God can be more gracious and gentle to him to whom he has given little than to him who has much; indeed, he can strip you naked again, and clothe one who is naked and bare more beautifully and adorn him with more excellent gifts than he does you. Why then would you despise others and exalt yourself?
(15) In the world there must remain such inequality of persons, statuses and gifts that one is considered more and higher than the other. But for this reason we are not unequal before our Lord God. For since nothing but grace counts with Him, it is impossible for anyone to boast and be proud before Him. Let them all humble themselves, and know that although we are unequal among ourselves, God is not unequal for that reason: He has no other heart or eye for him who has much than for him who has little. So that we should all learn to hold on to his grace and mercy. For both. The righteous and the sinner, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, are both of our Lord God. What we have, we have all from him; but of ourselves we have nothing but sin. Therefore let no one exalt himself above another, but let him humble himself and fear. For though there be good, yet is it all the gift of our Lord God. He shall boast of it, but not you: but you shall use it with thanksgiving and in the fear of God; for he cannot suffer pride, nor throbbing, nor defiance. .
- But just as no one should exalt himself on account of his piety or other gifts, so God does not want you to despair when you find yourself a poor sinner, but to trust in His goodness and take comfort in it, saying, "Well, if I do not have as much as this one or that one, I have the same God, who will also be gracious to me. Therefore I will be content, I will go, I will wait for my position and office in the measure that God has given me; I will not despise anyone,
I do not want to exalt myself, nor do I want to worry that others have more than I do. For I am content that I have the same God that they have; and that God is not therefore an unequal God, although we men are unequal among ourselves. This is what the Lord means when he concludes this parable, saying, "He who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." As if to say, "If I find such saints who are able to give it to me, the less they think of themselves, the more I will give them. On the other hand, whoever has something, and therefore wants to be worthy of hope and high esteem, I will take from him one thing after another, until I finally cast him in disgrace into the abyss of hell.
17 If the Pharisee had not been so hopeful, but in all humility had brought his gifts home to God, saying: "Lord, you have shown me much mercy, that you have so graciously protected me from this and other sins; this is your gift, which I rejoice in, but I do not exaggerate it, nor do I despise anyone because of it; for you can take it again if you wish 2c.God would have given him even more gifts from day to day and could not have been hostile to him. But because he is foolish, and judges others, and despises them, and says, I am all, the publican is nothing; then our Lord God strips him so purely that nothing remains in him to be praised. For there it is written in the judgment of our Lord Christ, "The publican went down justified before him." That is, the Pharisee is unjust, condemned and belongs in hell with the devil. What does he get out of his boasting? On the other hand, the tax collector who says, "God, be merciful to me," becomes a saint in the Church and has a merciful God, as he prays.
(18) This is what Christ wants to teach us all, that we should know from day to day what we are and what we have. If thou hast money, a sound body, a house, and a farm, have need of them; I am well pleased with them, and will gladly give them thee, and will give thee more; but boast not, neither despise any living man for them. Remember, when you see one who does not have what you have, that he can have as gracious a God as you. Therefore despise him
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Do not let him walk beside you, and God will be praised by both; otherwise the false saints will dishonor and revile God, even though they do not do so with their mouths and in public.
19 For he who would judge by the words alone must say that it is not wrong for the Pharisee to say, "God, I thank you. For the true saints also use such words in their prayers, but with a different heart. For when they thank God for something, they confess that it is His work and gift; they did not receive it from themselves. But this is not the Pharisee's opinion; otherwise he would have said: That I am not an adulterer, nor a robber, nor an unjust man, O Lord, I have no one to thank but Thee. For my sake, if it had been out of your grace, I would have kept house just like other people. For we are all equal; one may not boast of anything above another. But this Pharisee does not think so, but even turns back, saying, "I thank thee that I am not as other men." So he draws all his virtue into himself, as if he had it from himself and not from God. For otherwise he would say: You have given it. He does not do that, does not pose himself differently, as if he were so rich and could give to God; thus he does not thank God, but himself, his reason, his free will and powers, that he was able to do so much.
(20) Now it is true: to whom God gives something special, he should recognize it and esteem it highly. For what would it be that you would deny that you are no more learned or better than an ass or any other unreasonable animal? Thus, to whom God gives money and goods, he should not be so unreasonable as to say: I am a poor beggar and have nothing. Whoever has something good
If a man has done something, helped and advised poor people, he should not promise that he will say, "I have done nothing good. No, it should not be like that; God's gifts should be recognized, praised and held in high esteem. But besides this, one should humble oneself and say: My God, it is yours and not mine; you have given it, otherwise I would have to give it as well as others; I thank you for it. That would be right, if we thus humbled ourselves. But the goods of our Lord God are not to be esteemed small or small, but to be recognized and esteemed great; and yet not to be proud, nor to despise others, but to say, as has often been said, Dear God, it is your gift that you have given me; if another does not have it, there is no harm in that, for he has just as gracious a God as I have: why then should I despise him?
21 The Lord wants to teach us such humility in today's gospel and warn us against pride. For it is decreed: He who exalts himself shall be thrown down again. God has not given it to His own people, but has rejected them for the sake of pride. Other great kingdoms were also destroyed because of such sin. Lucifer was therefore cast out of heaven, Adam and Eve out of paradise.
22 Therefore learn to say, Lord, what I have is yours; you gave it to me, you can take it away. In this way the hope will remain outside. For who would insist on what is uncertain? But whoever does not want to do this and thinks that he has everything of his own, finds here his judgment that God wants to strip him so clean that he will keep nothing, and on top of that he will be unjust and of the devil. God grant His grace that we may remember such teaching and keep it, amen.
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*On the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. )
Marc. 7, 31-37.
And going out again from the borders of Tyri and Sidon, he came to the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of the border of the ten cities. And they brought unto him a dove that was dumb, and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him. And he took him from the people specially, and put his fingers in his ears, and spit, and touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said unto him, Hephatha, that is, open thyself. And straightway his ears were opened, and the band of his tongue was loosed, and he spake aright. And he forbade them, that they should tell no man. But the more he forbade, the more they spread it abroad. And were astonished at the measure, and said: He hath made all things well: he maketh the deaf to hear, and the speechless to speak.
This is a poor and light gospel, because it does no more than tell of the miraculous work that the Lord did here on the dumb and deaf man. Of this and other such miraculous signs your love often hears in the year that Christ has shown Himself and let it be seen that He is the Savior who wants to help and assist us against the devil's wrath. Therefore, we may give special thanks to God for such a blessing, that he has given us such a man, who wants to help us out of pure grace, against everything that the devil can inflict on us.
For the fact that this poor man is so injured that he can neither use his tongue nor his ears like other people, these are all blows and stings of the wretched devil. In the eyes of the world, it seems that everyone thinks they are natural infirmities; for the world does not know the devil, that he causes so much harm, makes people mad and foolish, causes them all kinds of misfortune, not only in the body but also in the soul, so that they die of fear and sadness and can have no joy; but we Christians should believe that such defects and infirmities are nothing else but the devil's blows; he causes such misery on earth and does harm wherever he can.
3 Therefore, we should thank our dear Lord God that He took care of our affliction and gave His Son, our
*) Held in the house, 1533.
He has sent the Lord Christ Jesus to help this poor man and has also graciously protected us so that we are not also afflicted with the same plague of the evil enemy. For every man, if he has healthy eyes, ears, hands, feet and other limbs, should believe that it is not a natural, harmless growth, as the world sees it; but it is only the gift of God. But because the world does not believe this, but, because it is so common, considers it to be a naturally bad thing, God must sometimes allow this to happen, so that the devil makes someone dumb and deaf, blind or even kills someone, so that everyone may learn that God has allowed the devil to do this, and thank God all the more diligently for having so graciously protected us from such evil.
4 It is also the work of the devil to blind the hearts with false doctrine, so that they will not see or accept the truth. But all God's works are good, for he is good and creates nothing but what is good. The devil, however, is evil; therefore, where God has decreed it for him, he does no good. Like a tree that bears beautiful good apples, but when the vermin come and destroy it, the fruit becomes wormy and perishes. This is not the fault of our Lord God, who created the tree good, nor of the tree and the fruit, but of the worms and the vermin.
So it is with us humans, too. God
840 k. 3, 29-W. On the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1900-1903. 841
is a God of life, therefore he gives a healthy body and fine, dexterous limbs. But the devil, wherever he can, and God has given him such, he corrupts the body and does harm. Therefore, we should learn what such evil reflects on us, that it is the devil's sting, which is bitterly hostile to all people, but especially to Christians, and does no good.
Now it is terrible that the wicked, evil, powerful enemy should cause so much distress. But against this we are comforted in today's gospel, of a certain help against such an enemy. For there we see, as John says 1 John 3:8, that the Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil. Because the devil came to paradise to break the work of our Lord God and to make disobedient evil men out of the holy, pious people, Adam and Eve, and he succeeded in such an attempt, the Son of God thought again how he could take revenge on his enemy. He therefore became a man and made whole and better what the devil had broken; he also broke the devil's work, sin, death and hell, and, as we see here, he loosed the tongues that the devil had bound and opened the ears that he had stopped up. Christ came to do this work, and does it for and for among his Christians, as we will hear further on. Let this be said of the miraculous sign and work of our Lord Christ, so that he has shown himself today to be a helper of the wretched, and to heal all the afflictions that the devil has brought upon us, and to deliver us from his tyranny.
7 By this miraculous work the Lord also wants to show us how these two things especially belong to a Christian, that his ears are opened and his tongue loosed; and that he wants to practice this work daily in his church against the devil. The bodily benefit, that he gives healthy ears and tongue, he also lets happen to the heathen; but with the Christians alone goes this spiritual benefit, that he spiritually opens their ears and loosens their tongue. For this is ever certain, that all our blessedness
We have the truth only through the word of God. What else would we know of God, of the Lord Christ and His sacrifice, and of the Holy Spirit? Therefore, this is still today the greatest miracle and highest blessing, to whom God gives such an ear that gladly hears His word, and a tongue that honors God and does not blaspheme.
(8) Our opponents, the papists, are a thousand times more wretched than this mute here. For they have deaf ears; and though they hear God's word, yet they cannot and will not hear it. Just as we see in the case of the unbelieving Jews: when our dear Lord Christ preached the most beautiful sermon about the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, they became mad and foolish, not only not wanting to hear it, but also blaspheming. So all those who do not want to hear God's word are still deaf and dumb, and much more yearly than this poor man here. For they cannot do anything else with their tongues but blaspheme God and speak the worst of His word, the highest treasure. But those who gladly hear God's word, and to whom Christ says, as here to the mute, "Hephatha," ear, you shall stand open: these are they who are rightly helped against the devil. For God has shown us no other way on which we can go to heaven, but his dear word, the holy gospel. Whoever hears it gladly, heeds it diligently, and loves and enjoys it, is helped. This is the one miraculous work that still goes on daily in Christianity, that our ears, which the devil has blocked through sin, are opened again through the Word, that we hear God's Word.
(9) The other thing is, that he also stirreth up the tongue, and maketh us to speak, as Paul saith Romans 10:10: "If a man believe with his heart, he shall be justified; and if he confess with his mouth, he shall be saved." Through faith in Christ we come to forgiveness of sins. Then confession must follow, that we are not dumb, but speak as we believe in our hearts. This then makes a true Christian; all other works do not make a Christian.
(10) It may well be that a monk fasts and watches, and hurts his body.
842L. 3, 32-34. on the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1903-1905. 843
for a Christian: but by this he cannot become a Christian; for he lacks that, that he is still deaf and dumb. He will not hear the word, much less confess it. But a Christian hears, and believes, and afterwards confesses. These two things make a Christian whole. So our dear Lord Christ is still doing this work daily in his church, in the spirit and through the word; which work he did there bodily, so that he might be seen to help us against all the harm the devil does to us, but especially against spiritual harm, so that we might believe in him and learn to put our hope in him.
Now we must also see what the Lord means by the special splendor here. The people bring the poor man to him and ask him to lay his hands on him. So he approaches him, leads him away from the people, puts his fingers in his ears, pricks them out and stirs his tongue with them. Then he looks up to heaven, sighs and says: "Hephatha. All of this is a special gift that the Lord performs especially in this miraculous work. Since we have now heard what it is to be quite dumb and deaf, we must also see why the Lord wanted to use a special ceremony or ostentation for this miraculous work, when he could have accomplished such a work with a few words. For we see through and through in the gospel that it is only a matter of a word; when he wants something, it happens.
(12) But the Lord is doing so much for the sake of spiritual miracles. For he wants to show how much effort it takes to make a deaf man hear and a dumb man speak. He wakes up Lazarum with one word. To the gouty man he says: "Get up and walk"; there he was already helped. But with this deaf and dumb man here he does not deal so briefly and badly; but needs a special gesture, that he reaches into his ears with his fingers, and with the saliva stirs his tongue before, looks up to heaven, and sighs; then first of all he says: "Arise"; to indicate to us, if we want to be freed from the devil's bonds, and a
If we are to have a ready tongue and open pure ears, it must be through the outward word or ministry, and through outward signs. For we must first hear the word, and then not leave baptism and sacrament behind; then the Holy Spirit will be present to make ears and tongue free.
(13) Therefore, beware of the evil spirits, who despise the outward word and sacrament, and wait until God speaks to them in their heart. No, says Christ, there is my finger, the outward word, which must resound in the ears. There is my saliva, which must stir and moisten the tongues. So my work will be right and finished. As you can see, where the outward word goes right, you will certainly find Christians. Where it does not go right, you will not find any. For as the shepherd is, so are the sheep.
(14) Therefore, let every man think that he may be found on this path and gladly hear the word of God. For God will not reveal Himself without the Word in your heart. If you are to see and know Him, it must be through the Word and the outward sacraments alone; otherwise the Holy Spirit will not do His work. As God teaches us from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, whom you shall hear." Item, Christ commands his disciples: "Go into all the world, teach and baptize all nations"; item: "He who hears you hears me." Then our dear Lord Christ commanded to open one's mouth, preach the gospel to the people, and baptize them. This is the right way, by which we must be saved; otherwise it is all in vain and lost. "He that heareth you," saith he, "heareth me."
(15) After the ministry of preaching, God has also ordained father and mother, lord and lady of the house, and temporal authorities in the government. They are not there for their own sake, but sit in God's stead: you should also hear them, as far as your outward life and all your actions toward others are concerned, and know that when you hear them, you hear God. But if they abuse their office, if they speak against the word of God, and if they command, they shall not be heard.
844 L. 3, 34-36. on the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. W. xin, i9os-i9os. 845
For you should be more obedient to God than to men. And, as reported, you shall first hear God in the church through His servants; then first of all men, as your father, mother and authorities; what they say to you on account of their office, that God says to you. Therefore also think that you accept it and follow it. Now it is ever true that ours is not a man who thinks he would walk a hundred miles to such a church when our Lord God Himself preached; for everyone would want to hear the voice. But our Lord God says: I will make it nearer to thee, that thou mayest not run so far after: hear thy pastor, thy father and mother, and thou hast heard me; for they are my disciples and ministers; when thou hearest them, then will I speak unto thee in thine heart, as unto this deaf man, that thine ears shall be opened, and thy tongue shall be loosed, and thou shalt henceforth be a hearing and speaking man, no more deaf and dumb, as before.
(16) But how is it done? Children and servants in the house let their parents and rulers preach and say what they want, but they do not do a thing unless they are forced to. It is the same with the authorities, they create and say whatever they want, so you will not find one among hundreds who would seriously think of obeying such an order. Especially now, when it is necessary, for the sake of the great danger Germany is in, that one should be pious and improve oneself, keep to God's word more diligently and beware of all trouble; for this the secular Christian authorities faithfully admonish their subjects. But it will not go away, and the world acts as if it deliberately wanted to be worse than it was before we had the word.
17 Just as it is in the home and in the government, so it is also in the church, that there are very few who listen to the sermon with real earnestness and open their ears properly. Most of the townspeople and peasants are hostile to the church servants, if only they could feel too sorry for them, give nothing and take everything, which they would gladly do with all their hearts, as one unfortunately sees everywhere.
18 Therefore the punishment follows, because one does not want to hear God, who speaks to us through father and mother, through worldly authorities and church servants, that the longer the devil plugs the ears the harder, and the longer the tongue is bound and made heavier, so that one cannot hear God's word, nor speak of it. On the other hand, the devil unplugs the ears, so that one likes to hear his lies, perversions, false teachings, fornication and other things; he also loosens the tongue, so that it blasphemes God and is annoying to everyone. Such a reward tends to follow where one despises the word; and it hardly serves people right, they want it that way and not otherwise. Above this, the temporal plagues will not remain outside, but will certainly follow, as pestilence, war, the Turk and all misfortunes; so that such boys, according to what they have deserved, will receive their punishment, as one can already see before one's eyes. God help us that we may mend our ways and become more pious.
19 This is the reason that the Lord looks up to heaven, sighs, and immediately says in anger: "Hephatha, open yourself. For it grieves him, since God would gladly help and free people from the devil's bonds through his word, that they will not let themselves be helped, and hasten to their own destruction and urge God to punish them.
(20) Therefore let us mark this miraculous work carefully and diligently, and follow the examples of the pious people who praise the Lord Christ here, that he has done all things well, so that the deaf hear and the speechless speak. He still does this, as I said, in Christianity, with his finger and spittle, that is, through the holy sacraments and the outward word that he preaches, so that the ears of the deaf are opened and the speechless are made to speak. By this, and by nothing else, the Holy Spirit wants to have his effect in us. Mark this well, and be all the more diligent to do it; for this is the nearest and surest way that our ears may be opened, and our tongues loosed, and we may be saved. May our dear Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, grant us this, amen.
846L. 3, 37. 38. on the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, isc "8-isii. 847
*On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. )
L "e. 10, 23-37.
And he turned to his disciples, and said in particular, Blessed are the eyes which see that ye see. For I say unto you, That many prophets and kings would see that ye see, and have not seen; and would hear that ye hear, and have not heard. And, behold, a certain scribe stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? And he said unto him, How is it written in the law? how readest thou? And he answered and said, Thou shalt love thy Lord God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: do this, and thou shalt live. But he, desiring to justify himself, said to JEsu, Who then is my neighbor? Then answered JEsus, and said, There was a certain man which went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among the murderers: and they stripped him, and smote him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And it came to pass about this time, that a priest went down that same street; and when he saw him, he passed by. A Levite came to the same place and saw him, and he passed by. And a certain Samaritan journeyed, and came thither: and when he saw him, he lamented him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, and poured oil and wine into them, and lifted him up upon his beast, and brought him to the inn, and nursed him. The next day he traveled and took out two pennies and gave them to the innkeeper, saying to him, "Take care of him, and if you give any more, I will pay you when I come back. Which of these three do you think was the closest to the one who fell among the murderers? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said JESUS unto him, Go thy way, and do likewise.
(1) This is a long gospel; therefore we will take only one or two pieces from it, that we may the more easily remember and learn from it. The first part is that the Lord Christ here highly praises his word, the holy gospel, and speaks especially to his disciples:
Blessed are the eyes that see that ye see. For I tell you, many prophets and kings would see that which you see, and have not seen it; and hear that which you hear, and have not heard it.
2 With this he wants to comfort us against the misery we see on earth, where there is no more despised thing than the gospel. For all other doctrine, lies and heresies the world may hear and tolerate; but the gospel it will neither hear nor see, but blasphemes and persecutes it to the utmost, putting heartache on those who preach and hear it. How then the examples unfortunately more
*) Held in house, according to a in 1533, according to b in 1532; Röhrer gives the year 1533. D. Red.
for there are too many in all Germany and in many other kingdoms. The Lord sees this, comforts his disciples and says: "The world reproaches and blasphemes the gospel, but he who has the grace to have it and to be comforted by it, has blessed ears, he may thank God from the bottom of his heart that he has come to it and may consider it delicious, which the world despises so highly. Therefore, it is certainly true that you are more blessed than David and all other kings. For this has been the highest desire of all holy patriarchs, prophets and kings, that they would have liked to experience this time, and to see and hear me. But it could not be granted to them. But this grace and blessedness has happened to you; therefore look and thank God that it has happened to you that you can hear and see me.
(3) The Lord sees what poor, miserable people we are. If we do not have such a treasure of the holy gospel, then one error always falls upon another, and it is not possible for anyone to be able to
848 2.3, 38-40. On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, isii-isi4. 849
save. As we have unfortunately experienced too much in the papacy, it has finally come to the point that we have taken the devil for a preacher and believed him, what he has lied about masses, pilgrimages, purgatory, and other things through the poltergeists and his lying preachers. There is no other way, where the word is not, than that one accepts and believes all kinds of error and lies. And if people still think they are on the right path to salvation, they are running straight to hell and the devil.
4 Again, when we have the gospel, we find a misery that is almost more terrible, namely, that everyone despises it, and the least part accepts it for the better. Therefore we are miserable and poor people. If God does not give us His word, we cannot do without it without harm to our souls' salvation. Again, if he gives it, no one wants it. For this reason, nothing would be better than for our Lord God to come soon with the Day of Judgment and smite everything in one heap. For neither punishment nor mercy helps the ungrateful world. But as it says here: Blessed are the ears that hear and accept, for eternal joy shall follow.
This is the first part, where our dear Lord Christ complains that he offers and gives his word to the world, and with the word forgiveness of sins and eternal life; but it does not want it, but despises it. Therefore he turns especially to his disciples and says: "Blessed are you who have the word of God and hear it, and have not long since died before it came. I tell you, the greatest and highest kings and prophets would have liked to have seen and experienced it. The world is still so wicked, if it can have it at once, that it asks nothing about it, and even despises and blasphemes it. Do not turn away from such distress, but think that you need such grace and mend your ways. For this is the very reason why the Lord is here concerned, that he would like everyone to hear the word with earnestness, and not to despise it, as the world does, and we see in all classes, from the highest to the lowest, what the gospel cannot pursue, that it despises.
The least part accepts it with gratitude and improves. They alone have blessed ears and blessed eyes.
In the second part, the Lord shows us the fruit of the holy gospel, namely, the good works that should follow when one has heard the word of God. He illustrates this with a fine example of the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and the murderers fell upon him, beat him, and robbed him, and left him for dead. Meanwhile a priest came, and saw the poor man, but took no notice of him, and went his way. A Levite also passed by and saw him, but he did not care about the poor man. Finally comes a Samaritan, who had not the name that he should be holy; but was a Gentile, who belonged nothing to the poor man, who was a Jew; for he was not of his own kind, like the priest or Levite, but a stranger. The latter saw the poor man, and taking his accident to heart, soon got off his horse, poured oil and wine into his wounds, bandaged him up and laid him on his animal, but he went on foot and led him to the inn. When he could not stay there for half an hour, he ordered him to the innkeeper and gave him two pennies to wait until he came back.
(7) This is the true picture in which the Lord illustrates what the true fruit of the word and Christian love is, namely, that the word will make people like the Samaritan here, soft, merciful people who cannot well see that someone is in need. But when they see it, they dare to do their own good, and help with what they can. But I am talking here about poor people who do not go in for begging, like the lazy, useless, idle beggars who can bring no one to any work and run away all over the country. Such pranksters should not be given anything. But where there are really poor people, there is a Christian heart so skillful that it does like the Samaritan here. He thinks, "Even though I am not a Jew like this man, I am still a human being like him, and I have one Creator. Therefore he belongs closer to me than an unreasonable animal, and for this reason I do not want to leave him lying there. On, dear
850 L. 3, 40-43. on the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1914-1917. 851
Brother, stop here, let me help you 2c. So do to him as a father does to his child. These are called true saints.
(8) But the saints of the sticks, such as the priest and the Levite here, who think highly of themselves, naturally have no mercy on the poor, but are horrible, hard people. For they think that our Lord God is happy that they serve him; therefore they think that they are not allowed to do anything to other people or to serve them. The priest here was holy by virtue of his office and birth; he exalted himself to such an extent that he asked for no one else; just as the text here says of him that he had seen the poor wounded man, but had passed by and had not taken care of his need.
(9) But now they are the displeased saints, to whom God is especially hostile, who see that their neighbor is in distress, and can help, and yet do not. What can they rely on? Nothing else, but their holiness, that they think that when they have said mass, sacrificed, sung and done other things, they have done it all, not atoning to our Lord God with a sack of oats. These are called cane saints and stone saints, yes, the devil's saints, who make themselves believe that our Lord is indebted to them, and that they are indebted to no one.
(10) This likeness is against such shameful saints. For the Lord also has before him such a proud saint, a scribe, who not only wants to be seen to be pious, but also to prove the Lord Christ false, and to be a better doctor than he is. For since the Lord praises his preaching so highly, saying, "Blessed are the eyes that see, which ye see"; for many kings and prophets have desired to see and hear it, but it has not been so good for them: this seems too much for the scribes; think of themselves: If they had Moses, what can he preach better or higher than Moses preached? He therefore asks and says, "Master, what shall I do that I may be saved?" As if to say, "You will not be able to teach me anything better than Moses taught us. Therefore, not only are those blessed who hear you; those who hear Moses are also blessed.
and have heard are also blessed people. You do him a little too much. It would be enough if you were a doctor, like Moses; but that you throw away Moses as a wicked preacher who does not show the right way to salvation, and want to be a better preacher, that is too much praise.
(11) The Lord understands such a heart and mind very well, and therefore will not answer his question, but makes him so angry that he himself must confess: Even if you have Moses and the law, you still cannot be saved. So he asks him, saying, "How is it written in the Law? How do you read?" The scribe soon finished answering, and said, "Thou shalt love God with all thy heart, 2c. and thy neighbor as thyself." This,-he lets himself think,-is the right core and the main teaching, since no one could indicate anything better. And it is true, Moses cannot teach anything higher and better. But what does Christ answer? "Do this," he says, "and you will live." As if to say, "This teaching is good and right, but it does not help you or all men. Cause, you do not and cannot do it. The Christian scholar feels this, but is ashamed of it, for he cannot say that he has done it, and yet he does not want to confess that he has not kept this commandment. Therefore he raises another question, and says, "Who is my neighbor? This is what it means to lead this highly learned doctor to the board. For the fact that he asks who his neighbor is, it is freely known that he has not loved his neighbor, since he has not yet come to know his neighbor. What does Moses and the law help him?
(12) Therefore the Lord took him by the hand in the hood, with the likeness of a wounded man, and said, A priest saw him, and passed by; and so did a Levite. The two were just as pious as you 2c. But the Samaritan took care of the poor man. Now say, which one was the neighbor of the wounded man? The scholar answered, "The one who showed him mercy"; he would not name the Samaritan, the trustworthy gleaner.
- therefore the lord gives him a good
852 L. 3, 43-46. on the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1917-1920. 853
Slack, and saith, "Go thy way, and do likewise." As if to say, Thou art as pious a saint as the priest and Levite; Thou wilt not help thy neighbor with a penny, whether he die now; And askest yet what thou shalt do, that thou mayest inherit eternal life? Hast thou not poor friends, poor neighbors, afflicted people? Is there not misfortune, anguish, and distress enough in the world? And thou art such a rude teacher that thou first askest who thy neighbor is? If you want to be holy, love your neighbor as yourself, as the Samaritan did here. This is called forcing. *) As if the Lord should say, Thou hast not learned so much in thy life as to know who thy neighbor is, let alone to have loved him as thyself. In whom then is the fault? Thou hast Moses and the law. If these things be sufficient unto salvation, there is no more need of thee. But is it not true, though thou hast Moses and the law, yet it is nothing to thee; thou remainest a sinner as before, and hast no more in the law than that it is thy debtor's book, and bears witness against thee, and accuseth thee before God for thy sins. This means that you are still far short of salvation. '
(14) But if any one desires to understand truly and thoroughly why the law does not make us blessed, let him take only these two pieces before him, of which the Christian scholar speaks here, and see diligently what is meant by loving God with all his heart, and his neighbor as himself; and he will find how difficult and impossible a thing it is, unless the Holy Spirit be given into our hearts through the Lord Christ and his gospel. It is soon said: I love God; for he does not come to us personally, and therefore does not need to be tasted hard on him and to do much harm. But see how we behave toward poor people, and it will be found out whether we love God.
15 Therefore, if you want to 'know who loves God rightly, do no more, for see whether the children honor their parents, whether the servants are obedient to their lordship, whether one
*) Zwagen, that is, to wash the body or parts of the body.
Cf.: to wash the head. D. Red.
keep the church servants well and honestly; then you will see finely and actually who loves God or does not love God. For of the children, God's command and word is written: You shall honor father and mother. Yes, says a monk and a nun: I will leave father and mother; I will go to a monastery and honor you and love you, who are God in heaven. No, says God, you have my word and hear my command; if you now love me, you will also love your father and mother, honor them, and show them all love. That is then called loving GOD. But the unholy people do not ask for such obedience, but want to prove their love for God with other works, since God has not commanded anything of them. So the children, even though they remain with their parents, still want them to be dead and under the earth, only that they might have their will to be brave. One must say that they do not love God.
(16) It is the same in other estates. A prince has his officials, and he commands them to keep the house properly and faithfully. If you ask them whether they also love God, not one of them will say no, but all will boast: Yes, I love God; why should I be an enemy of God? Yes, dear one, tell me, why are you disobedient and unfaithful to your prince? If you loved God with all your heart, yes, with half your heart, you would serve your prince much more faithfully.
(17) So there is no servant or maid in the house, though they know nothing of God, and are negligent and unfaithful, who would suffer this reproach, and confess that they are enemies of God, or that they do not love him; and yet they prove it by being so disobedient to their overlords, to whom God is called to be obedient. But because they do not love God and do not ask anything according to His command, they remain disobedient, unfaithful, lying, deceiving and using themselves of all evil deeds. So learn now that loving God is not as easy a thing as you think. It is soon said, but it does not follow in the work.
For to love God is to keep His word and command. As Christ says, "He who loves me will keep my word."
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For if you love God, you cannot despise His commandments. What does God mean and command the servants and maids 2c.? Yes, what do they promise their rulers that they will do? Isn't it true that God demands, and they pledge, and take their wages, food and drink, that they will be faithful, follow, and do with diligence what they are obliged to do, and with their service, work and diligence promote the benefit and piety of their lordship. That is why in some places they are called marriage servants, so that they help to keep house and improve the married couple's food by their work and faithful service. But where do you find such servants and maids? The greatest disobedience, the greatest carelessness, pride, evil words, neglect, corruption, doing harm, and often stealing and robbing, is common now. Therefore they do not love God, indeed, they are enemies of God, for they do not respect His word: otherwise they would certainly be more pious and diligent. Just as they love God and are diligent about His word, so it is with them that there is neither happiness nor salvation among such servants; they must remain robbers and beggars all their lives.
There is no need to speak of priests and church servants here; it is known everywhere how the officials, castles, judges, burghers, farmers and neighbors treat them and hold them in lower esteem and contempt than cows and sows. But God has diligently commanded above all things that they be held dear and of value, and especially that they not be deprived of what is theirs, as is seen in the prophet Malachi. And Christ himself says, "A laborer is worthy of his food." Therefore, just as you should be afraid of sins when you steal from your servant or maidservant, so you should be afraid of sins when you steal from your pastor what you owe him, knowing that God will take from you ten times more in another place, with storms, death of livestock, fire, water, and the like, than you steal or withhold from your pastor.
20 Thus it is seen that the world not only does not love God, but hates Him, despises Him, and is hostile to Him. That it is sheer to suffer
that she would not love him, if only she were not also an enemy of him. Oh no, says everyone, God forbid, should I be an enemy of God? Yes, indeed, you are an enemy to him. For if you murmur against your father and mother, against your rulers or authorities, and do not do what you are commanded to do, you despise God, have him, and are an enemy to him. For it is his command that you should obey and honor them by obedience. To the same command thou art hostile; for thou wilt not do it, neither wilt thou hear it. Who can say otherwise than that you are also an enemy of God?
(21) Citizens and peasants also boast that they love God. But when God's command is held up to them that they should not be stingy, that they should not sell too cheaply, that they should act faithfully 2c.: the more one preaches, the more foolish they become, and they do only more out of pure defiance and will of courage. What, they say, does it concern the priests how I keep house? should he master me? Well, if it does not concern the priests, it concerns God; but you see how he will reward you in time, with pestilence, with dear time, with fire, with water, with the Turk, with the mercenaries, and with all kinds of other plagues; they will take away your thalers and guilders purely, and will not know how to thank you for it: otherwise, if you were a Christian, you could earn favor and thanks from God and men, and would increase in wealth from day to day.
22 Thus it is seen everywhere that people not only do not want to hear the word of our Lord God with diligence, but they also persecute it. Not only the pope, the bishops and tyrants, but also in our part citizens, peasants, the nobility, and others in all classes. They should honor God's word and abide by it, live kindly with their neighbor, and especially give to the church servants what they owe. But if they could still take much, they would do it with cheerful courage, making themselves believe that they had only done it well.
(23) Therefore, let us learn diligently and remember that whoever has the word of God should also love God, that is, he should love God.
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render his obedience, and diligently obey the word, saying, O Lord Jesus Christ, thou hast opened mine eyes unto me, that I might see how thou hast redeemed me from sins by thy death, and hast made me an heir of the kingdom of heaven and eternal life; now, dear Lord, I thank thee for such great unspeakable mercies; I will also gladly do again what I know thou wilt have me to do. You have commanded me to honor my father and mother; I will do it with all my will and gladly. Thou hast commanded me to serve my lordship faithfully, to work diligently and to be obedient; I will do it gladly. You have made me a housemother, a householder; dear God, I will be pious, I will do with pleasure and love what I am to do, and I will rather live over it than not follow you, or not faithfully preside over my children and my servants, or annoy them. This is the right fruit that should follow from the word, and is called loving God rightly from the heart. That God should not honor such pious, obedient Christians, who honor and love God and His word, and should not give them happiness and salvation, is not possible.
(24) But let each one go home into his heart and see how far he loves God. For, as now reported, loving God is not done with thoughts alone, as the mad monks think; but to love God means, as the Lord says in another place, to love one's neighbor. For thus says God: If thou wilt love me, remember and love thy father and mother, thy child, thy wife, thy husband, thy lord, thy wife; this will I have of thee. Then look around you, if you do this everywhere, and you will find out whether you love God or are an enemy of God.
(25) For, as I said, they are few; indeed, Christians alone have the Word of God and love Christ, though not as fully as they ought. They say: Well then, I will again gladly do to my neighbor what I ought to do. But if at times I am overtaxed with anger, impatience, and other things, let me be sorry from my heart, and I will return. Christians do this; others, who are not Christians, do not.
(26) Therefore we can conclude that commoners and peasants, children and servants, officials and subjects, are all of the devil: for they are enemies of God, for they do not respect his word and command (as you can see). That he created them, gave them body and soul, food and drink; yes, that he gave his only begotten son, for this they sing him a little song, that is called Odium, I don't like yours, I don't want yours, and if they could, they should probably still tear him down from heaven, so dear are they to his word and command. Ei now, love in that name! Does that mean to love God, to be so bitterly hostile to God and his word; and on the other hand, to love the devil and follow his will, who has thrown us into sin and eternal death, and takes all pleasure in our being so disobedient to God?
(27) Thus the world in general is a servant of the wicked devil in hell, who delights in making us enemies of God and not doing what he has commanded us to do. The wicked enemy has already hung sin and death on our necks; and if he could spoil grain and wine this very hour, and cause us all to die of hunger, he would gladly do so. Nevertheless, we serve such an enemy, who means us so evil and poisonous, and meanwhile we let the gracious God in heaven, who has given us everything, and especially his Son, and with him has given us eternal life, preach to us in vain, and do not want to obey his command.
(28) Now strike dead and choke, dear God, that we should not love thee, who givest all manner of temporal and spiritual gifts. But with love and will we should gladly serve him who puts all plagues on us here and gives eternal death there.
(29) Therefore, learn what it means to love God. This Samaritan loves God, not that he has given anything to God, but that he helps the poor wounded man as much as he can. For thus says GOD: If thou wilt love me and serve me, do it to thy neighbor, he needeth it; I need it not. Therefore, this Samaritan serves our Lord God in heaven with his money, animal, oil and wine. Not that our Lord
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God for his person, or he does it to our Lord God; he does it to his neighbor. But it is called done to God, and God is served by it, because God has thus commanded and commanded it.
(30) The other thing, that the world should serve God with, he has not commanded to go to St. James, or to Rome, or to build churches, or any other such thing. He wants one to serve and help the other. You must not look for me in Rome, he says, you will find me at home in your house, with your wife, child, servants, rulers, authorities; item, in your neighbor's house, in the gates, in the market and everywhere. Do what you can do for friendship, love and service to anyone, and I will take credit for it and boast that you have done it for me. How could he put it closer to you? But the devil blinds the world so that it cannot see what it really means to love God and to be an enemy of the devil.
(31) Therefore strive to learn to follow the example of this Samaritan, who took care of the wounded man in his distress, helping and caring for him as he would have wanted someone else to do and care for him in such distress, thus bringing praise that he loved God and his neighbor. This, I say, you shall learn to do. For this fruit shall follow in them that have the word. But if it does not follow, they are false Christians; like this priest and Levite here, they are cane saints, yes, devil saints. For he who passes before his neighbor also passes before God. Therefore, beware of the world's example, which is hostile to both God and neighbor, but show love toward everyone, and God will not let it go unrewarded. But whoever does not love God and wants to pass by his neighbor in distress will certainly receive his punishment in due time. Let everyone be guided by this.
32Thus this gospel gives us a beautiful and very useful and necessary teaching on how we should conduct our lives if we want to be among the multitude that loves God rightly, namely, that we love our neighbor.
and prove all good things to him in his distress. God will accept this as if we had done it to Him.
But the Lord gives the scribe the same answer to his answer as before, saying, "Go and do likewise. He wants to indicate once again that he has never done such a will of God, nor can he do it. So that he must confess, even though he has Moses and the law and knows that it is not enough for salvation. But if he is to be saved, he must first have forgiveness of all his sin through the Son of God, and then also receive the Holy Spirit, who awakens the heart to willing, right obedience. For without the Holy Spirit's help, which we receive only through the Lord Christ, it is impossible for us to do even the least bit enough for the law. For where the Holy Spirit is not, the heart remains unclean and in sin. Therefore, even though the outward works of the law follow, it is only hypocrisy, since God cannot have any pleasure in it.
(34) Therefore the judgment of our Lord Christ is sound and certain, that they only have blessed eyes and ears, which see and hear those things which his disciples see; and they only, which see not, neither hear, but Moses and the law, by which the heart is not changed, but abideth as it was in the beginning, wicked and unclean.
35 From this it is easy to answer the papists' objection against us, that they say: Christ says, "Do this, and you shall live," and conclude from this that one can be saved by the works of the law. For the Lord wants to show the scribes and all of us with such a word that it is impossible for us to follow the law unless our hearts receive the Holy Spirit first through the gospel and are cleansed from sins. Therefore these things are spoken according to the law, which also means that we must do God's will, but it does not follow that we can do it. Christ must work this in us through the holy gospel and his Holy Spirit. For this reason the Lord introduces this likeness to the one who fell among the murderers, so that
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to indicate how great misery is upon us all, and that only through him, the right Samaritan, can we be freed and delivered from it.
(36) For we poor men have fallen among the worst of murderers through sin, that the devil and death have become powerful over us, and have not only stripped us and robbed us of all the spiritual goods that God has granted and given us, but they have also wounded us and beaten us, that is, because of sins we have fallen into all kinds of misery, calamity and misery. In such misery we should lie down because of the priest and the Levite, that is, because of the law; for they pass by and do not help the poor man. As Paul says: By the law no man is justified, nor absolved from sins. But in the end we find the Samaritan, our dear Lord Christ, whom his own people would not accept, but took him for your heathen and possessed man. He takes care of our suffering, washes and binds up our wounds with wine, and pours the blessed oil of his grace into them, and takes our sin upon himself, which he bears in his body, and thus leads us into the right inn, that is, into the Christian church,
and commands the host to take care of us, that is, those who are in the ministry and preach the word.
But, alas, the greatest number, as we see in the pope, bishops, and the same vermin, maintain such ministry very badly; that the church is like a hospital, which has an unfaithful, industrious, unprofessional hospital master, where the sick are maintained very badly. For they should preach God's word, so they pursue it; they should lead people to Christ and thus help them from sins, so they only put them deeper into it. Nevertheless, we see that our dear Lord Christ does not want to let such a hospital disappear. If the pope and bishops do not want to preach rightly, they may leave it alone and wait how they will be rewarded in the end. Meanwhile, our dear Lord Christ raises up poor, miserable people who are despised in the world, who preach his word and care for the poor sick, so that they may come to forgiveness of sins and eternal life through the gospel. For without this preaching it is impossible that we could come to such treasure. Therefore, we may well thank God for such beneficence, and pray that He may preserve us in such grace and make us blessed, amen.
*On the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. )
Luc. 17, 11-19.
And it came to pass, as he journeyed toward Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And when he was come into a market, ten leprous men met him, which stood afar off, and lifted up their voice, and said: JEsu, dear Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them: Go and show yourselves to the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned again, and praised God with a loud voice, and fell on his face at his feet, and gave thanks unto him. And this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answered and said, Were not ten of them clean? But where are the nine? Has no one else been found who has turned back and given glory to God, except this stranger? And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath helped thee.
*) Held in house 1532; after a and b and after Röhrer, 1533. D. Red.
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In today's Gospel, you will hear at the end how the Lord praises faith. Your faith, he says to the Samaritan who was a leper, has helped you. So he gives credit, not to himself (otherwise he would say, "I have helped you"), but to faith. With this, he wants to provoke us to believe in God with all confidence according to such an example, and to be sure of what we believe, that we will have it through Christ. If we believe in forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ, it shall be yes; if we believe that God is gracious and merciful to us for Christ's sake, He will be gracious and merciful. So that everything should be attributed to faith, not to God, who alone does it. So that everyone may learn, where we do not obtain something that we would like and need, that it is not because of God, but only because of our unbelief; otherwise, if we believed firmly, we would certainly have it.
(2) This then is the first lesson of today's Gospel, that we should know that everything we can provide for and comfort ourselves in God should be yes. But whoever does not believe in God and does not want to provide anything good for Him, let him not think that he will get anything. As Jacob says in his epistle, Cap. 1: For he who wants to deal with God and ask something of Him, must not doubt or waver, saying, "Who knows whether God will give it to me, or whether I am worthy of it? No, not at all; but thus you shall say, "I know what I ask of God, that He will gladly do and give it for Christ's sake. And if he does not do now and in this way as I would like, he will do it in another time and way.
For a fickle heart that does not believe, nor does it think for certain that it will obtain anything, will never be granted. For God can give him nothing, even if he would like to. It is like a vessel that is held in one's hands, and yet one does not want to hold it still, but moves it back and forth, so that one cannot pour anything into it; and even if one would like to pour something into it, it still misses the mark and perishes in vain. So it is for an unbelieving, wavering heart also
done. God would gladly give us what we need, but there we stand, like a mad beggar, holding out our hat that he might throw something in for us, and yet we will not keep still. Our Lord God does not want to throw His gifts away in vain, so that they fall by the wayside and are lost. It is just as if you had a candelabra or a bottle in your hands and wanted someone to pour wine into it, and yet you always wanted to throw it back and forth with your hand. This would make a very unwilling host, especially if he were to give you the wine and not take any money for it. He would say: Always roll yourself, do you think I want to pour the wine on the ground? It is just such a thing with a wavering, unbelieving heart; God cannot pour anything into it, even if he would like to.
4 Again, if one does not waver, but keeps still, he will gladly give. As we see here in the ten lepers, who stand and cry, "Jesus, dear Master, have mercy on us. They keep still, and do not doubt that he will help. Therefore, as they believe, so shall it be done unto them. We should keep this in mind so that we may learn to trust in God's goodness, and not waver in our hearts, but keep quiet in everything we ask for, be it health, food, happiness, wisdom, or righteousness. For God will gladly give all these things, provided they are for His glory and are useful and good for our salvation. He does not sometimes hesitate to try us if we want to persevere with prayer and faith. This is the first part of today's Gospel, that we should pray in firm faith and not despair of God's gracious will through Christ.
5 The other piece is a very frightening example, that ten of them initially have such a fine faith and are healed, and yet the nine fall away again and do not give thanks to the Lord Christ because of such a blessing.
(6) Such an example should serve us to be grateful and to guard against the shameful vice of ingratitude. For it is our Lord God's will, and not unreasonably, that we should have the honor of thanking Him for all His benefits.
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We should do this willingly and gladly. For it is a thing that does not cost much effort and labor. For what harm can it do you to turn to God and say, "O Lord, you have given me healthy eyes, healthy hands and feet, this and that; I thank you from my heart for it, for it is your gift. So what harm can it do you to thank your father and mother, your master and wife, your neighbor, if a good thing has been done to you by them? After all, it does not break your leg, and the only thing that matters is to see whether it has been done to you. So the Samaritan does here, returns to the Lord and gives thanks. It cost him not a penny but a few words, and yet it pleases the Lord so much that it is a miracle.
(8) People are also pleased with gratitude, and it does them good; they are also provoked by it to help more at another time. The heathen have said that ingratitude is the greatest vice. Therefore, if one scolded someone for being ungrateful, he was scolded to the highest degree. Nevertheless, we learn that such ingratitude is very wicked, and is most common to those who deserve all the thanks they get from us, such as: Father and mother, who dare to give their children life, limb, honor, property, and all that they have. But how do the children reward them? What do they experience in them? It is seldom that a child is grateful. That's what the wretched devil does. It's the same in other classes.
9 Therefore learn to beware of the great and shameful vice, from which the spring runs dry, from which all faithfulness and good deeds flow among men. For where one finds an unthankful heart, the desire and love to help and to do something too good for such people vanishes. For whoever helps other people should receive no other thanks than to be given in return, that is a very annoying thing. The first word is to say, "All is lost with the wretched man. Let him always go, I would not look at him, that I help him with a penny. So people become unwilling. This is what shameful ingratitude does, and yet it is a very common vice in the world.
(10) Therefore, if you wish to be devout Christians, learn to be grateful first to God, our gracious Father in heaven, who gives and sustains life and limb; and then give all that pertains to eternal life. Then also be grateful to your parents, friends, neighbors, and all who have shown you good, and show them good again; so that, though you cannot repay them by works, yet you may show yourselves grateful and kind by words. This is good for you, and God wants it from you. But the least part does it. For since the world cannot be made to show gratitude with words, it is no wonder that people cannot be made to repay; as the saying goes: Nihil citius senescit, quam gratia: Beneficence is soon forgotten.
In monasteries, the young monks who gave them only a cut feather were accustomed to bend down and say: Benedictus Deus in omnibus donis suis: God be praised for all that he gives us. This was not a wicked way; for it was done so that the young people would be accustomed to accept everything with thanksgiving to God and man. Therefore, although it was not always so in the heart, it was nevertheless fine that the words were spoken. Thus it is written in the 116th Psalm, v. 12, 13: "How shall I repay the Lord for all his benefits that he has done for me? I will take the cup of salvation and preach the name of the Lord," that is, I will praise, extol and give thanks to him and say that he has done me good. Yes, dear child, says our Lord God, I have just had enough.
(12) But the kind Father can obtain it from few people. Most of them persecute his word and blaspheme him, regardless of the fact that everything we have we have only through him and from his graces. And this is not enough; his only begotten Son, whom he gave us to comfort us against sin and eternal death, they still hang on the gallows. This may ever be a world that God should be justly hostile to and do it no good. But he will not be angered, he remains kind and merciful, and helps everywhere.
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Therefore, it is not enough that we learn to be thankful, but we must also become accustomed to the virtue that can suffer ingratitude. This is only God's virtue and the virtue of right Christians. For there are enough examples before our eyes, which testify that the world cannot do such things. The Greeks had very fine people who faithfully stood by their country and risked life and limb for it. But as soon as they found that gratitude was not forthcoming and that they did not enjoy such favors, but that people wanted to add to them and squeeze them, they became impatient about it. So that just as they had protected the fatherland against the enemies before, they helped the enemies against the fatherland afterward, and became the worst enemies. This is our way and nature; but it is an evil way, which we should renounce, and take God's way to us, who, though he is hostile to ingratitude, as a shameful, great vice, yet he is not moved by it to be also evil; he always remains good and gracious to everyone who needs his help.
(14) He who wants to be a Christian, let him learn that he will not earn thanks everywhere with all his good deeds, faithfulness and service, but must also suffer ingratitude. But we should not let ourselves be moved in this way, so that we no longer want to serve or help others. For this is a Christian virtue and the true fruit of faith, that when thou hast done thy best, and it is thrown into thy hand, thou be patient, and say, Nay, thou shalt not offend me with this, nor make me displeased; I will suffer it, and yet help where I can. Wilt thou be ungrateful? I know one above us in heaven who will thank me in your stead; I would rather have that than have you thank me. That is, to be Christian, and as Solomon calls it, to heap burning coals on the head of the ungrateful.
You will never learn this art from the world. She does the antithesis. If you do not want to be grateful, she makes you think that what she has done is gone and lost, that she will no longer use her good deeds so badly. But it is our Father in heaven, since we have such art from
He makes his sun shine, not only on the pious who thank him for it, but also on the wicked who do not thank him, but misuse all the gifts. He could also say to the right half: I have let the sun shine for so many years, I have given grain, wine and all kinds of fruits and benefits; but I deserve little thanks; therefore I will let it shine no more, and let the ungrateful world die of hunger. But he does not do it, the gracious father. No, he says, the ingratitude of the world should not be so great that it should make me angry with it. If it will not be grateful, yet I will be merciful, and will find the ungrateful well in his time.
16 We should also learn this art if we want to be Christians in a different way. For this is the way of Christian love, that it bears and endures everything, and yet does not allow itself to be made bitter. But there are very few of them who have such love; therefore there are also very few true Christians. Otherwise we would gladly do good to people and help them, and yet not be annoyed by the ingratitude, nor let it seem strange to us, as it does to the world: it hurts it, and annoys it very much, when the good deed is not repaid. But think and be accustomed to it. If you have done good to someone today and he escapes you tomorrow through ingratitude, do not let yourself be challenged. For he will know how to enjoy such ingratitude. Go on, and say: If it is lost in him, quickly bring another, and he will also do well. If he will not do well, bring the third, and so on, that you may learn to say, as our Lord Christ says here, "If ten have not been healed, where are the nine?
17 The dear Lord deserves little thanks, but he is content that one of the ten should come back and thank him. He would not have asked about the others if he had not done so to show how hostile he is to ingratitude. As if he should say: "Be thankless, you will not escape me like this; I will ask where you have been, that you have never thanked me for giving you life and limb, and for creating everything.
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I have what you need. Then you will find out what a shameful vice ingratitude is.
18 Therefore we must be accustomed to learn from the example of our Lord Christ that we can despise ingratitude. For experience shows, and everyone can see, that when our Lord gives us ten good years, we hardly thank Him a little for one; indeed, what is more, we always misuse the best years in the most shameful way. If God gives a rich year with wine, grain, and other things, there are miserly people who buy it up and wait for a theurung. Others think that because much has grown, they must kill all the more, indulge and drink; thus they thank God for His blessing. Thus, hardly a tenth of His gifts and goods are thanked to our Lord God. We should be accustomed to this, and not let it hurt us, but let it be enough for us, if we find one among ten who is able and willing. The others will find it in their time. For they shall not so bear it away to our Lord God, who will have thanksgiving.
(19) Therefore your love has these two lessons from today's Gospel: the first, about faith; the other, about the two beautiful virtues, that we should be thankful and learn to suffer ingratitude along with it. We are to learn gratitude from the Samaritan, and follow his example, so that we are not found ungrateful to God and man. But from Christ we are to learn, even if we do good to someone, and
But we do not deserve thanks, because we do not want to be angry with them, much less repay others. For as I said before, it is a very wicked vice in the world to make people displeased and disgruntled by ingratitude, and often have to pay off ten of them to an ungrateful person. But if you are a Christian, do not do this. If nine deceive thee, be content, that only the tenth be justified and thankful. For Christ himself does not find people who would be grateful for such a great benefit; would you then have it better than he? Therefore let it come to the ninth, you will have no more harm than Christ. But you will have to have harm, that neither happiness nor salvation will be with the ungrateful people.
20 In sum, we will be fine Christians if we first have a firm faith and trust in God's goodness; then we are not only thankful, but also able to suffer ingratitude. For we will have no better than Christ our Lord. We should prove all good things to the people, but wait that there will be hardly one of them among ten who is well disposed and will be grateful. And it may well come to pass that it is he who gives thanks, and since it is well appointed, when one has least confidence and hope; as the Samaritan is here. May our dear Lord God grant us His mercy, so that we may mend our ways and earnestly shun and flee the shameful ingratitude towards God and man, amen.
*On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. )
Matth. 6, 24-34.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will cling to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; neither for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not life more than food? and the body more than raiment? Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow, they do not reap, they gather.
*) Held in house, 1532; after a, 1532 and 1534. D. Red.
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not into the barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more than they? Who is there among you who can add a cubit to his length, though he cares for it? And why do you care for clothing? Look at the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not work, nor do they spin. I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as one. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today stands, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more do it unto you, O ye of little faith? Therefore shall ye not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? what shall we drink? wherewith shall we be clothed? The heathen seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about the morrow, for the morrow will take care of its own. It is enough for every day to have its own plague.
This is a rich gospel and a long sermon against avarice, to which our Lord God is especially hostile, because there is no other vice that hinders the gospel more and does more harm to Christians. And yet we see that the whole world is drowned in it. For everyone cares day and night how he will be fed. And this is especially good for avarice, that no one is satisfied with what God has given him; they all want to have more and go higher. To whom God has given a beautiful house, he would like to have a castle; if he has a castle, he would like to have a village, and so on: no one is satisfied, everyone would like to get higher and have more. Otherwise, if there were no stinginess and pride, we would all have enough, and there would be no such worries, scratching and scraping among the people. The Lord would like to counter such un-Christianity with this sermon, and for this reason he does it very strongly. "No one," he says, "can serve two masters; he will either hate one and love the other, or be attached to one and despise the other." There you can see that the Lord is worried that mammon will hinder his service.
2 Therefore it is not a gospel for the young people. For they have the grace, praise God, that they would rather eat cherries than count money; they also care more for a beautiful apple than for a red florin; they do not ask what the grain is worth; for they are sure in their hearts and certain that they will find food.
3 This sermon is especially directed to the fathers of the household and to those who are in office, and most of all to the preachers who are in trouble in the world, some of whom have been killed by
They are forced to think about how they will feed themselves and their wives and children. The Lord comforts them here, wants to relieve them of such worries, and says: "They should look at the little birds: because God provides them so abundantly, they will also have their party, so that they will not die of hunger.
(4) That this sermon does not particularly concern the young, for they think that the kitchen and cellar have already been provided for, and let others take care of them. But we old fools have the particular misfortune of providing for our belly and always fear that we will die of hunger.
Since our dear Lord Christ so harshly rejects the idea that one cannot serve God and mammon at the same time, it is necessary that we learn what it means to serve God.
According to the common usage in the world, "to serve" means nothing else than to do what one has commanded. That it is said in the same way: I serve my lord, as if one said, I do what my lord commands me. That therefore the service is not ordered on the mere person, but on the word and command. For masters and wives of the house must not keep the servants to eat and drink; they can do it themselves. But let them see to it that they do and perform that which they have commanded them. Wherefore if a servant be a wicked man, and suffer his lord's word and command to stand, and do that which others call him to do, it is not serving the right lord.
(7) In this way we must also speak here of worship: that serving God means nothing else than hearing what he says and doing it gladly and diligently. What
872 D.3.67-6S. On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, I96I-ISM. 873
But what does God mean? First of all, it means to hear Christ and accept the good gospel. This is the only, right, pleasing service we can do to God, for His command is there before our eyes.
- According to it, God commands that the children honor their father and mother, that the parents nourish, nurture and teach their children; that a woman love her husband and take care of the household, and that the husband nurture and protect her. 2c. Wherefore the children honor their father and mother, with the same they serve God. For there is God's command for them to do so. So servants and maids in the house, if they do diligently what they are commanded to do, they serve not only their rulers, but God in heaven; for there is His word that requires it of them.
(9) So, too, in other states, each one could enter into God's command and service, if only we would learn what it means to serve God. For as I said, the service of God is not in the work, but in the word and command of God. It has a great reputation before the world that a monk forgives himself everything and goes to a monastery, leads a strict life there, fasts, watches, prays 2c. There is no lack of work, but there is a lack of command, because God has not commanded him to do this; therefore it cannot be praised for any service. Again, it is a very small thing for a maid to cook, wash, sweep and do other household work in the house. But because God's command is there, such a small work cannot be praised otherwise than as a service to God, and far surpasses all monks' and nuns' holiness and hard living. For there is no command of God; here, however, it is God's command that one should honor father and mother and help to keep house.
(10) So it is called serving God where one does what God has commanded and does not do what God has forbidden. And so the whole world would be full of God's service: not only in the church, but also in the home, in the kitchen, in the cellar, in the workshop, in the field, among citizens and farmers, if only we would send ourselves into it properly. For it is certain that God does not only
The Lord wants to order and maintain the church and world regiment, but also the home regiment. Therefore, whoever serves, father and mother first, then the children, and finally the servants and neighbors, all together serve God, for it is His will and command.
Then a poor maid might first have joy in her heart and say, "I'm going to cook, I'm going to make the bed, I'm going to sweep the house, who told me to do it? It was my master and wife who told me. Who then has given them such power over me? God has done it. Well, it must be true that I serve not only them, but also God in heaven, and that God is pleased with me. How can I be more blessed? It is just as much as if I were to cook for God in heaven.
(12) Thus a man, with all his toil and labor, could be cheerful and of good cheer, and nothing would sour him, if he thus sent himself to his service and occupation. But the devil fights back tooth and nail, saying that there is no joy in it, but that everyone is displeased with what he is supposed to do and is commanded to do; that only people have no love for it, and God no service.
(13) If money were to buy it, so that one could come to the state of knowing that he was serving God in it, don't you think we would give everything we have for it? What did the mad monks and nuns do for the hope that they would think that they were serving God? But as I also said above, they lacked it, since it is all up to them. For if you ask who called them to run to the monastery, it is impossible for them to say that God told them to do so; but if they want to confess the truth, they must say that they thought it was possible to serve God in this way. But the wretched devil thanks them for that. For that is just as much a thing as if I had my maid make a fire, and she wanted to sweep the parlor for it. With such service she would do me little favor, I would not thank her very much; especially if she still wanted to defend this and boast: "Lord, sweeping the parlor also makes me angry.
874 8.3, 69-72. on the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, iWs-1968. 875
Thank you for a good year, I should say, who called you? You should have warmed my room now; that's what I asked you to do, not sweep the room.
(14) It is the same with monks and nuns: they praise God's service, and yet God has not told them to do so. Therefore, if you want to serve God rightly, stay in your profession and status, however small it may be; and listen first to God's word in the church, then to your authority, rule or parents' word, and follow it. That is, to serve God rightly.
(15) Therefore, let each man learn diligently for himself, whatever his station, and know well what it means to serve God, namely, to do what God commands through preachers, through father and mother, through masters and wives in the house. If you do this, your heart can be finely guarded against God, and your work or service will not become sour or difficult for you, because you know that God is pleased with it and that it is called serving Him. And what you do in your house is just as much as if you had done it to our Lord GOD up in heaven.
(16) This is the most beautiful and best adornment, since a human being is adorned above all other creatures, which also walk in obedience to God. For there we see that the sun and the moon, the earth and all creatures walk along in God's order and obedience, and accomplish that which God has commanded them to do. The sun gives light to all the world by day, the moon by night, the earth yields all kinds of fruit every year. So does the water. What command does it have? What should it do? It shall bring fish, says God in the first book of Moses. It does this everywhere, except where people, through their sin, do not withstand God's blessing and hinder His command. Thus all other creatures walk in the most beautiful adornment, that is, in the service of God. Christ says here that even Solomon was not so beautifully adorned in all his glory as a little flower in the field. What does a flower do? What is its command? Nothing else, except that it should stand there, bloom beautifully, smell well, and
and let them be used. If God so highly praises a little flower, what do you think is the adornment of a human being when he is found in the command and obedience of God?
17 A maid who adorns herself for dancing is a worldly ornament. But if you want to judge rightly, you have to say: It is dirt compared to the adornment, if she goes in her office and profession, waits for the children, the kitchen, the house, and does what she is commanded to do. For thus the 45th Psalm praises the Christians, and says v. 10: "In your adornment go the daughters of kings." What kind of adornment can this be, since we know that Christians on earth are poor, miserable and despised? It is a spiritual ornament, and is not called silver, pearls, velvet, or gold pieces, but the command of our Lord God. Such jewelry shines more beautifully than the sun, for it is God's jewelry. So he who walks in our Lord God's command walks in our Lord God's own ornament.
(18) If I were to wear the emperor's ornament, or if a beautiful young woman were to walk in the ornament of the queen of France, that would be a glorious and delicious thing in the eyes of the world, since everyone would open their mouths about it. But in truth it is nothing compared to this spiritual adornment, when a woman walks along in obedience to God, loves and values her husband, and brings up her children finely and well, and is tidy and diligent in housekeeping; compared to such adornment, pearls, velvet and golden pieces are like an old, torn, patched beggar's cloak. For it is an ornament that has God's word and command and walks in God's obedience.
19 This is the right crown and beautiful golden chain, as Solomon says in Prov. 1, v. 8, 9: "My son, obey your father's discipline, and do not forsake your mother's commandment; for this is a beautiful ornament for your head, and a chain for your neck."
20 Here on earth this obedience seems to be nothing special. But in that life, there it will seem, when God will say and praise: My child, come here, you are an obedient child, a faithful handmaiden, a
876 3.72-74. On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, iWK-E. 877
a pious servant. There you will see that obedience to God and His word, even in such lowly ranks, is more adorning than all the world's adornment.
(21) Let this be said of the first part, that you may learn what it means to serve God, and not let Mammon's service hinder you in this. Now let us look at the consolation, and learn how to resist avarice.
22.*) First, the Lord says, "No one can serve two masters." Name two lords; the one is called God, that is the right Lord, whom we owe to serve. The other lord is called Mammon, which is not the right lord; therefore Christ wills that we should not serve him. But how to serve God we have heard.
(23) But what it means to serve mammon, the Lord himself indicates here, namely, to provide for life what one will eat and drink, and to provide for the body how one will clothe himself. And the whole sermon is to the effect that we should not take such care at all; for it is not only a vain care, which we have no need of and can do nothing with, but such care also hinders the right service of God. Therefore, we should beware of it and become accustomed to serving God and to trusting Him that He knows what we need and will provide it for us and gladly give it to us if we only seek it from Him.
(24) To such trust we have a great advantage, that we see that God has already given us life and limb without our care. Now let all the world judge. Is it not true that if all food were in a heap, it would not be so dear to you as your life? So your body is dearer to you than all clothing. Are we not wretched, ungrateful people, since God should be justly angry with us? We must confess that He has already given us the most and the greatest of Himself and without being asked, and yet we do not want to trust Him that He will also give us the lesser. It would ever hurt a rich man if he had given you a thousand guilders, so that you would not be so
*) Held in the house in 1534.
much would you provide for him, that he would also give you an old pair of shoes. This is what we do in truth to our Lord God in heaven when we provide food and drink, since he has already given the greatest and most. But how such mistrust pleases him, we may consider.
(25) Just as we must learn and confess in ourselves, in our bodies and lives, in our eyes, ears, hands, feet, and all our limbs, that God is gracious to us, that He has given us much, and that He has done us good: so the Lord sets before us the examples of other creatures, that we may learn by them to trust in God and not to worry.
26 For the little birds fly over before our eyes, in small honor of us, so that we might take off our little hats against them, and say: My dear doctor, I must ever confess that I cannot do the art that you can. You sleep through the night in your little nest without a care in the world; in the morning you get up again, are cheerful and in good spirits, sit down on a little flower, and sing, praise and thank God; then you look for your food and find it. Fie, what have I learned as an old fool, that I do not do the same, when I have so much reason to do so! Can the little bird leave off its worrying, and in such a case keeps itself like a living saint, and yet has neither field nor barn, neither box nor cellar; it sings, praises God, is happy and in good spirits; for it knows that it has one who cares for it; he is called our Father in heaven: why then do we not also, who have the advantage that we can work, build the field, gather the fruits, pour them out and keep them for the need? Yet we cannot leave off this shameful worrying.
Therefore, we should not forget this example of the birds. They are without any worry, cheerful and in good spirits. And why would they care? They have a rich chef and waiter, called the Father in heaven, who has a kitchen as wide as the world. Therefore, they fly where they want, so they find the kitchen well ordered. The same heavenly Father, Christ says here, would have your kitchen master
878 L. 3.74-76. on the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xin, 1976-1979. 879
and waiters would also like to be, if only you could believe it, or wanted to have.
- But unfortunately we learn that the whole world is a bunch of desperate miserly people, who do not trust God, do not serve God, but mammon; and only deal with how they may collect a lot of money. If they manage to get it, they are in good spirits. If they do not, they are sad and sorrowful and worry day and night. But is it not true, if thou hadst a house full of florins, and the house were also golden, and the Elbe or the Rhine flowed with gold, and were thine own: what could such help thee, if there were nothing else, no corn, no beer, no wine, no water? You will never eat the gold.
29 This may be called a shameful mammon service, which the pagans also mocked, and a fable was made of a rich king in Phrygia, called Midas: he was so stingy that he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. Such a wish came to him, as he had desired: if he touched his skirt, table, benches, bed, door, everything became gold as soon as, the knife over the table, the bread and drink also. But he had to die of hunger in the end, the miser, he had well wished. Therefore curse avarice and flee it, whoever can; for one will never eat either silver or gold. Nevertheless the world is so blind and mad, when it has food and drink, that it still wants gold and money. Just as if it did not need what God gives, and had to have what He does not give.
(30) Therefore, let him who is a Christian take better heed, and let not avarice pass him by; but learn to trust God, who has already proved Himself in us and in the whole creature, that He will provide for us and will not let us suffer any lack. As the Psalter also especially praises the young ravens, that God provides them with their food and nourishment, although the old ravens leave them in the nest and no longer come to them, nor do they corrode them. For this is God's order for and for, where He gives life, that He also creates that it may be preserved. And if he does this to the cattle, how much more does he want it for the people,
and especially to his Christians, to whom he has given not only life and limb, but also his only begotten Son, that they should live not only for time, but for ever. This is what the Lord wanted us to learn, and to drop the shameful unbelief that avarice arouses.
For what do we accomplish by worrying ourselves to death? It would be a very foolish thing for a little man to sit in a corner and spend his life worrying and thinking about how he might grow taller. Do you not think the whole world would mock him and think him a fool? The same thing, saith Christ, the world doeth, when it careth how it may make money and goods; no man careth richly. It is entirely up to him whether God gives his blessing, and not up to worry. If God's blessing is there, one has it; if it is not there, whether one has it or not, one will not be able to enjoy it or keep it, as the examples before us show.
This should also be a cause that should provoke and move us to faith: that worry not only hinders faith and is against God, but also hurts us and troubles us, and yet we do nothing with it. That is to say, miserliness, worry, and unbelief (for where one is, there is also the other) are honestly praised; that if we only wanted to use our reason, we should become hostile to such vices and guard against them.
But the Lord will not leave it at that, and tells us to open our eyes when we are in the field or in a garden, and look at the little flowers; there we will also find a good doctor, who would gladly teach us the highest art, so that we can trust God and provide ourselves with everything good for him. For there are flowers of all colors, adorned in the most beautiful way, so that no emperor nor king is equal to them in adornment. For all such adornment is a dead thing. But a flower has its color and beauty, that it is a natural, living thing. And it does not have the opinion that it grows like this. Here it is that Christ says, "God clothes the grass of the field in this way.
880 L. 3:76-79. on the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1930-1982. 881
(34) Just as he says above, "The little birds do not find their food by chance, but God the Father in heaven provides it for them and arranges that each little bird has its place and is fed. It is the same with the little flowers, as you can see. For if it were not for God's special order and creation, it would never be possible for one to be the same as another, to have the same color, leaves, number of leaves, veins, seeds and other measurements. If God takes such care with the grass, which stands only to be seen and to be enjoyed by cattle, is it not a sin and a shame that we still doubt whether God will provide us with clothing?
35 For just as we have an advantage over the little birds; we build the field, we reap, we fill the barns and cellars, and can make a supply for ourselves, at least for one day; since the little birds have none, and yet are fed: so, saith the Lord, we also have an advantage for clothing. There is so much flax, flax and hemp being grown, so many sheep being raised, so much spinning and working going on in every house: how can a man be so devoid of faith that he does not hope to get something out of it, especially if he keeps on working?
For we must make a distinction here. Not only is work not forbidden, but it is also commanded to the highest degree, and so commanded that all diligence and care be put into it, and that it not be idle, lazy, or careless. But to care for food, drink, clothing, and other things, that is most forbidden. For such care is an indication that we do not trust in God to sustain us. Therefore, God is blasphemed most of all.
So that both must be and remain with each other. The first, that you wait with all diligence of your work. For this is what God commanded man in paradise: that he should eat, that he should also work. The other is that you also be a Christian and believe. But to believe means to trust God, that he is our Father, that he knows what we need, and that he will gladly and graciously give it to us.
let go. Worry cannot get along with such faith; but as soon as worry starts, faith falters, indeed, it is over.
038 Therefore the Lord forbideth, saying in short, Be not anxious: work ye shall, it is your command; and let me be anxious: for this is my office, that I am your father, and I can do something with my care; ye can do nothing with it. Therefore let it be done; or if you will not let it be done, know that you are no longer my servants; you are the servants of Mammon; whom you love, but me you hate; to him you cling, but me you despise. How one sees then publicly at the world examples. Yes, if someone knew how to win ten or twenty guilders this hour, that he would leave such profit behind, or delay a little, and go to the sermon first? Winning money is more important to him, and he thinks he can get the sermon at another time. But it is true that whatever you do to God's word, you have done to God. He who despises it and prefers money has despised God and hates God. Just do not make a gloss, the text is too loud that you can not pass.
039 Therefore this is the preaching of Christians, that they should not be anxious, nor say, What shall we eat? what shall we drink? wherewith shall we be clothed? The heathen, saith the Lord, seek such things, not knowing nor believing that they have a Father in heaven. But you have a Father in heaven, who has given you life and limb, even his Son, who knows what you need. But how can you think him so unmerciful and hard that he would not give you, and let you die of hunger and perish? Therefore do as you see your children do toward you: they lie down at night and sleep without any care; they care nothing where they will take a piece of bread or soup in the morning, for they know that their father and mother will provide for them. Do ye likewise, little children, saith Christ here, toward your Father which is in heaven, and there shall be no need. But do not be anxious, for that would be an indication that you have no need of your Father in heaven.
882 L pp. 79-81. on the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1982-1988. 883
comforts; otherwise, you would drop all worry and hope for everything good.
40 Therefore the Lord concludes this sermon thus, saying, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all the rest will be added to you. This is a necessary teaching and an excellent promise. The world asks and seeks for its kingdom, so one must have money and goods, which are all uncertain and unstable. On the other hand, God has another kingdom, an eternal kingdom, which we Christians should seek. This kingdom, says Christ, is within us. And it means nothing else than hearing the word and believing, that is, trusting God from the heart and considering Him as a Father. Where such faith is, God dwells, and righteousness, that is, forgiveness of sins, follows immediately. Let this, says Christ, be your first, hold to the word, hear it diligently, practice it and believe.
(41) Therefore, if you have sought God's kingdom and righteousness first, be content, and do every man in his place as he ought; for Christians are not to walk idly, but to work: then it shall all fall to you. For can God be so pious and gracious that He gives everything to the wicked, who not only do not serve Him, but also persecute and blaspheme His word, and bring upon Him all shame and dishonor: how could it be possible that He should leave you, who love Him, gladly hear and promote His word, and put all your trust in Him? So the Lord teaches that we should keep the word, believe and be godly, and let go of all worries; then God will give us everything we need.
But what happens? Most of them go away and do not heed God's word, preferring to go drinking and gambling and dancing rather than going to church to preach. Such naughtiness brings with it all kinds of sin. That there should be happiness, and that God should not be with
Sickness, poverty and all kinds of misfortune should punish such, that is not possible. Then there is another evil, that most of the people are careless, lazy and careless with their work; or even though they work and let it get sour, there is no measure of feasting, gambling and other things, that one lets pass on a holiday what one has worked for the whole week. Our Lord God has forbidden both, that one should not go idle and should not waste, but what one has worked for should be kept in good counsel.
43 Therefore saith the Lord, The birds neither reap, nor gather into their coops. As if to say: You do both, and you should do both, that you work, and afterward put the profit behind you and keep it for the need. But whoever will not do it, what can God do that there is neither happiness nor salvation? You may blame your nefarious, unchristian life, your idleness and your wastefulness, and not God, who would gladly give, if you would only be a Christian, hear the word, believe, drop your worries and work. As he says here, it should all fall to you. But you don't want it. When you should go to the sermon, you lie in bed and laze around, or go for a walk, or go drinking. When you should be working, you do the same. A little bird must work and fly out to its pasture. Our Lord God, who wants to feed it, does not want to throw food into its nest. So do the same to him, be godly and diligent in your work, and let God take care of the rest, as he will provide your food. But, as reported above, do not be stingy and be content, for God does not want to suffer the same.
44 This is the teaching of today's Gospel. May our dear Lord God give us His Holy Spirit through Christ, so that we may improve and become more devout, amen.
884 L. 3.81.82. On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm. 198K-19S0. 885
*On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. )
Luc. 7, 11-17.
And it came to pass afterward, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. And when he was come nigh unto the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was carried out, which was an only son of his mother; and she was a widow; and much people of the city went with her. And when the Lord saw her, he was sorry for her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the coffin, and the bearers stopped. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And the dead man arose and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. And fear came upon them all, and they praised GOD, saying: A great prophet has arisen among us, and GOd has afflicted His people. And this speech of his went forth into all the land of Judah, and into all the surrounding countries.
(1) There is much to preach about today's gospel. But we will only stick to the two pieces: the first, how we are to comfort ourselves against death, for such comfort and teaching is most important; the second, about Christian mercy and compassion, which we should have for one another.
(2) Your dear ones hear here of a poor widow who has lost her husband, and when her only son finally dies, she is miserable and poor everywhere. For in Judaism it was especially considered a misfortune if there was no son in the house, because the Jews' rule was that they should have heirs. For this reason, this woman is a miserable, sorrowful widow, and has the appearance that God is hostile to her and has even forgotten about her, that he first takes her husband and then her son. Therefore, it is no wonder that she despaired of God.
Our dear Lord Christ takes care of this woman, has compassion on her, and makes the son alive and gives him back to her, so that the joy becomes ten times greater than the sorrow was before. And it is a miracle that she did not immediately fall down and die of joy.
4 For this reason we should take note of this history, so that we may learn to strengthen our faith and make it firm. For the Lord Christ is not concerned here only with this woman.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
He wants to teach us all how small the matter of death is, so that we will not be afraid of it, but will go with a patient heart and not pay attention to death and other misfortunes, because we have such a Lord in him who can easily help and turn away death and all misfortunes. For see here how quickly and easily this woman is helped, since she had to despair of all help. For who would hope that the deceased son, who was now being carried to the grave, would come back to life?
5 Now that all hope is gone, our dear Lord Christ comes and does no more than say, "Young man, I say to you, arise. Immediately the dead man rises and lives. Then we must confess that death is like life in the sight of the Lord, and it is the same to him whether we live or die. For if we have already died, we have not died before him. If it is only a matter of one word to him, then death is gone and life comes again. So that Christ rightly says in the gospel, "God is a God of the living, and not of the dead." For although Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and other holy patriarchs died to us, yet they live to God.
6 Therefore we are to learn from today's gospel of this widow's son the great power that God will demonstrate to us through Christ on the last day, when He will call all men forth with one word.
886 s, 82-M. On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xin, 1990-1994. 887
from death and make the faithful eternally blessed. This will happen in a moment, so that we do not doubt that it is both in the Lord Christ: the power to do it, as he proves here, and the will to do it. For here is the example. The widow's son is dead and has lost his hearing and all his senses. But as soon as Christ speaks to him, he hears. This is a strange and wonderful story: he who does not hear, he hears; he who does not live, he lives. And yet nothing more happens, for Christ's opening his mouth means that he rises. The one word is so powerful that death must depart and life come again.
7 Because we see that Christ can so easily snatch us out of death and bring us to life, and we see here that he will gladly do so, for there is no one to ask him; the poor widow's need grieves him, and he goes uninvited and brings her son back to life: therefore we should accept this example and not be afraid of death, but take comfort in the Lord Christ. For for our sake this has happened. As if to say, "I know that you are afraid of death, but do not be afraid; do not let your hearts be troubled. For what can he do to you, though he be evil? He can frighten you. But learn, on the other hand, that you not only see how you feel, and so follow your fear; but also look at me, what I can do and what I will gladly do, namely, that I can awaken you from death just as easily as you awaken someone on the bed and from sleep. And I will do it with pleasure and gladly. So that neither the will nor the strength and the ability are lacking.
8 It must follow that the deceased, who lie in the churchyard and under the earth, sleep more quietly than we do in our beds. For it may well happen that you sleep so soundly that they call to you ten times before you hear once. But the dead hear of a single word of Christ and wake up again, as is seen here in the young man and in John 11 in Lazaro.
9 Therefore death in the sight of our Lord is called
God not death. Before us it is called and is a death when we die; for we lie there and cannot help ourselves. But before God he is such a silent sleep that Christ cannot speak a word, we hear it and become alive from it.
(10) This is what our dear Lord Christ would have us imagine, so that we would not be frightened when pestilence or death itself comes, but would learn to say, "What can you do, death, when you are most evil? You have hideous teeth, which you bare, and you frighten me; for I do not like to die. But I will not look at what you alone do, and how you, like the executioner, draw the sword; but I will think and see what our Lord God can do, and what he will do, when you have strangled me, namely, that he is not afraid of you, and asks nothing of your raging and strangling; but he says, "Death, I will be your death; hell, I will be your pestilence." If you can strangle my Christians, I can strangle you again and make them alive.
This is the comfort which the Lord holds out to us in today's Gospel, that Christians, though they die, are not dead, but sleep, and sleep so quietly that Christ can awaken them with a finger, even with a single word. Now this is a small honor to death, that when it is most angry, it will do no more, and shall do no more, than to put a man to sleep, that Christ may raise him up again from sleep with a word; as he says John 5:25: "The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of man, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment."
The Christians have the consolation; Turks and Jews do not have it, our papists do not have it either. They know well that they must die, and that God's judgment and hell are before them. But what do they do? They do not set their heart and hope on Christ, but run against him with their masses, buying indulgences, fasting and other things. And they take Christ for something else
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Nothing, but for a judge who is there to condemn and judge. This is an abominable error, and the wicked devil himself, that they make Christ more evil than death itself. That is why they are afraid of the last day and have a stupid, despondent heart.
(13) Christians do not do this. They know that Christ will judge the unbelievers on the last day who do not want to accept the word or believe. But there they make a distinction and say: I have been baptized, and I believe in my Lord Jesus Christ, that he died for my sin, and by his resurrection has purchased for me righteousness and eternal life. What then would I fear? He is not my enemy, but my friend and advocate with the Father. Therefore, although the last day comes, or I die, it does not matter. My Lord Jesus Christ watches death a little while as it strangles me. And when death thinks that I am finished, that I have died, I only sleep; and sleep so sweetly and quietly that the Lord Christ cannot open his mouth, I hear it and rise to eternal life.
14 Let us learn this, and let us be mindful that we do not fear death and the last day. For Christ does not come to judge and condemn us; he comes, as he came to the wretched widow and her son, to raise us from death and restore us, so that we may hear, see, speak, and do other things. So he will come to all of us who believe in him and make us blessed. But those who do not believe, he will judge.
(15) Therefore we must learn to desire and believe in this Savior, and in firm confidence of such help and grace become more and more certain, and not be afraid of death and the last day. But he who fears follows the old Adam and his flesh, and not the Lord Christ, nor his word. For it is certain that Christ will come on the last day and wake us up again from death. For this reason, the bodies of Christians now rest in the grave and sleep until Christ comes.
and knock at the grave, and say, Up, up! There we shall arise as from a gentle, sweet sleep, and live and rejoice forever with the Lord Christ.
16 Thus a Christian should have a different heart than Turks, Jews or Papists; they become fainthearted, frightened and despondent in the last moves, so that they do not know which way to turn. And it hardly serves them right. Why do they not also learn and believe that Christ is a Savior of believers, but a judge of unbelievers? Why do they not hear the gospel, but persecute it, which teaches that we should take comfort in the Lord Christ, that he will be our physician, helper and savior against death and the devil? But they stop their ears, and will neither hear nor believe, and seek other ways and means, by which they may trust to escape death. Christ cannot tolerate such things and must be the judge of the unbelievers, since he would gladly be their savior if they believed in him. For they are enemies of him and do not want to accept his kingdom. Therefore Christ must prove himself as a judge against them. But to the pious who take comfort in him, he wants to create peace and tranquility for eternity.
17.*) According to this teaching, which is called the teaching of faith, we should also learn to be merciful from the Lord Christ. You often hear about love during the year, that one should serve the other. But to be merciful is something more, namely, to take care of other people's sorrow and misery. For example, if I have a poor or sick neighbor, I should not only help him gladly, but his misery should also make me miserable, as if it were my own business. As we see here in the Lord, he is a stranger, an unknown guest; but when he sees the misery of the widow, he accepts it as if it were his own son, weeps with the mother, comforts her and helps her.
18 This is the example of love, which is to follow faith, and will not remain outside it, provided faith is righteous. Lest we do as the wicked, reprobate people do, whose now out of the ma-
*) Held in the house, 1532.
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There are many, even among us, who have hearts of stone and wood, and still make a laughingstock of it when they see that their neighbors are in trouble; indeed, it grieves them that anyone has a penny. But it should not be so with Christians; they should show mercy where they see need, and be glad when other people are well off. As Paul says, to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice, and not to do as the stones and blocks do, who rejoice in other people's misfortunes, and would that no one had nothing but they.
(19) Now mercy is twofold, as necessity is twofold, spiritual and corporal. In bodily distress, one should run to help and advise in whatever way one can, when one sees that the poor people are not able to help themselves.
20 Spiritual distress means distress of the soul. As when I see a young person growing up, not wanting to listen to the sermon, even despising it, unable to pray, lewd, disobedient, and full of bad manners. If one admonishes such a person, and it does not help, punishes him with stern words, yes, also orders rods and shillelaghs, so that the sin and naughtiness will be prevented in time: that is mercy practiced. For where the soul has such evil upon it, it is far more dangerous and worse than when the body is sick. Therefore one is obliged to show mercy to such a person as one can, with words, blows and rods.
(21) Yea, saith thou, it is an abominable mercy to put rods upon the skin. How should one do it? If it is necessary, there is no way around it. Doctors sometimes have to remove a leg or arm so that the body can be saved. It is the same here. For such punishment is inflicted so that you may become pious and be destroyed from the devil and his kingdom. Is it not true that if you fell into water, you would thank me for catching you by the hair and keeping you strong, and not ask that the fight hurt you? If then you can suffer in bodily hardships and gladly suffer that you are hurt, because it is your benefit, why would you here
Since it is not a question of temporal life but of eternal life, and not of the body but of the soul?
(22) It is also a work of mercy, which God wants to reward, where there are wicked children or servants in the house, to take an oaken roll of butter in the hand and smear their skin with it. This is a spiritual ointment against the sickness of the soul, which is called disobedience to father and mother, to master and wife in the house. It is a work of mercy to look at a person in his misery and suffering and help him.
(23) Especially father and mother in the home with children and servants, and the rulers in the government with their subjects, should see to such mercy, and be careful that they do not become unwilling or lazy to show such mercy, as commonly happens. For he who would be merciful and not punish sin would show a twofold unmercifulness to his neighbor, and for that reason incur God's wrath upon himself. The physical sorrow can also be great. As when someone falls into the water or fire, one does not look for how to attack you quietly and not hurt you, but how to save you. Why then would one look for the same in spiritual distress and need? Therefore hard words, hard blows and all seriousness are to be used to save the poor people and to bring them out of the devil's nets into obedience.
(24) Therefore notice the example of our dear Lord Christ here, and learn what mercy is, namely, such a virtue as takes care of one's neighbor's affliction. But this, as I have said, is of two kinds. A bodily sorrow, such as being sick, being poor, and the like. If you let such misery in your neighbor go to your heart in such a way that you do your own harm to help him, this is right and well done, and is called serving not only your neighbor, but also God, who will also reward it. Spiritual sorrow is sin; as in the house, disobedience, indiscipline, evil words and deeds. There is called mercy, if one speaks evil to the servants and throws. If it will not help, then order the rest to the
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Executioner; for it must be punished. For the executioner is also a merciful preacher; for otherwise evil men can neither be advised nor helped, they corrupt themselves and other people with them, where mercy was not exercised on them and they were not defended with the sword.
(25) So beheading and execution, though it looks terrible and hurts, is a work of mercy. For if it were not, you would not be able to eat a morsel with peace, nor keep a whole spot on your skin. Therefore, learn to be merciful, each in his work, and help not only where there is physical pain, but also where there is spiritual pain.
26 These are the two lessons of today's gospel. One is the doctrine of faith: that we should be fearless when things go wrong, and especially when we are about to die, and think that we have such a Helper in the Lord Christ, who has a word that
is almighty. Therefore we should not despair of him. We can despair of ourselves and of people; indeed, we must despair of them. For they cannot control death, it is too powerful for them. But in GOD and his Son JEsu we should be bold. For what we cannot do, he can; what we do not have, he has. If we cannot help ourselves, he can, and will do it very gladly and willingly, as can be seen here. Where there is such a heart that confidently holds on to the Lord Christ, it is doing the right service that pleases God. The others, who despair and despair, are hostile to Him and do not consider Him to be God, otherwise they would take comfort in Him. The other doctrine is that we, like Christ, should accept our neighbor's distress and let ourselves be comforted. May our dear Lord God grant us His grace to learn both, and to join the pious people here in the Gospel in praising the Lord Christ for His good deeds, even for eternity, amen.
*On the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity. )
Luc. 14:1-11.
And it came to pass, that he entered into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees, on a sabbath day to eat bread; and they kept watch over him. And, behold, there was a man before him, addicted to water. And JEsus answered and said unto the scribes and Pharisees, saying: Is it also lawful to heal on the Sabbath? But they held their peace. And he took hold of him, and healed him, and let him go, and answered and said unto them: What man is there among you whose ox or ass falls into the well, and he does not immediately bring him out on the Sabbath day? And they could not answer him again. He said the same thing to the guests, when he saw them sitting upstairs, and said to them: If you are invited to a wedding by someone, do not sit at the top, lest a more honest man than you be invited by him; and when he comes who has invited you and him, say to you, "Leave this one," and you will have to sit at the bottom with shame. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down at the bottom, that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up. Then you will have honor before those who sit at table with you. For he that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
In today's Gospel there are two pieces: the first concerns worship, how to act toward God; the other, how to act toward people.
*) Held in the house, 1332.
(2) But here a question of the first part arises: Whether it is better in the sight of God to keep the Sabbath, or to help men and do them good? For this is what the Pharisees are here to do, that they hold on to the Lord Christ, which he did with the water addiction.
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He will do what is good for him: If he does not help him, they think, he may be reproached for being unmerciful and doing no good to the people; but if he helps him, he is ungodly and does not keep the Sabbath; thus he may be convinced that he is disobedient to God and his word. Now let the good Lord do what he will, but he is caught, for they go astray on both sides. And especially do they mean it dangerously with the breaking of the Sabbath. For with the Jews it was a great holy thing about the Sabbath, because they kept it firmly. But what does the dear Lord Christ do, who is a prisoner and, according to the Pharisees, has lost everything? He goes through the midst of them and does what is right, puts the Pharisees to shame, and drives them in such a way that everyone sees that they are all fools, even though they have the name that they are the spiritual rulers who teach and lead the people, and are therefore considered to be great doctors.
(3) This then is the sum of this bargain, that he saith unto them blandly under their eyes, they know not what it is to keep the sabbath, and to sanctify it. Your thoughts, he says, are these, as if keeping the Sabbath holy meant walking idly and doing no work on it. No, this is not how you must keep the Sabbath; but to keep the Sabbath holy means to listen to God's word and to help your neighbor as much as you can. For God does not want to keep the Sabbath so holy that one should leave one's neighbor in distress or neglect it. Therefore, if I serve my neighbor and help him, even though I work, I have kept the Sabbath right and well, for I have done a divine work on it. This teaching of the Sabbath, then, is primarily intended to help us understand the third commandment, what it is and what it requires of us, namely, not that we should celebrate and do nothing, but that we should hear God's word and do and live according to it. What does this say and teach us? It instructs us that, according to the other table, we should love one another and do all good. This is what God wants you to hear and learn on the Sabbath. It must follow that you do not desecrate the Sabbath with such good works.
004 Therefore saith Christ, Ye Pharisees are such rough teachers, that ye call it breaking the sabbath to do good. This is what is preached most on the Sabbath, that we should love one another. But what does loving mean? It does not mean to deal with thoughts, but to be favorable to one's neighbor from the heart, to comfort or punish with the word where it is necessary, and to be helpful to him with counsel and action, and thus to help him in body and soul. As John says, 1 John 3:18: "Little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth." This, says the Lord, is what God commands you to do on the Sabbath; indeed, what is more, He has appointed the Sabbath so that you may hear and learn to be kind to your neighbor in word, and helpful in deed where it is needed.
Thus the Lord punishes the false saints, who made a wrong mind out of God's word, and boasted that they kept the Sabbath, when they showed so little love that they would not have given a shirt or a pair of shoes to a naked man. Rascals are those who turn back the word of God. For where God's word commands and says, Love your neighbor and do him every good, they say, Oh no, I would break the Sabbath with this. This is called unrighteous teaching, and God's command is even wrong. For God tells you on the Sabbath to love your neighbor, to care for him, and to do him every good in all that he needs in body and soul. As you can see in the example that the Lord introduces here. Is it not a disgrace, he says, if an ox or an ass falls into the water on the Sabbath, you do not break the Sabbath by helping the poor little animal? Therefore, if it is not a sin to help cattle on the Sabbath, are you not great saints, that you can love oxen and donkeys, run them down with ropes and poles, help them out of the water and save them, and forbid that a poor man should not be loved or helped on the Sabbath?
(6) So it shall be with all them that would master and teach the Lord Christ, that they catch themselves, and openly denounce the Lord.
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The Pharisees, who think that the Lord cannot escape them, either help the poor man who is addicted to water or not. But he gives them such an answer that they are ashamed and do nothing more against him, saying, "You hypocrites, you are unholy and break the Sabbath. What you seek in me you will find in yourselves. For "to sanctify the Sabbath" means to hear God's word and to do holy works, to love one's neighbor and to do to him what he needs, to be obedient, to be merciful, to be helpful, comforting, to give food and drink 2c. This is what one should do on the Sabbath, and is called serving God rightly. For he has no need of other foolish services; nor does he want people to howl in church all day long, as our papists are wont to do. He wants us to hear his word and to live and do according to it.
- This is the reason for the beautiful saying of the prophet Hosea Cap. 6, 6: "The Lord delights in love more than in sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God more than in burnt offerings. What is the knowledge of God? Nothing else, but hearing God's word. Cause, without the word, no one will know anything about God. But when the word comes and says: I am the Lord your God, who sent my Son and gave him to die for you, who received you in baptism 2c.: by such a word we learn to know God, that he is gracious and merciful; which reason can neither know nor learn by itself. But from this it follows, because one comes to the knowledge of God through the Word, that it means to serve God and to sanctify the Sabbath rightly, if one hears God's Word and lives and does according to God's Word. This is what the unholy hypocrites, the Pharisees, do: they do not hear God's word, nor do they act on it; yet they want to have the name, they do not break the Sabbath.
(8) So do our papists, kings and princes, who are still opposed to the Word, hear mass every day; this is the high, special service, which they cannot observe every day. But on the other hand they hear in one
In a month, in half a year, yes, often in a whole year no sermon. And even if they hear a sermon, they hear nothing from the Scriptures or the true Word of God, but vain man's words and lies. This is their worship, that they may sanctify the Sabbath or feast day. This can be done in no other way than by listening to God's word and practicing the works that are held out to us and commanded in the word.
(9) For this reason, we Christians should observe the Sabbath every day. For we are to hear God's word every day and live our lives according to it. However, Sunday is set aside for the common people, so that everyone may hear and learn God's word on the same day and live according to it. For the other six days the common man must wait for his work and earn his living. God will gladly let this happen, for he has commanded the work. But the seventh day He will sanctify, that no work shall be done on it, but that every man may be free to exercise himself in the word and works of God, and to do, not the temporal things, but the things which God requires and wills in His word.
(10) This is the first part of today's Gospel, that everyone may learn that it is called serving God and sanctifying the Sabbath rightly and well, when we hear God's word and do according to it. Therefore, when you go to the sermon, when you read a gospel, it is called serving God, and is much more pleasing to Him than all sacrifice and holiness, as Hosea says.
11 The other piece teaches about humility. For thus the Lord himself interprets the parable at the end: "He that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted." This you shall learn, that it is true not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of men; for all men are of this nature, that they are enemies to those who hope. On the other hand, it must be a particularly evil person who is hostile to a humble, pious heart. It is natural that everyone should love him; as you can see, when a maiden in the house is willing and obedient, and with a simple, bad heart does as she is told, the ruler is soon in the dark.
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The people have taken it into their hearts that they cannot be hostile to such husbands and wives (servants). So it is natural that everyone loves humble, conscientious, quiet people.
(12) Again, no one can be kind to trustworthy people. As soon as father and mother notice disobedience and pride in a child or servant (for these two bad manners are commonly found together), so that they say, "I must not do what you tell me to do," then father and mother think how to break their pride and humiliate them, or push them out of the house. Secular authorities do the same. Whoever is proud and does not want to be obedient, they teach him with a rope or a sword through Master Hansen.
(13) How is it that no one can suffer pride? Not in any other way, except that God wills it, and his word stands there and says: He will confidently help to humble those who are proud and hopeful. As can be seen in all classes: what is rich, learned, sensible, beautiful, strong, powerful and mighty, as soon as they have fallen into hope and have not willingly given themselves down, God has overthrown them, so that they have had to fall. For thus it is written: Deus resistit superbis: God Himself sets Himself against those who are arrogant. Whoever then takes upon himself such a heavy enemy, which he cannot bear, must fall, and no power nor strength can help him.
(14) On the other hand, he who is humble wins the heart of God and men, so that God and all his angels, and after that the people, regard him as a particularly noble treasure. This is followed by happiness and blessing; as one can see that often the son of a poor citizen or farmer, to whom his father does not have to give three pennies, becomes a great lord, since princes and lords have to take notice of him because of his intellect and art. Where does such good fortune come from? From the fact that our Lord God cannot leave it alone: what is humble, he adds to it with his grace and mercy, and all that he has. As the 113th Psalm says, v. 5 - 8: "Who is like the Lord our God? who has set himself so high, and looks on the lowly in heaven and earth. The
He raises the lowly out of the dust, and lifts up the poor out of the dung, that he may set him beside the princes, beside the rulers of his people. This is what God does to the humble. But those who are proud and want to be on top, against them He lies down with all disfavor, and does not stop until they are down.
(15) This should move us to humble ourselves, and the children and servants of the house to be obedient, and to remember: God wants me to do what I am told; I am not to be hopeful, but humble. This I will do, and not worry about it, even though I am in a lowly condition. For I know that if I conduct myself in this way, God will not let me be so low; he will lift me up.
16 So it was with Saul: he was obedient to his father, tending donkeys, and considered himself the least of Benjamin. To such a donkey driver God sends the prophet Samuel and anoints him king. For because he was humble and unworthy of hope, God extended to him all grace and mercy. But what happened? When Saul was king, his heart swelled so that he became proud and asked nothing of our Lord GOD and His word. Therefore, just as God had lifted him up before, so afterward He brought him down again, so that he stabbed himself in despair, and his family was cut off.
(17) David was a fine, strong, sensible young man. But he was also humble and did not exaggerate. He remained a shepherd and did what his father told him to do until Samuel came looking for him and anointed him king. The story tells how he had seven brothers, all of whom were proud and hopeful and despised their young brother David. But God said to Samuel, "You shall not look at the form or the person, but you shall anoint as king the one I will show you; I do not like the others. Also, since God exalted him, David was able to remain humble; otherwise, if he had become proud, God would have overthrown him like Saul. But because he remained humble, even though he had already been driven out of the kingdom, he was restored to it; and God still does him such a great honor that he
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promises him that Christ will be born from his tribe.
- all these things are written and preached to us for this reason, that we should be humble and beware of the hopefulness, and not say, as the wicked housemaids do, "Well, who may always lie in the kitchen, washing dishes and sweeping up? Must I not always do what I am called 2c. Behold, if thou wilt be proud, what is it that God will do against thee? For he does not lie, he cannot suffer hope or pride, as we see before our eyes. For what do you think the fault is, that everywhere in the world it is so bad, that everywhere so much rough, un
of skillful, unfortunate men and women? Nothing else, because when they are young, everything wants to be proud, no one wants to do what they are called and should do. Therefore our Lord God lets them go like swine, so that they will never learn anything righteous. For thus it is decreed: That which is lifted up shall be brought down; and again, that which is brought low, he cannot leave it; he must lift it up. Praise and thanks be to God that he teaches us this day, and give us his grace that we also follow this teaching for the sake of his Son, Christ Jesus, amen.
*On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. )
Matth. 22, 34-46.
But when the Pharisees heard that he had shut the Sadducees' mouths, they gathered together. And one of them, a scribe, tempted him, saying, Master, which is the chief commandment of the law? And JESUS said unto him, Thou shalt love GOD thy LORD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the noblest and greatest commandment. But the other is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. In these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. When the Pharisees were together, Jesus asked them, "What do you think of Christ? Whose son is he? They said, David's. And he said unto them: How then doth David in the spirit call him a LORD, saying, The LORD hath said unto my LORD, Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? Now if David calls him a Lord, how is he his son? And no man could answer him a word, neither could any man from that day forth inquire of him.
(1) In today's Gospel there are two main passages: the first is about the scribe who asks what is the most important commandment in all of Moses; the second is about the Lord Christ asking the Pharisees again what kind of man Christ is, since David in his spirit calls him his Lord.
(2) The first question is an indication that the Jews have fallen into such great blindness that they have forgotten the Ten Commandments, which little children know. Therefore, a child should ever be able to answer such a question:
*) Held in the house, 1533.
(3) The first and greatest commandment is, Thou shalt not have other gods. The Pharisees and scribes, however, had fallen into the foolishness of disputing the highest commandment, one saying that it was sacrifice, another that it was almsgiving, and a third that it was fasting and special clothing. 2c. As you can see, it works when people have fallen away from the commandments of God and His word, and have undertaken other works, out of their own thoughts, without God's word. As has happened to our monks and nuns: they have run into the monasteries, have set themselves an obedience, have practiced chastity and poverty.
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They swore, all without command, until they lost God's word altogether, and forgot what faith and love were, and praised nothing but the wretched monastic life for the state of perfection.
Now, praise God, a child of ten years can say better what is a perfect state than all monks and nuns. Cause, they think only of their monastic life. But a Christian says: To be perfect means to fear and love God, and to do all good to one's neighbor. For God has never commanded anything else to be done. Neither priests, monks nor nuns know this, I know this for certain, otherwise they would drop such their own foolish presumption and go to the right obedience of the Ten Commandments.
5 But where does such ignorance and blindness come from? Nowhere else, but that men forsake the word, and fall into outward works, which have a peculiar appearance. As when one keeps special days, dresses special, does not eat and drink what others eat and drink. This makes people's noses gleam. But one loses the highest works and commandments, that one should love God and do all good to people. As we see here in the Pharisees and scribes, who, for this very reason, question the noblest commandment in the Law, that they themselves are not of one mind about it, and one considers this to be best, the other that.
(6) Therefore this example is a good warning, that such high people have been so blind, and have not known which is the greatest or least commandment; and yet have been teachers, who should lead other people, and instruct them in the right worship. As our mad monks and priests still are. Ask one, if thou wilt, of good works, and what thou shalt do, if thou wilt be saved, he will not direct thee to the Ten Commandments, but will tell thee that thou must become a monk, hear mass, go on pilgrimage to the saints, fast 2c.
(7) But this is called turning away from the Ten Commandments and the right way into the land of milk and honey, which is finally the reward of the teachings of men, when one does such works, since God has commanded nothing of them. Since
people are blinded, so that they no longer see the Toe Commandments, but even lose them. For otherwise one should ever be so witty, and be able to say: This is the greatest thing that God has commanded and commanded. But Pharisees and Christian scholars, priests, monks and nuns cannot.
Therefore, let us beware of such error and flee from our own devotion. Again, let not the Catechismum be a small doctrine, teaching the people what they ought to do. For there we hear that one should love God and have no other gods; that is, one should prefer and esteem nothing greater than God and His word, and rather leave everything and suffer. Then, if you do this, you are in the highest state.
(9) Yes, they say, this is what the common Christians do; I will do something special: a common Christian does not get up at night to pray, I will get up for supper; he eats meat, I will eat fish; he dresses in a common way, I will have special clothing made for me 2c. So it finally comes about that the blind people are so busy with their own devotion that they forget the commandments of the toes.
- Therefore it is not a bad doctrine when the Lord says here that the greatest commandment is to love God, and the other is equal to the first, that one should love one's neighbor as oneself; for in these two pieces is included everything that can be preached and taught of good works. From this fountain it shall all spring and flow in again. For there it is decided: If you want to serve God, it can be done in no other way than by loving God and your neighbor.
(11) This teaching will be judged very severely on the last day. For what has happened in the papacy is well known to everyone. Whoever wanted to serve God did not remember the Ten Commandments, but became a monk, ran to Rome, to St. Jacob, called on this and that saint, served him with fasting, celebrations 2c. Such things were called worship in those days. But to serve means to do what you are commanded. Therefore must
*) Held in the house, 1532. a b] D. Red.
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follow, whoever wants to serve God rightly must do what God tells him to do, not what seems good to him. But what does God mean? It says that if you want to serve God, you must not walk or run far, nor give much money for it. Love God and your neighbor. But how could God make His service closer to you and more generous than this: if you love your neighbor and do everything good for him, God will consider it as if you had done it for him? This is a strange doctrine: if you do good to your neighbor, that it is a service of God and is done by God Himself.
- Such teaching, I say, will make a strange noise at the last day. For the wicked, says Christ himself, will say, "When did we see you hungry and thirsty?" But Christ will answer and say, "Inasmuch as ye did it not unto the least of mine, ye did it not unto me." That it is therefore certain and decided, if you give a poor Christian a shirt, a skirt, yes, even a cold drink of water, you have given it to Christ. And let no one make any distinction here.
(13) But is this not the wicked devil, that we let this pass us by, and do not realize that we could so easily serve our Lord God Himself, and yet we do not? We think that if we knew where to find Christ, we would run to Him and bring Him everything we have. But what need of such thoughts? We hear here that the other commandment is equal to the first. It must follow that our Lord God will gladly accept it and regard it as if it had happened to Him what we do to our neighbors.
14 Yes, you say, our Lord God is in heaven. There is no harm in that; he is also here on earth. Therefore, if you see a Christian in distress, know that Christ is in distress and in need of your help. As he himself says, he will mourn over us at the last day, because we have made him suffer hunger and thirst.
(15) But, as I said, it is a pity that we have this doctrine so clearly, and yet we throw it to the winds as if it were all lies.
and fables. Such unbelief and disobedience will not be excused by saying that we did not know. For here it is: The other is equal to the first. Therefore, he who loves his neighbor loves God. Therefore the judgment on the last day will be like this: If you had served your neighbor, you would have served me, and I would have paid you abundantly. But for your sake I would have died and perished. We should beware of such a judgment, for eternal damnation will follow.
In the papacy it was a very mean thing that old horsemen, warriors, lawyers and such like people, who let themselves think that they had been in a damned state, said: They had served the world until now; they now wanted to start and serve God. For this reason, many of them ran into the monasteries and became monks or hermits. But it was a devilish seduction. For he who wants to serve God should not hide in a corner, but remain among the people, and serve them with whatever he can, and be sure that he is serving God with it; for he has commanded it and said: The other is equal to the first. But he is not served by the monastic life, for he has not only commanded nothing about it, but it is also contrary to love and the right worship of God, as the Lord preaches here.
(17) It was the same with the Jews. They did all kinds of evil to their neighbor and thought that if they only slaughtered many cows and calves, they would have done well. But what does our Lord God say in the 50th Psalm v. 8-10? "I will not punish you because of your sacrifice, for your burnt offerings are always before me. I will not take bullocks from thy house, nor goats from thy stalls: for all the beasts of the forest are mine, and the cattle that go by thousands upon the mountains." So he says in other places that he has no need of their gold, their temple, or anything else; but if you will serve me rightly, I will send you down to your neighbor. Thou hast wife, child, servants, neighbors, princes, lords, and all manner of estates; there thou shalt find enough to do; there serve me: if thy child be not obedient and godly,
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If the servant does not do right, punish him or show him the door; if your neighbor is poor, afflicted, sick, help, serve, comfort him; be willing and obedient to your prince, and you have done it for me.
18 That such things will not enter our hearts is to be pitied. For what we have sinned and done wrong against God, He will not impute to us, but will forgive; only if we serve our neighbor and do him good, God will reward us abundantly for what we have done for him.
(19) Now if anyone does not know what the world is like with its nature, and how it does not keep God's promise or threat, let him learn it here. For what do citizens and peasants do other than to strike our Lord God in the face, to scuffle and to trample underfoot, without any shyness? since everyone is only concerned with how he can become rich and increase his wealth, so that his neighbor may die or perish in the process. Whoever could believe that what he does to his neighbor is done by God, would be heartily shocked by such unfaithfulness of the world. But there is no one who believes it to be true; as the Lord himself says in Matt. 25 that the wicked will say at the last day, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty?" But it will not help them. For just as the Lord says here, "The other commandment is equal to the first"; so Christ will also say there, "Inasmuch as ye have not done it unto one of the least of these, ye have not done it unto me."
This is the first teaching of today's Gospel. May God grant that we may take it to heart, and that each one may look upon his neighbor, when he serves him, as being served by God: then the whole world would be full of God's service. A servant in the stable, a maid in the kitchen, a boy at school, they would be true servants of God and God's servants, if they would do with diligence what their father and mother, their master and their wife in the house tell them to do. So every house would be a true church, in which nothing but pure worship would be practiced.
would. But no one wants to take it to heart; no one wants to serve his neighbor. Everyone only sees how he can serve himself and create his own benefit. Therefore, as one could serve God through the love of one's neighbor, so the world serves the devil, because it does not respect the neighbor's love at all. But this will come to a bad end. For how should this please our Lord God, since he has brought his worship so close to us that each one could make a golden church out of his house and chamber, adorned with precious emeralds and pearls: and yet we wilfully refrain from doing so, and would rather serve the devil than God.
(21) Therefore learn here that he who serves his neighbor for the best serves not only his neighbor, but God Himself in heaven. For it says here that God will take care of such service as if it had happened to Himself. Otherwise Christ would not say: "The other commandment is equal to the first. But whoever does not want to be moved by this, so that he could establish a kingdom of heaven here on earth, and make a house of God or church out of his own house and estate, let him always go away. For just as you could make a paradise and heaven for yourself here if you served your neighbor (for this is called serving God in heaven): so, if you do not serve your neighbor, you make a hell for yourself on earth; for you serve the devil, who belongs in hell. And it does not matter if you do not yet see or feel this. In time it will become clear that you will see it and feel it, and you will cry out for your own great disobedience. Therefore, it is necessary that we learn this well and always practice love towards our neighbor. For God has already given us mouths, eyes, hands, feet, money, goods, reason and other things, so that we can comply with His command and keep ourselves in His service.
- Just as this doctrine of the love of God and neighbor belongs to the life here on earth, so the other doctrine of the Son of Christ belongs to it, so that we may learn how to enter the world after this life.
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better and eternal life may come. For this will not bring us to heaven, that we know how to love God and our neighbor, if we already attack such love with works, as best we can; as the Pharisees thought: they thought that if they had Moses, they would need nothing more. But Christ shows us here that this will not help us to eternal life; we must go higher and actually learn what Christ is and what Son he is. The Pharisees knew well that he should be David's son. But Christ is not enough here. If Christ was no more than David's son, he would have to die like David and have only a temporal kingdom. But Christ has an eternal kingdom, and David, his Father, calls him a Lord in spirit. How then is it that Christ should be both David's Son and David's Lord?
23 This is the question that the Pharisees could not answer, just as even today no Jew can answer it. In such a question one hears nothing of the neighbor, of love, nor of good works; but it is only for this reason that we learn that the Son is Christ. Whoever knows this will not lack the way to eternal life. For it is not enough for eternal life that we know the law and what we are to do; cause it must also be fulfilled with the work. But this will be found very slowly in us, because our hearts are sinful and evil. Therefore it is necessary to learn diligently what Christ is. Therefore the Lord asks his question like this: You are to tell him which son Christ is, who was David's son according to the flesh. But because David calls him not a son, but his Lord, and such a Lord as sitteth on the right hand of God, and unto whom God will lay all his enemies for a footstool: with this question the Lord willeth to awake the Jews, and us all, that they may esteem Christ more highly, and look on him with other eyes, than that he alone should be the Son of David.
- for he also is David's Lord, that is, he is not only man, but also truly God, eternally born of the Father,
Otherwise David would not call him Lord, since he was no more than a man and only David's son. For David is one of the greatest saints and the most learned king, and yet he calls Christ, who is his son, a Lord. As if David wanted to say and freely confess: O, my Son is far above me. I am also a king, and am called his father; but he is my Lord, and such a Lord as sitteth on the right hand of God, and by the commandment of God ruleth over all his enemies. For since he is a man, it is good to reckon what enemies he has, namely, the devil and death; as Paul also concludes from this Psalm, 1 Cor. 15:25 ff. If then the devil and death are to lie at the feet of this Son of David, since he is their Lord, it must follow that there is divine power and omnipotence in this Son of David, otherwise he should be no more able to resist death and the devil than other men.
Thus the Lord leads us on the right path to eternal life. The law is a very good, useful and necessary teaching, for it tells us what we should do if we want to live to please God, serve Him and escape the punishment of sin. But such teaching serves only here in this temporal life. But if after this temporal life we are to enter the eternal life, the teaching of the law is of no help. Cause, we cannot come to life, we would be free of all sins. Even though the law serves and is given for the purpose of reducing sins, sins are not put away with it. Therefore we must have another doctrine concerning the law, which will instruct us how we may be delivered from sins. For since we cannot do the law completely, the law helps us to have an evil conscience and to fear God's wrath and judgment because of our sins.
(26) Against such evil, which the law causes in the conscience, this question serves, that thou mayest learn what Christ is, and what he hath done. Christ himself says: He is not only the Son of David, as the Jews held him, but he is also David's Lord, that is, an eternal and true God. But what does he do? He declares his divinity, as Pau-
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lus says, and becomes man, dies on the trunk of the holy cross. Why this? Because he is the Lamb of God, that is, the sacrifice that God Himself arranged for the sin of the world. When he died, he rose again from the dead on the third day into eternal life and sits at the right hand of God.
27 We are to learn this from Christ and remember it well. For he who knows this art is helped; he who does not know it must perish in sins and death. Cause, we are all sinners, and the law not only does not help us from sins, but accuses us before God, and only makes us real sinners. We are stuck there, we can neither get behind ourselves nor in front of ourselves. We are conceived and born in sins; and the longer we live, the more sin grows and increases with us. For it is not laid upon us like another burden, which we can lay aside and cast away; it is in our marrow and legs, and therefore leaves us no rest. As we must confess, if only we will open our eyes and look into our own hearts. This is the only salvation and help, that we learn who Christ is. For if you first know who he is, and then hear what he does, you will be helped. If you are a poor sinner who has sinned much against God's will, see here, God sends this Christ to suffer and pay for sinners. But what do you want to worry about the debt that such a rich gentleman has taken upon himself and paid beautifully? Therefore, it is only up to you to accept such death and suffering with firm trust.
So we all have death before us, which no one can escape or save himself from, be he ever so mighty, strong, rich, wise and holy. But where does death come from? It is the wages or reward of sins, Rom. 6, 23. Now you have heard where we find forgiveness of sins: nowhere but in Christ, who died for it 2c. The same Christ, as he died, did not remain in death, but rose again from the dead. This is an indication that he is also Lord over death. Therefore, just as through him you have forgiveness of sins, so also through him hope for eternal life, that
He will also raise you up again in the flesh on the last day and make you eternally blessed.
29 This means that Christ is rightly recognized and knows what Son he is, namely, a Son of David; for he is a man, yet also a Lord of David, as he sits at the right hand of God and has his enemies, sin, death and hell, as a footstool at his feet. Therefore, whoever needs salvation from such enemies, let him not seek it from Moses, not through the law, his works or piety; let him seek it from the Son and Lord of David, where he will surely find it. The blind Pharisees do not miss this; therefore they do not respect the Lord Christ; they are satisfied with the fact that they know from the law how to love God and their neighbor. If it is impossible to know God, I will not say that one should love God if one knows Christ. As he says Matth. 11, 27: "No one knows the Father, except the Son, and to whom the Son reveals it."
(30) And this is also a reason why the Lord now comes forth with this question. As if he wanted to say: You know that you should love God, but you will certainly never love God with all your heart, soul and mind, unless you recognize Christ and know who he is. For how else can one know what grace and mercy God has shown us? It is not a small thing that God created us, gave us life and limb, and everything. But all this serves us only for a little while, because we live here on earth.
But there we see the riches of the abundant goodness and grace that God does not spare His only begotten Son, but gives Him to the death of the cross for us, so that we, having been purged of sins, may live eternally through Him. This is an eternal, inordinate, unfounded love and grace, which no man can know, unless he knows Christ; for this reason he will never be able to love God properly.
So we see what the Pharisees and scribes gain from their questioning and trying. Nothing else, except that Christ convinces them freely and publicly before everyone that they are far too ignorant of the love of God.
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but do not have a shred of it in their hearts, because they do not know Christ. But if they do not love God, who has shown them so much grace and goodness, how can or will they love their neighbor, who needs their help and cannot show them anything good because of his poverty?
33Therefore, we should let such teaching be dear to us and thank God from the bottom of our hearts that we are no longer in such a great blindness.
We are not stuck in the dark, as before under the papacy and the Jews here, but have the teaching of Christ pure and simple; so that we not only know how we are to be freed from sins and saved, but also receive the Holy Spirit, who drives our hearts through such teaching so that we begin to love God and our neighbor rightly and from the heart. May our dear Lord Christ Jesus grant this to all of us, Amen.
*On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. )
Matth. 9, 1-8.
Then he got into the ship and crossed over again and came to his city. And, behold, they brought unto him a sick of the palsy, lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the sick of the palsy, "Be of good cheer, my son; your sins are forgiven you. And behold, some of the scribes said within themselves: This one blasphemes GOD. And when JE saw their thoughts, he said, Why think ye evil in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise and walk? But that ye might know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go home. And he arose and went home. When the people saw this, they marveled and praised God, who had given such power to man.
(1) From today's Gospel, we are to especially notice the gracious sermon that God has given to men, so that we can speak among ourselves here on earth: Your sins are forgiven you; so that we, together with the pious people here, may also marvel at this and thank God from the bottom of our hearts that He has given such power to men. For it is truly a great power that one Christian can say to another: My brother, be undaunted, you have a gracious God; only believe the promise that I make to you in the name of Jesus, and it shall be as surely true as if God Himself had said to you, "Your sins are forgiven you.
2 This power began with the Lord Christ, as we have heard, and has remained with us since then, especially with those who are in office and have the command,
*) Held in the house, 1533.
that they should preach the gospel, that is, repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus. Other Christians, although they do not have the ministry, nevertheless, in case of need, they also have the command to comfort you when you are despondent because of your sins, and to say to you: "What do you worry about? I, as a Christian, say to you that you do wrong to yourself, God is not ungracious to you. Through Christ you shall have all grace toward him 2c. You shall take comfort in these words as surely as if Christ himself spoke them from heaven.
All things therefore depend on your heart accepting this promise, and believe it to be true that God will be gracious to you for Christ's sake. As we see here with the gout-ridden man, the Lord first exhorts him to faith, saying: "Be of good cheer, my son", do not doubt, "your sins are forgiven you"; as soon as the gout-ridden man believed such a word, his sins were truly forgiven.
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4 In this way we must come to the forgiveness of sins this very day, that we seek the word and believe it. Therefore, if your pastor, or in case of need any Christian, says to you: God is not angry with you, only you are not angry with Him; for for the sake of His Son Christ JEsu He has forgiven all your sins: then you should believe this promise with all your might, and let yourself be torn apart rather than doubting it. For if you doubt, the absolution will not help you, even though God Himself with all His angels would speak such absolution over you verbally.
For where there is no faith, our Lord God is called a liar, as if what he promises us is not true, and he will not keep it for us. May God graciously protect us from such unbelief and sin. Although the devil is a special master of it and always torments us with the fact that we like to punish our Lord God with lies, that is, that we do not like to believe God's promise.
(6) But where the heart believes, our Lord God is honored with the highest honor, which he holds most dear. For he is regarded as truthful, and thus as a Lord who cannot lie, even if he speaks of impossible things. That is why the Lord Christ is so pleased with these people that they have such a strong confidence in him that he will help the gout-ridden man, and so he says to him kindly: "My son, you are sick, the devil has inflicted the gout on you, and God has let it happen because of your sins; then terror follows and a stupid conscience, so that you think: Oh, God is angry with me, where will I go? For it is natural, when God's punishment is seen, that terror is also found immediately.
- But, my son, do not let such a thought sink too deeply into your heart; do not think thus: O what does God ask of me? who knows whether He will be gracious to me or not; for what am I against God? Do not look at your sickness, but listen to what I say to you, namely, that your sins are forgiven you. Therefore conclude, "Gout or no gout, my sins are forgiven me.
chem faith, neither gout nor any other disease shall hinder me.
(8) So word and faith should be closely united, for there can be none without the other. He that believeth, and hath not the word, believeth as the Turk and the Jew: they have faith that God is gracious and merciful; but they lack the promise, because God will not be gracious apart from Christ. Therefore, whoever has the word and not faith, the word does not help. So that word and faith are given in marriage, and neither can be separated from the other.
(9) A fanatic believes that the last day will come in four weeks. Such a belief is a loud lie, for there is no word of God in it. The Turk believes that he will enjoy his mahomet for salvation: but it is a vain lie, for there is no word of God in it. So also the pope believes that a Christian must promote himself to heaven by his own works: but it is a false faith; for the word and the promise are lacking. So it may well be that one has faith, that is, one has an idea of something and hopes for something; but because there is a lack of the word, it is not true faith, but a mere unfounded delusion, since nothing will ever come of it.
(10) But we Christians do not lack the word. For we have the word rightly and purely by the grace of God. But we lack faith, because we cannot hold to the word as firmly as we should, even though those without the word can believe firmly and strongly. This is caused by the devil and original sin, which draws us away from the word and the truth to lies. That is why it is difficult to resist unbelief when we already have the word. For our flesh and reason do not want to believe in the word. If it is to believe, it would like to have faith in its hands.
(11) The evil spirit also helps us to do this, so that it does not want to go anywhere with us; otherwise our hearts should be more joyful and more confident. For reckon thou, if I could believe it rightly and perfectly, that Christ saith here to the sick of the palsy, and was said also to me and to thee in baptism, and that the evil spirit is nowhere with us.
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in absolution, even in public preaching, it is said daily that I shall not be angry nor displeased with God: do you not think that I would go upside down with joy? Would everything be to me vain sugar, vain gold, vain eternal life? But the fact that this does not happen is a sign that the old Adam and the devil are always pulling us down from faith and the Word.
(12) Therefore learn it, it must be both: you must have the word, and afterward hold to the word with faith, and as much as possible, do not doubt it. Then you shall have all that the word promises you, and that you need for the preservation of body and soul. Now those who do not have the word have very good faith. Without this, it is an inherent vice that we like to believe a lie; without this, the heart is more swayed.
So the pope and his crowd believe very strongly in the mass, in the holy service and intercession, in monastic vows, chanting, fasting 2c. But it is a false, lying faith, and are, to speak with breeds, whores and knaves together. The heart is a harlot, the false faith is a knave. But we, who, praise God, have a pure bride (for the Word is ever pure and good), cannot believe so stiffly and firmly; yet we ought to believe firmly. But those should not be able to believe firmly, because they do not have the Word. This is the fault of our old Adam and of the devil, that through original sin we have fallen from the word and the truth into falsehood.
(14) We are to learn from today's gospel that we must first have the word; then we must also firmly believe it. So then it is a divine power for us, through which we obtain forgiveness of sins and blessedness, so that we find help and comfort here and there. But if the word is not there, it may well become a faith, just as the sacrament-obsessed, the Anabaptists, the Turks, the Jews and the Papists have a faith. But it is a faith without a word, which is innate in all of us through Adam's fall, that is, it is a faith in lies, since we can by nature cling more firmly to it than to God's word.
15 When our dear Lord Christ preached to the gout-broken man and forgave him his sins, the scribes began to think that Christ was blaspheming God by forgiving sin. This is also a necessary thing, since much is needed, therefore we should also diligently remember it. For this can be seen in all the fanatics and the spiritualists, that they are all in error, that they do not understand how sins are forgiven. For ask the pope and all his doctors, and they will not be able to tell you what absolution accomplishes. For the whole papacy insists on this doctrine: grace is poured into man by a secret effect; whoever wants to come to it must repent, confess and do enough.
(16) But if it be asked what absolution and the keys do, they say it is an outward ordinance kept in the church. So they do not place the forgiveness of sins on the word and faith, since it must be placed on them, but on our repentance, confession and satisfaction. But this is absolutely a false doctrine, by which people are deceived and led into the wrong way.
(17) So also the Anabaptists say: What should baptism do for the remission of sins? It is only a handful of water! The Spirit must do it, if we are to be truly cleansed of sins; water cannot do it. Therefore, they also take forgiveness of sins away from the word, and do not want to leave it at that, as the pious people here say that such power is given to men.
18 The devotees of the sacraments also say that there is only bread and wine in the sacrament, therefore one cannot find forgiveness of sins there, the spirit must give it, the flesh is of no use. In sum, no pagans, no priests nor monks have been able to see that forgiveness of sins is a power given to men, as it is written here in the Gospel.
(19) Therefore learn here, that you may speak of the matter thus: I know well, I also confess, that God alone forgives sin. But I also need to know this, whereby I can tell...
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that my sins are forgiven, or what the means is by which my sins are forgiven. The Holy Scripture teaches me and all Christians that if I want to have my sins forgiven, I must not sit down in the corner and say, "My God, forgive me my sins," and then wait for an angel to come from heaven and tell me, "Your sins are forgiven. For God promises that He will come down to me and promise me forgiveness of sins Himself.
20 First of all, this is done in holy baptism; for there is his command that I should be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And further, with such a command is this promise: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
21 Yes, you say, baptism is only water! True; but such water is not alone, there is God's word with it. So when you go to your pastor, who has such a special command, or else to a Christian, and ask him to comfort you and absolve you of your sins, and he says to you, "I, in the place of God, proclaim to you forgiveness of all your sins through Christ; here you shall be sure that your sins are truly and certainly forgiven by such an outward word; for baptism and the word will not lie to you.
(22) Such things were not preached in the papacy, and even today no papal preacher understands them. Therefore, thank God for such grace, and learn that God will forgive sin. But how? Not otherwise, for it says here: that he has given such power to men. As Christ begins here, and then commands that henceforth in the church, until the end of the world, one should keep it this way, and preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name.
(23) That therefore every man may learn to seek forgiveness of sins among men, and nowhere else. For there alone shall it be found; for thus saith the commandment of our Lord Christ, Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven," Matt. 18:18; item: "Whose soever sins ye shall touch, they are forgiven them,
Joh. 20, 23. For God does not want anyone to build a special stairway or staircase to heaven, He wants to be the only master builder.
(24) Therefore, if you want forgiveness of sins, go and be baptized, if you have not been baptized; or if you have been baptized, remember the same promise that God made to you at that time, and do not be faithless. Item, go and be reconciled to your neighbor, then ask for absolution. And as thou hearest that forgiveness of sins is promised thee in the name of JESUS, believe it; then thou hast it truly. Then go to the holy sacrament and receive the body and blood of Christ, so that you may be sure that such a precious treasure is yours to enjoy.
(25) That one should not despise baptism, absolution, preaching and the sacrament, but seek and obtain forgiveness of sins in them. For this is what God has called and ordained your pastor, your father and mother, and your closest Christian, and has put His word in their mouth that you should seek comfort and forgiveness of sins from them. For though men speak it, it is not their word, but the word of God. Therefore believe firmly in it and do not despise it.
(26) Now when a minister baptizes a child according to the command of Christ, you hear a man speaking who is as much a sinner in his own person as you are, but he does it by God's command. Therefore, when he says, "I baptize you in the name of the Father," 2c. you must neither hear nor accept the same words as if God himself had spoken them. So when your sin is forgiven in absolution, doubt as little as if God Himself had spoken such words. For God Himself pronounces such a judgment upon you that you shall be free from sin.
(27) To learn and know these things is highly necessary for the sake of the vile and displeasing spirits of the wicked, who can do no more than cry out: Water is water. We know this before, but we do not need them to teach us. But they do not know that with such water the word of God is water,
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is. Therefore, it is no longer bad water, but divine water, which the minister does not give of himself, but God has ordered to be given so that one may be born again into the kingdom of God and be freed from sins.
28 As God gives the word, which is His word, not ours, so He also gives faith in the word, for it is both God's work, word and faith. Therefore, the forgiveness of sins must also be God's work, even though God works it through men. Therefore, forgiveness of sins should be sought in the word that is in the mouth of man and in the sacraments that are administered by man, and nowhere else, for it will not be found anywhere else.
- But who does not see that my works, which I do, are far different from the word and works of God? How then do the unholy papists come to seek forgiveness of sins in their own worth? Therefore, when they shall roll forth on the last day with their works and merit, Christ shall ask them, saying, Where is my word? I have ordained baptism, sacrament, absolution and preaching in my church, so that people may receive forgiveness of sins and be assured of my grace. Why did you not keep to this? You could not have lacked it; with your works you should and must lack it.
(30) Therefore, take heed of this teaching and learn what forgiveness of sins really is, and how one can be sure of it, and where one should seek and find it, namely, that you should run nowhere but to the Christian church, which has the Word and the Sacrament. There you shall certainly find them, and not in heaven; as the Pharisees here think and think: Christ blasphemes God by forgiving sin; sin no one but God can forgive. Beware, then, and say: God has put forgiveness of sins in Holy Baptism, in the Lord's Supper, and in the Word; indeed, He has put it in the mouth of every Christian man; if he comforts you, and assures you of God's grace through the merit of Christ JEsu, you shall find it in heaven.
You must accept it and believe it, not otherwise than if Christ himself had promised it to you with his mouth, as here to the gouty man.
(31) This is why the spirits of the pagans and the falsehoods err very yearly, that they snatch away the word of forgiveness of sins. Such would be done if it were a man's word or a man's water, but here is God's word and God's water. Whoever wants to take it away from people or talk them out of it, takes away their forgiveness of sins; there is no help for it.
For this reason, the Anabaptists and other mobs have lost forgiveness of sins, baptism, the sacrament, the Christian church and all Christian works, because they reject the word they hear from their neighbor and do not consider it to be anything other than the bleating of a cow. Now, even if God spoke through a cow or other animal, as He once spoke through a donkey, one should not despise His word, but accept it; why should one despise it, since men speak it from God's command and order? For though you hear a man's voice, you do not hear a man's word, but God's word, and you will surely find forgiveness of sins if you accept it with faith.
33 This is especially important to remember about this gospel, so that you can prepare yourselves against the mobs and confront them. For in the papacy, as reported before, they know less than nothing of such preaching. For they hold and teach that if a man falls into sin, baptism is no longer of use to him. But if he wants to have forgiveness of sins, he must confess, repent, and repent of sin with good works. Thus they spoke of repentance. The devil does not challenge this teaching, for it does him no harm and is a truthful lie.
(34) It is true that I should repent and be heartily sorry for my sin, but this does not bring me forgiveness of sins. By what then? Only by hearkening to and believing the word and promise, and by giving ear to the Lord Christ, who speaks to me through his ordained servants, even through all Christians in time of need,
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I look at my mouth and not at my repentance and atonement.
(35) So they turn back, they leave the word, they do not look at what the minister or a Christian says by the command of our Lord Christ; they look only at their repentance and contrition. But in this way they lose Christ and everything that is Christ. And it is impossible for them to counsel or help a single conscience. For they have lost the word that alone can help, and point people to their own repentance and godliness.
But you learn that you can say and teach others about the forgiveness of sins, that God speaks to us in baptism, in absolution, in the pulpit and in the sacrament through the church ministers and all other Christians; we should believe them, and then we will find forgiveness of sins. In the papacy, they have not taught a word about such faith in God's word, as can be seen in all letters of indulgence and bulls; instead, they have based the forgiveness of sins on repentance and their own satisfaction, that is, on a mere uncertain state of the heart. Let this be said of the words that are here, that God has given power to men to forgive sins. Now let us also take the Historia a little before us.
The gouty man here is a picture of all sinners. For it is the nature of this disease that one can no longer use the limbs; if one wants to pull the foot or the hand toward oneself, one cannot, indeed, one only stretches them out more and more. That is why Aristotle compares such a person in Ethicis to the naughty, impudent youth, which cannot be tamed nor subdued.
But whoever wants to interpret this disease correctly, let him point it to the saints of works. The more they think about how they can come close to God and reconcile with Him, the further away they are from Him. Item, if they think they do it best, they do it worst, because they are without faith.
39 If any man therefore would be saved from such a plague, let him come hither unto Christ, who helpeth marvelously; do not
more than that he says: "Be of good cheer, my son, your sins are forgiven you. From such a word the joints become finely strong and firm again, so that one can carry and lift the other. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is no longer room for wrath and punishment, that is, God is no longer displeased with us and then also accepts our works because of faith in Christ.
(40) The Lord was especially pleased to show this about the gouty man who was lying on the bed in the way of the disease, stretching out all his fours. But when Christ called him to get up, he stood up, fresh and healthy. And since he had been carried from home in the bed, he carries the bed home himself. This is what the Lord wants us to see and consider as a sign, so that we may learn how he has power on earth to forgive sin.
41 The fact that the Lord says "on earth" is especially to be noted, so that one does not look to heaven or, as the Pope taught, hope for forgiveness of sins when one has died in purgatory, through the work and merit of others. For it says here that forgiveness of sins is a power given to men on earth when one baptizes, administers the sacrament, absolves and preaches from the pulpit. For what is absolved on earth is determined to be absolved in heaven. Again, what one binds, that is, excludes from baptism and sacrament and word, that shall also be bound in heaven.
(42) By such power that we men forgive or bind sin among ourselves, God is not deprived of His glory, nor are we made gods, as the unskilful people speak of it. For we have no more than the office; the same is no further, unless thou believest. If you believe, you have it; but if you do not believe, you have nothing. That is why God has bound us together through such a ministry, so that one Christian should always comfort the other, give him a friendly promise, and you should believe in the forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ. This is what it means to be led to God and to the forgiveness of sins. Whoever dies in such faith dies blessed and well.
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But he who dies, as is taught in the papacy, out of the intercession of the saints, out of his own merit and that of others, dies wretchedly and evil; for he has not the escorts which our Lord God gave him and appointed for him here on earth, namely, he has neither the right word nor the right absolution. And even though he has baptism, he does not know how to take comfort in it. The devil has caused this misery through the pope and is now starting a new one with the mobs. For he does not like the word, it stings his eyes and blinds him.
44 Therefore the pope, as Satan's dear and faithful servant, has done away with it altogether, and in the meantime has established monastic orders, masses, pilgrimages, indulgences and other things. The devil can well suffer this, for it does him no harm. The Anabaptists also help this by speaking contemptuously of water or baptism; the devotees of the sacraments also, who speak contemptuously of the sacrament, just as if there were nothing but bread and wine.
45 All these have lost the word. Therefore beware of them, and learn that forgiveness of sins is nowhere else but where the word is. But such a word is in the
Baptism, the Lord's Supper, absolution and preaching; therefore forgiveness of sins is also there, and in spite of anyone saying otherwise! Where therefore the word is, faith shall follow; and the elbow, which the sick of the palsy could not draw to himself before, is straight and sure. But where the word is not, one remains gout-ridden; it is therefore impossible for one to take hold properly.
I have said this in so many words, because the pope and the shameful sect do so much harm that everyone should beware of them. The pope points neither to the Word nor to the Sacrament; thus, the mobs cannot speak more contemptuously than of Word and Sacrament, and nothing is valid with them but spirit, spirit. But we know that without Word and Sacrament the Holy Spirit does not want to do his work. Therefore, we cannot despise Word and Sacrament, but we should and must consider them great and the noblest treasure.
- May God grant His grace that we may remain pure in such teaching and persevere to the end, and be saved, amen.
*On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. )
Matth. 22, 1-14.
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again in parables, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a king that made a marriage for his son: and he sent forth his servants to call the guests to the marriage: and they would not come. Again he sent out other servants, saying, Tell the guests, Behold, my supper is prepared, my oxen and my fatlings are slain, and all things are ready; come to the marriage. But they despised this and went away, one to his field, the other to his handiwork. And some of them took his servants, and mocked them, and slew them. When the king heard this, he was angry and sent out his armies and killed these murderers and set their city on fire. Then he said to his servants: The wedding is ready, but the guests are not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and invite to the marriage whom ye may find. And the servants went out into the streets, and gathered together whom they found, both evil and good. And the tables were all filled. Then the king went in to see the guests, and saw a man there who had no wedding garment on, and said to him, "Friend, how did you come in and have no wedding garment on? But he fell silent. Then said the king unto his servants, Bind his hands and his feet, and cast him out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth: for many are called, but few are chosen.
*) Held in house, 1S33.
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(1) In today's Gospel, your beloved hears how the kingdom of God is like a wedding, and like such a wedding, where guests are invited, who not only do not attend and despise it, but in part they still go, mocking and killing the servants who announce such a glorious wedding to them, and invite and ask them to it.
2 Here one should first learn what the word "kingdom of heaven" means, namely that it does not mean a kingdom on earth, but a kingdom in heaven, since God Himself alone is King within. This is what we call the Christian church/ which is here on earth. For this is why the Lord needs this simile of the wedding, that the Son of the King, our dear Lord, the Lord Christ, takes the church as his bride. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is to be understood in this way, that it is here below on earth, and yet is not a temporal kingdom, but a spiritual and eternal one. For we Christians here on earth are already more than halfway in the kingdom of heaven, namely, with the soul and spirit, or according to faith, until the body also finally comes after.
Therefore, when you hear of the kingdom of heaven, you should not look up to heaven alone, but stay here below and seek it among the people, as far as the whole world is, where people teach the gospel, believe in Christ and have the holy sacraments in proper use. That the kingdom of heaven means as much as the kingdom of Christ, the kingdom of the Gospel and of faith. The kingdom of the gospel and of faith.
4 For where the gospel is, there is Christ. Where Christ is, there is the Holy Spirit and his kingdom, the true kingdom of heaven; and all who have the Word and Sacrament and believe, and abide in Christ through faith, are heavenly princes and children of God. And the only thing to be done is for our Lord God to remove the wall that is still between us, that is, for us to die, and then there will be heaven and blessedness.
(5) Learn therefore first of all that the kingdom of heaven is called the kingdom of our Lord Christ, where the word and the faith are. In such a kingdom, we have life in the
Hope, and are, according to the word and faith, clean from sins and free from death and hell, without the old sackcloth and rotten flesh still being missing. The sackcloth has not yet been torn, the flesh has not yet been taken away; this must happen first, and then we shall have life, righteousness and blessedness.
(6) To such a wedding, says Christ, our Lord God called and invited His people, the Jews, at the time before Christ came, through the holy prophets. For their most noble office was to make the Jews wait for the wedding, that is, they put their people off, that the Son of God would become man, and by his death pay for the sins of all the world, and by his resurrection tear apart the kingdom and power of death and the devil, and after that let the gospel go out through the whole world, and let forgiveness of sins and eternal life be preached in his name to everyone. The holy prophets called the people to wait for such a gracious sermon and to take comfort in it, hoping for forgiveness of all sins and eternal life through Christ.
7 But Christ says here: They remained outside and would not come. Just like the Jews in the wilderness, who desired to come back behind them in Egypt. After this he sends out other servants, because it was now time for Christ to come and be heard with preaching and seen with miraculous signs. For there was John and the disciples of Christ, saying that the supper was ready, and lacking nothing more, but that they should leave all things, and adorn themselves, and send themselves to the marriage. But it was also in vain; they despised it, saith the Lord, and went away, one to his field, the other to his handiwork 2c.
(8) But are not these wretched, miserable people who, for the sake of their land or work, despise this glorious meal, namely, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and yet have the hope that it will go well with them? For otherwise they would not let themselves like the field or the work so much that they would miss this meal.
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- But it happens to the dear Gospel in all ways; when it comes among the people, the game is raised, so that the world becomes angrier than before and everyone wants to handle it. With it they make so much trouble for themselves that they cannot wait for this charge. So it shall also go.
(10) Therefore, let no one be angry with the present world, because the citizens and peasants are so shamefully stingy, so proud and arrogant, and especially because their pastors, who invite them to such a meal, are more unkind, even more angry, than their servants. This, I say, let no one be angry enough to think, "It is well with the people in their work of farming or handling; I will do the same to them. By no means! For our Lord God is a kind host, who can borrow the money for a while, but he does not give it away. So, now he is watching, letting citizens and peasants do all they can, despising the gospel and all faithful admonitions and teachings, collecting money, selling all that is needed, wood, grain, butter, eggs, keeping silent about it, as if he did not see it. But if today or tomorrow he comes with a pestilence, so that they often fall like untimely fruit, or with a war, so that the mercenaries fall into your house, take what they find, and beat your skin to the bone, they do not even strangle you, rape your wife and child, and make you watch, and cry out about it: O how does our Lord God deal with us so horribly!
(11) Then it shall be found what pleasure God hath had in thy covetousness, in thy wantonness, and in thy pride. For it will be said: "Dear one, if you were able to be stingy, proud and wanton before, and despise my word; now also take it for good, and look behind you at the score. You have been drinking for a long time. Dear, pay once and hold out your neck. So it will finally go out. Therefore, it would be good to let up in time and to improve ourselves, as we are diligently admonished by the word. We would like to despise God's word and do what we want, and yet God would not punish us. Yes, one would have to
*) Held in the house, 1532.
order it to us in this way. Further follows in the Gospel:
Some of those who were summoned were even more wicked, attacking the servants, putting them to all shame and disgrace, and finally killing them as well. By this the Lord means especially the city of Jerusalem, which strangled the prophets and finally the Son of God Himself.
013 And what happened? The king was angry and sent out his army, the Romans, who had to be in his service, kill the murderers, burn the city with fire, and deal so horribly with the Jews that they sold them more cheaply than sparrows, thirty for a penny. There was a piteous cry and lamentation that God in heaven would have mercy on them. But they wanted it so. They had been drinking for a long time and had been preached to in vain; so they had to pay the bill once: God did not want to hear them again. Beware of that.
(14) Without this we have many other things upon us, which are a grievance to our Lord God: Anger, impatience, avarice, care of the belly, rutting, fornication, hatred, and other vices, are all great and grievous deadly sins, which are everywhere in the world with power and prevail; nevertheless, such sins are nothing compared to the grievous contempt of God's word, which is so great and common among all classes and people that it is to be pitied. Now it is certain and true that God would have patience with the other sins for a while, if only one would let the word go and hold it in honor. But the world does not want to. It soon grows tired of the word, despises it, and turns to it like a sick person for food and medicine; so God must be angry and punish such inequity.
(15) Over and above this misery, that this sin is so wicked, it is also a terrible, infernal, diabolical sin, that it does not want to be recognized like other sins. Everyone considers it a small thing if one is in the sermon and does not diligently pay attention to it; indeed, most of the people go along like this, and let themselves think that the wine tastes just as good under the sermon as at any other time; no one cares about it, much less does anyone make a conscience of himself about the fact that he holds the dear word in such low esteem. Such a thing is
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This is not the case with other sins, for other sins, such as beating to death, adultery, and stealing, sometimes bring remorse, so that the heart is horrified and wishes it had not happened, because no one can consider it right. But not to hear the word diligently, yes, to despise, to persecute, no one takes no conscience over. That is why it is such an abominable sin, since country and people must finally be destroyed. Because it remains unrecognized, neither repentance nor correction can follow. This is what happened to the city of Jerusalem and all the kingdoms.
- Germany also has to answer for it, because sin always cries out to heaven and does not let God rest, so that he has to be angry and say: I gave you my dear Son, my highest and dearest treasure, and would have liked to talk to you, to teach you and instruct you for eternal life; but I have no one who wants to listen to me. Therefore I must let the punishment go. As the Lord himself testifies in John 3:19: "This is the judgment, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their works were evil. As if he wanted to say, "I would gladly keep silent about the sins of all the others, but this is the judgment that breaks the neck of the world, that I have sent my word and they do not ask anything about it. Otherwise they are full of sins; I would gladly help them by my word: but they will not. If they will not hear my word, they will hear the devil's word, and I must let it come to pass; but they will see how it will go over them.
The Christians in the beautiful, large countries that the Turks have now taken over have fared the same way toward the morning. Hungary is also almost gone. We Germans and other nations also do not want to hear the gospel nor suffer. That is why they have to listen to and suffer the devil's hordes, the Anabaptists and the desecrators of the sacraments. So it shall be, where one despises the word of God and does not want to hear it, which is the highest and greatest sin; therefore the highest and most severe punishment belongs to it.
- our lord god would have us
fell on their knees before it, and wrote it not only in the books with golden letters, but also in the hearts. The world wants it least of all, indeed, can hardly stand that it is written in the books and resounds in the pulpit. It wants to have the devil in the heart, who also rules it, that is probably better suited.
19 Therefore be warned, God has sufficient cause to be angry and to punish for other sins. But this sin is above all, when one despises his word, and holds those in contempt who invite us to such a wedding and banquet. Whoever then is in such a sin, let his conscience tell him that he is not in a small sin, but in the very highest and greatest sin, which God will tolerate least and punish most severely.
Everyone is now crying out about the great infidelity and about the avarice that is in the world. It is not less, such cannot remain unpunished in the length. But that we have the gospel, snore against it, and under the hour of preaching go strolling in the market, before the gate, in taverns, or sit and lie in the playgrounds, that is the chief sin, which far surpasses all others. For this reason, God will certainly punish them horribly, sending them into error and having them tear down the spirits of the mob with power, which will sweep them away in heaps. As has happened in Greece and other countries, where Mahomet now reigns; he teaches them to believe in the devil's filth, since they had God's word before, but still despised it.
21 In the papacy it also happened like this: at first the doctrine was right and pure; but since the people opposed it so foolishly and ungratefully, God punished the sin in such a way that we ran into the monasteries, tortured ourselves there in the devil's name, and instead of divine truth believed gross, harmful, shameful and blasphemous lies. Now it is again on the way (because this sin must be punished physically and spiritually) that the devil throws in the sacrament abusers and rebaptizers. Why does one not want to stay with the word and not accept it with thanksgiving?
(22) Therefore, as dear as your salvation is to you, see that you guard against such sin;
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Honor God's word and hear it diligently and gladly. For if you would do it for no other reason, you should do it for this reason, that God has commanded it, and love and serve Him. For it is not a small thing to serve such a great Lord; he can reward it abundantly. Therefore, every Christian should be diligent in such service, thinking: "Because my Lord and God wants me to hear his word, I will gladly render him such service, so that I can also boast that I have served my God for a day or an hour. Such a cause should be enough to move us to the word.
023 But there are other and greater causes. For God promises thee, saying, If thou hear my word diligently, and keep it, thou shalt be the master of the devil, that he may flee thee, and not come nigh thee. For where my word is, there am I also. But where I am, there the devil shall not be found, but shall be trolled.
- thou shalt also have the benefit of having thy sin forgiven, and of having thy heart kindled to true devotion and right obedience. In sum, my word shall show thee the way to heaven and bring thee to eternal life; for I thus command thee to serve me, that the benefit may be most thine. Without this, if I wanted something from you, you would be guilty of doing it; but now I command you such service that you will enjoy the most. As we know, when we do no more than the Ten Commandments or the Lord's Prayer for an hour before us, there is always a new fruit, that one notices and learns something that one did not know before.
(25) And this fruit in particular is always there, that the devil cannot abide with thee, and hurt thee. Therefore let no Christian think himself so learned as to say that he knows the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments well beforehand; but if such a thought should occur to you, cast it out again, and say, "I have prayed today, I will pray again now; that you may always chase away the devil and sin from you, and give our Lord Jesus Christ.
You must serve the Lord God. If you do not do this, you will cause our Lord God to be displeased; but who would like to have the wrath of such a great Lord?
(26) But there, alas, the greatest multitude goeth, heeding the word less than nothing. If pestilence or war comes today or tomorrow, our Lord God will not take care of you and your need, and will let you cry and howl in vain, just as you let him cry now. As it is written in the Proverbs of Solomon in 1 Cap. vv. 24-30: "Because I cry out, and ye refuse, and I stretch forth my hand, and no man heareth; and ye forsake all my counsel, and will not answer me: so will I laugh at your calamity, and mock you, when it cometh, which ye fear, when it cometh upon you, as a tempest, which ye fear; and your calamity as the weather, when fear and trouble cometh upon you. Then they will call to me, but I will not answer them; they will seek me early, but will not find me. Therefore they hated the doctrine, and would not have the fear of the Lord. They would not have my counsel, and blasphemed all my judgment" 2c. So horribly shall this sin be punished.
- If you come one day with a bloody head, our Lord God will laugh in his fist and say: O right, you would not have it any other way! I preached to you with earnestness, but you did not want to hear me, so now hear the devil. If thou wilt not hear him that saith, Come unto me, all ye that labour, and I will give you rest; hear thou brother Lansquenet, who curseth thee all St. Veltin's and torture, and thrustteth a spear through thee. So it goes right. Why then do you despise God's word, which you should hear and send yourself to as the highest treasure? But you run about in your field, you are busy here and there, so that you cannot wait for the sermon; do you think that God should not be annoyed by this? He has given you six days without this, in which you are to work and wait for your food; do not ask for more than the seventh day, that you may do good and serve Him in honor and for your good. Nevertheless he shall not be able to have it from thee.
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028 Therefore this earnest preaching of the Lord against the Jews, that they despised this marriage, that is, the preaching of the holy gospel, and mocked and murdered the servants, is well to be noted. For from this we see that the king cannot stand such ingratitude and contempt, so he sends his army, the Romans, and has these murderers killed and their city set on fire. Who can blame our Lord God here for having done wrong?
029 If a mighty prince had a son, and sent him to some prisoners in a tower to deliver them, and they led them, and would not only not receive him gladly, but choked him, and mocked his father also: thinkest thou that he would laugh at this? He would shoot the tower and the prisoners one by one in a heap, and would be justified in doing so. So does our Lord God. He sends his Son to deliver us from sin, death and the devil, and to help us to eternal life. Therefore we should accept him with great joy and all honor, hear his word and believe in him. So we turn our backs on him, despise his word, advice and help, which he offers us through it, and meanwhile go to our fields and to our work, where we are more interested.
- If lightning, thunder, pestilence, a Turk, a mercenary, or any other plague should come at some time, and we then fearfully lament, howl, and cry foul, and yet no salvation comes to us, we may take it for good and bear the punishment; and then remember: We have only well deserved it in that we have not only been ungrateful to our dear God, that he has given us his blessed word purely and abundantly now in the last and evil time, when faith and the knowledge of Christ have been completely extinguished, but also most shamefully despised it. Let us therefore count one against the other, and let us be content with the fact that he remains outside with the infernal fire for so long, and calls us to repentance through such temporal punishment that we become more pious and stop denouncing him.
31 This is what the evangelist means when he says.
that the king will kill the murderers and set fire to their city; as a warning to us that we should not be angry with the commoners and peasants, nor should we follow their example. For the world is no different; it does not want and does not like the word, its fields and handling are more pleasing to it. But woe! For what judgment and punishment will come afterwards, we see in the Jews.
(32) Therefore let us not follow their example, but hear the word gladly and diligently, and especially hold the wedding charities in all honor and esteem, for the sake of their Lord who sends them; so God will be with us in all our needs, help and protect us, and finally give us eternal life for the sake of His Son, our dear Bridegroom, the Lord Christ.
- *) This is the first part of the Jews, who are now gone. Now hear further how the Gentiles are. They lay outside in the street, having no law nor word of God, like the Jews; they were not walled up, but were open, like a free place, so that the devil could run through it and back again, as he pleased. This king also called them invite, without any distinction, as they are found, man and woman, young and old, rich and poor. As we still see today, God has ordained his baptism, his word, and his Lord's Supper to be given to everyone who desires it.
34 Therefore this supper means nothing else, but that Christ is preached to us all, and we are carried to holy baptism, that we should be guests, eat and drink, that is, have forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and victory against the devil and hell. So we Gentiles are all invited to this supper.
35 When the tables were all full, for it was clear that the bad and the good were invited together without distinction, the king went in and looked at his guests and found some who were not dressed for the wedding. For among the Christians it is so, that one finds mice droppings under the pepper: that
*) Held in the house, 1533.
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Some are wicked, and yet have the name that they are called Christians, because they are baptized, go to the sacrament, hear the sermon, and yet bring no more of it than the name; for they hold it to be no truth.
(36) We must be accustomed to this. For we will never get there with preaching, so that a whole town, village or house becomes devout; there is no end, but, as it says here, good and evil come in. We must suffer this, and grant them the name that they are called Christians. For even if they are not pious, they are still invited guests. This will continue until the last day, when a different verdict will be reached.
(37) Nevertheless, it has been decided that this king will not only invite everyone to his son's wedding, but he will also see whether those who are invited have adorned themselves in honor of the bridegroom. If a sooty man, running from the hammer or from the forge, in his long shirt, in a bathing hat, with his coal-black beard and face, wanted to step among the wedding guests and walk with them in the procession, whether he had already been invited to the wedding, no one would gladly let him walk beside him; everyone, especially the bridegroom, would think either that he was not in his right mind, or that he was doing it as a special mockery. For one should come adorned to the wedding. So, says the Lord, it will be the same here. If you are already an invited guest, you are baptized, hear the sermon, go to the sacrament, and yet have no wedding garment on; that is, you do not believe, are not serious about it, and think to enjoy the Christian name only there, like the pope and his crowd, so that you have the fullness of belly and good praises of it: for God's sake you are not a Christian, nor for the sake of your salvation, just do not think that you will sneak through like that.
038 The king shall take notice of thee, and shall bring thee forth, either at the last day, or at thy last end, and say, Findest thou here, that thou hast the name, and art called a Christian, and yet believest not that which a Christian ought to believe? It is your life
You have never been serious about how you could be freed from sins, become more pious and blessed. All your thoughts have been on good, honor, good days only: that is why you now come like a sooty guest. Always away, you do not belong among those who have adorned themselves, they want to catch cream (soot) from you.
(39) When these things shall be reproached either in the conscience, or at the last day, to such loose Christians, then, saith the Lord, they shall stifle, that is, they shall have no excuse. For with what will they excuse themselves? God has done what he should. He has given you his holy baptism; he has held up the gospel to you and had it brought to your home and court; he has given you absolution and his Lord's Supper; he has appointed his servants for you in the church, your father and mother in the home, your master and wife, who are to tell you what you should believe and how you should conduct your life. Therefore you will not be able to say that you did not know, otherwise you would have believed; but you will have to confess: Yes, I have been baptized, I have been preached and told enough; but I have accepted nothing, I have preferred the world. This means here that the unadorned, black guest is stunned. For who would be able to answer the judge to whom we ourselves must bear witness that he has given us his Son and promised all grace in baptism and the holy gospel? That it is only up to us to hold out our hands and take what he is so eager to give us.
Therefore, the terrible judgment on the unbelieving Christians will have to follow: Their hands and feet are to be bound and they are to be cast out into the outer darkness, that is, they must lie imprisoned with the devil in hell and in the hellish fire forever. For their hands and feet are bound so that they cannot free themselves by works. They must also lie in darkness and be cut off from God's light, that is, from all comfort, in eternal torment, fear and sadness, so that they will never see a speck of light.
This is a terrible pity, if only we would take it to heart, eternally so.
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are trapped in hell and torment, since there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth: gnashing of teeth from the frost, and weeping from the heat, as the ancient teachers interpreted it, although the Lord indicates all torment that can be conceived with it. For heat and frost are the two greatest plagues on earth. As if he wanted to say: You will have to suffer more than one can say with words and grasp with thoughts.
This will be the punishment for not recognizing or accepting the time of the visitation, that we are invited, have had sacrament, baptism, gospel, absolution, and yet have not believed it, nor made ourselves useful. Would the dear Lord therefore gladly teach us, and bring us to recognize how great grace has befallen us in that we are invited to such a blessed banquet, where we shall find salvation from sin, the devil, death and eternal weeping. Whoever therefore will not accept these things in thanksgiving, and spurns such grace, shall have eternal death for it. For the two must be one: either to accept the gospel and be believed and be saved; or not to believe and be eternally damned.
- So that this gospel is the same as Paul's, when he says to the Jews in Acts 18:6, "Let your blood be upon your head. 18, 6. to the Jews who opposed him and blasphemed: "Let your blood be upon your head; I will henceforth go pure to the Gentiles." For since the Jews would not listen, God had them forsaken.
and sent his gospel to us Gentiles. Now that it has come to us, we certainly have to be concerned about it, since it says here that God wants to discard the unadorned wedding guests. So the dear Lord would like to bring us with curls and frights to let the gospel be our highest treasure, to hear it gladly and to believe it. By the promise and great grace he entices, and by the great punishment he frightens. Wherever hearts are so hardened that these two things will not help, let the wicked devil help; he will do it.
(44) If our Lord God were to rain money and make us great lords here, he would find people superfluous, who would run and earnestly persist in trying to obtain something from him. But because he promises us eternal and heavenly goods in his word, which we should hope for and expect with patience, it has no standing before the world, which says, "What heaven, heaven; if I had flour here, who knows what will become of it?
45 This, then, is the summary of today's sermon, 'that the Lord would gladly provoke and terrify us, so that we would grasp the word with earnestness and learn to believe, and thus hope for the joyful future, when he will come again on the last day to deliver us from all distress and to help us in body and soul. May the Almighty God, our merciful Father, grant us this through Christ His Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
On the twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.
John 4:47-54.
There was a king whose son was sick in Capernaum. And when he heard that JEsus was come out of Judea of Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down and heal his son: for he was sick unto death. And JESUS said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. And the king said unto him, Lord, come down before my child dieth. JEsus saith unto him, Go thy way, thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that JEsus spake unto him, and went his way. And as he went down, his servants met him, and told him, saying: Thy child liveth. Then he inquired of them the hour in which it was better with him. And they said unto him, Yesterday about the seventh hour the fever left him. Then the father realized that it was about the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son is alive. And he believed with all his house. Now this is the other sign that Jesus did when he came out of Judea into Galilee.
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(1) In today's Gospel, there are two pieces that are particularly comforting and easy to remember. The first is the miraculous work that our dear Lord Christ does on the sick boy, that he makes him well, and yet he does not come to him. He only says to the father, "Go, thy child liveth." Immediately from the word the boy, who was some miles away and knew nothing of such a word, is healed.
(2) This is a marvelous miracle, because we see how the word of our dear Lord Christ is an almighty power. What it promises will surely come to pass, that neither the devil nor the world shall hinder nor resist it. For we must look upon this disease as other works, that the evil enemy may afflict poor men. To drive out such works of the devil, we need nothing more than the word of our dear Lord Christ, and the matter is already helped. For the devil must desist against his will as soon as this man's word sounds, as we see here.
(3) Therefore, the first purpose of such miracles is that we may learn to recognize the Lord Christ, that he is not only a man, equal in all things to other men, but also an eternal and almighty God, since he is Lord over death and the devil, and thus a Lord who can help against them with a word. Therefore, in our troubles against the devil and his works, we should also learn to seek help from him, as this king does here.
(4) But especially we are to hold his word glorious and high, as an almighty power. For he who has it has and can do all things. Again, whoever does not have it, no power, wisdom or holiness can protect him against sin, death and the devil. For what our dear Lord Christ does here with the King's Son, that by his almighty word he saves him from death and keeps him alive, he will do by his word with us all, if we will but accept it, and deliver us not only from sickness and bodily distress, but also from sin and eternal death.
(5) Therefore, we should follow the example of this king: in all our concerns, seek counsel and help from Christ, who in
He can so easily help us in all kinds of distress and death that he only speaks a word, and we are healed; he has a willingness to help us. For because this royal man hurries and will not tarry long, the Lord hurries still more, and will not let the royal son lie so long in the road until he comes down with the father; but makes him absent soon, yea, at the moment he says to the father, "Go thy way, thy son liveth." In the same way, our dear Lord Christ will be willing to help us, of which we should have no doubt, and will help us soon, if we are serious about it and seek help from him in right trust. For this purpose he was sent by his heavenly Father and came to earth, so that he might free us from the tyranny of the devil and place us in God's eternal kingdom.
Therefore, whoever seeks and desires help against sin and death will certainly find it here. As we see here in this "royal" one, since it was only a matter of physical help; how much more is he inclined to help, since the journey is greater and we are in greater need of help, since it concerns eternal bliss?
(7) This is the first part, which is commonly spoken of when speaking of such miracles of Christ. For this is why they were done, and why they were prescribed for us, that we might know the power and will of our dear Lord Christ, and that we might turn to him in our trouble.
(8) The other thing, however, of which this history is used, is that here we have an exceedingly fine example, since we can actually and certainly learn from it what faith is. Our opponents, the papists, do not speak of faith in any other way than as a mere knowledge of what Christ is and what he has done. But they cannot get around this themselves; they must confess that the devil and the false Christians, who are condemned, know this as actually and well as the Christians. On the other hand, the Scriptures speak of faith in such a way that through it we come to forgiveness of sins, righteousness and eternal life. For thus says Paul, Rom. 3, 28: "We hold that a man is condemned by faith, and not by
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of the works of the law." And the prophet Habakkuk speaks Cap. 2, 4: "The righteous shall live by faith." And Christ says to Mary, who was forgiven her sins, "Go, your faith has helped you." Therefore, neither devils nor false Christians, who know and have history, will have such faith, yes, as well as the true Christians. For the devil knows Christ very well, and knows what he has done and suffered on earth. But this, although a Christian must know, is not the true faith by which one comes to forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
(9) But here it is said what is right faith, that is, nothing else, but to believe what Christ speaks and promises, that it is true and without all falsity. For these two belong together: when God promises something, that we keep it with our hearts, and do not doubt that it is true, even though we do not yet have it or see it. Now where the promise is, and we accept it with our hearts, let it be certain that it is what it says: this is called true living faith. As we see here. The king comes to Christ and asks him to go with him and help his son. There was a trust in the Lord Christ that he could and would help his son; but such trust was still without the word, and was based only on the miracle that the Lord had previously performed in Galilee at the wedding. This royal man will undoubtedly have heard of it; therefore, he trusts in the Lord Christ because he will also help him. This may be called faith, but it is still a very weak faith. For the promise has not yet been made, and such faith or trust is still based on the uncertain delusion whether Christ will help or not. If he helps, the king considers him a great, holy man; if he does not help, he does not think so highly of him.
(10) For this reason Christ is somewhat harsh with him, saying, "Unless you see signs, you do not believe." As if to say, faith should not be based on signs and wonders alone, but on the Word:
For signs and wonders may be false and untruthful, but he who trusts in the word cannot be deceived, for God's promise is certain and cannot lie. For although the Lord performed signs and wonders, so that he could be seen and move people to faith, his final opinion was that people should look more to his word than to the signs, which had to serve as a testimony to the word. For he was not primarily concerned with helping this and other sick people in the body; his most important ministry was to point people to the word and to form it in their hearts so that they would be saved by it.
11 Because this royal has not yet a word or certain promise from Christ, he cannot believe with certainty. From the miraculous work at Cana, and perhaps from the common cry of Christ as a new prophet, he trusts that he will help his son and can help him. But such faith goes no further than that such help follows. Therefore, he hurries and worries that if the Lord would forgive him, his son would be cut short. That it is therefore still far from true, and not yet true faith. For he thinks that if Christ himself is not with the sick person, he will not be helped; and he worries that if the Lord forgives and his son dies in the meantime, it will be over and in vain. It was impossible for the king to believe otherwise at that time, because, as I said, he did not have a promise or a word, since he could certainly rely on it and hold on to it, but as soon as Christ opened his mouth and said: "Go thy way, thy Son liveth," there follows true, perfect faith, which is the proper way of keeping Christ's promise; as we see in the royal: he believes such a word of Christ, goes away with certain confidence in Christ's word, and does not doubt, when he comes home, that he will find his Son fresh and healthy.
(12) Learn therefore what it means to believe, that is, nothing else, except that we do not doubt the word of Christ and the promise, but, as the word promises, hold it to be certain and true, so that it will never be lacking.
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even though we do not yet see or feel it. For this is the peculiar way of faith, that it deals with and believes that which is not yet present. For what is present is not to be believed: it is felt and known. A rich man, who has money and goods in abundance, whether he already believes that he does not want to die of hunger for the year, that is not faith. But he who has no provisions, but nevertheless keeps God's word that God, as a father, will provide his food, provided he also keeps in the fear of God and is a descendant of his profession, he has the right faith. And it is impossible that such faith should be lacking; for it stands on the word of God, which is almighty, and promises us that if we seek first the kingdom of God and then stop working, the rest will all fall to us.
(13) Thus we all know, one and all, that we are so poisoned by sin that we find no righteousness at all in ourselves. Since the word proclaims forgiveness of sins and righteousness to us through Christ, such a word cannot be understood in any other way than through faith alone. This is why a Christian has such a character: even though he is nothing but sin, he is without sin, pure and righteous, according to faith and the word. Faith brings him there; his works cannot bring him there, as the preachers preach. For as far as our works are concerned, even though they are the best, we are nothing but useless servants, as the Lord himself says, Luke 17:10.
(14) As I have spoken of righteousness, so it is with life. We are so drowned in death by sin that we are not for a moment sure of our life; that we must say with truth (as the heathen do) that man has nothing more certain before him when he is born than death. As we always learn and experience, not only from other people's examples, but also from ourselves, that it happens so soon that a person falls into illness or other misfortune. Nevertheless, in such sorrow and misery, the word shines before us, comforting us not only for this temporal life, but also for eternal life.
Life. We who believe do not have it in our hands, we do not feel it or grasp it; but it is promised in the Word, and we believe it. And it is certain that we shall not lack such faith, for it is based on the Word of God, which is eternal and almighty.
15 In sum, this kind of faith is just like the word, it looks forward to the future, eternal, heavenly goods, which we do not yet have: thus faith grasps future goods as if they were already there, and doubts nothing about them. Cause, he sees that God's word is almighty, and God is true, and not a liar. That is why faith has a sharp eye on the word. If he sees that the word is there, he goes up freshly, and neither the devil nor the world is frightened; for he knows what it is finally based on and how it should go out, and even the devil should be sorry.
16 Again, when he sees that there is no word of God, he does not let any appearance, threat, or power of the world move him to believe it to be true, and rather suffers what is due to him. If we had followed this kind of faith in the papacy, we would never have been led into idolatry and error in such a horrible way. But we have left God's word out of sight, and have fallen with faith on this and that work, as if it should help to forgive sins; have thus not only lost the good, but also the soul through false worship and idolatry.
(17) Therefore, it is a very necessary and useful doctrine to know what it means to believe rightly, namely, to have God's word and promise, and to cling to it firmly so that it will certainly come to pass as the word tells us. For to believe something without God's word is not faith, but a false delusion, since nothing will ever come of it. Just as if you wanted to believe that you would still become Roman emperor; even if you were to foresee this with the utmost certainty, nothing would come of it. But since David, who was of low estate, had God's word through the prophet Samuel that he should become king in Israel, he had to do what Saul wanted.
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18 It is the same here. Although the king had the thought that Christ would help his son, such a thought could not be based on certainty. The reason was that he lacked the word. But when the word came, which he heard from Christ, "Go, thy son liveth," there was no more need; for he would have proved the Lord Christ false; for the word could not lie to him.
(19) So we also have God's word and promise, since our dear Lord Christ comforts all the world in general, and says, John 8:51: "Whoever keeps my word will not see death forever. Item, John says of him, "This is the Lamb of God, which bareth the sin of the world." These are common sayings, from which no man should conclude. For he saith not, If he believe on me, or if any man believe on me; but he saith in general, He that keepeth my word shall not see death for ever." Item, John does not say that Christ was sent by God for a sacrifice to be offered for this or that one; but for the whole world's sin. Therefore, since you also are a sinner and in the world, accept it, and do not doubt that it is for your sake. This is the reason why our faith, as far as forgiveness of sins and eternal life are concerned, should be based on it. And we will certainly not lack it any more than the royal one does here.
020 For we are not to think that the king had any advantage over us, that he could have believed all the more easily, because the Lord put his person so properly in the word, and said to him, "Go thy way, thy son liveth"; but it is more difficult for us to believe, because our person is not so properly put in the word, but the word alone is spoken in general. This is not the opinion. For our dear Lord Christ did not leave it at such preaching in general; but just as he says here to the king, "Go, your son lives"; so he says to each of us in particular, to me and to you, "My son, your sins are forgiven you; you shall have eternal life.
21 For tell me, with whom does God speak, and with whom does He deal, when you are being
baptize? Is it not true that baptism is for you alone, and for no one else? You enjoy your baptism, others do not enjoy it; but if they want to enjoy baptism, they must also be baptized for themselves. But what does God say to you and to anyone who is baptized in baptism? His promise is this: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Item, you are baptized into the death of Christ, that he died for you and with his death made you free from sins and death. But how could God speak more kindly to you and include your person in the Word in a more certain and real way than in baptism, which is for no one but you alone and is called and is your own baptism?
22 So, if you desire to be absolved of your sins, and come to the church minister or to another Christian, thinking that you will find God's word and comfort in him, is it not true, as you generally hear in the sermon that Christ died for all sinners, so you also hear there in particular that such a death and dying is meant for you and that you should accept it? For the words go like this: "Dear brother, dear sister, we are all sinners and sinners' wives, and therefore all must be condemned; but the Son of God became man for our sake, died for our sins, and rose again for our righteousness. Therefore do not despair: Christ has paid for you, you shall go forth free; only take comfort in his suffering and accept it.
(23) So also in the Lord's supper Christ's body is given to you especially in the bread, and His blood in the wine, and it is said to you especially, His body is given for you, and His blood is poured out for you; that you may not doubt, but accept such a sacrifice as your own: for the body and blood of Christ are put into your mouth, and are given to you as your own, that you may eat and drink them for yourself alone. God has nothing to do with anyone else; he speaks to no one else but you, who come to this supper and eat and drink as he has commanded.
24 Seeing now what this means for Christians
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find, who go for such a long time, do not even desire absolution, nor go to this gracious Lord's Supper. Those who have no desire for it, nor do they believe that God has anything special to do with them, talks to them, comforts them, and promises them forgiveness of sins and eternal life: they are worth nothing better than that the wretched devil deals with them and talks to them. So there is no lack of this, as if God did not speak to us in particular; what is lacking is that we do not follow this royal example, and do not accept what Christ promises us in particular, nor do we consider it true and certain.
(25) The king also had reason not to believe if he had followed his reason and allowed himself to be led away from the word. For who would believe that this single word could be so powerful over so many miles and accomplish such a great work? He could have said: "I know how I have left my son, that he is in danger; if he is to be helped, dear Lord, this will not do, which you are talking to me now: you must go closer to him, touch him, talk to him, and there will be hope. But then the royal man puts aside all thoughts and remains bad at the word, and believes it as surely as if he saw his son already there before him, fresh and healthy. For if his heart were not so set, he would not have allowed himself to be rejected with this mere word. But he lets himself be rejected, as John very finely says: "The man believed the word that JEsus said to him, and went."
26 There you see what faith really is, if you want to define and paint it correctly. Nothing else, but to hold as certain and true what Christ promises you. Get used to it, and first learn what God promises you in baptism, Christ in his Gospel and in the Lord's Supper. Adhere to such promises with all your heart, and do not let other thoughts, which do not remain outside, mislead you in such faith. We feel sin and death in us, which can be seen and felt without interruption. If then you do not want to keep the word, but let it go, and let ur
If you do not divide yourself as you find yourself, sin will lead you into fear and despair, and death will wear you out with power.
27 But what does a Christian do? He confesses sin, and knows that he has death before him. But then he throws himself around, keeps the word as best he can, and says, "Christ died for me; therefore I am free from sin, and cannot die; neither devil nor death is in me, for Christ has paid for me what I owed. This then is called rightly believed; and it is impossible that he who thus keeps the word should lack it or lie.
(28) Yea, thou sayest, I see none of them, much less have I what to believe; I hear it only: who knoweth whether it be true? Answer: What the word tells you, believe; then you will certainly not be deceived, it will actually turn out that way in the end. Do as the king did here; he also had to keep his word. He did not see that it had become better with his son. But because he believed the word, the next day his servants came and got the message that his son was fresh and healthy. When he came home, he saw him before his eyes. He can no longer believe; it is written in the work and before his eyes as he believed.
So it will be the same with us. We do not have and do not feel forgiveness of sins, eternal life. If you have heard the sermon today, sought absolution, and gone to the Lord's Table, you are still the same as you were yesterday: you feel nothing different; you have the same flesh and blood as before. Do not be offended by this, but hold fast to the word that promises you forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and go with this kingdom without any doubt: the hour will surely come. As you believe forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ, so you will find it in his time, in that life. Here we have it only in word and faith, but there in deed and experience. May God, our dear Father in heaven, grant us this for the sake of His Son Christ Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, amen.
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On the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity.
Matth. 18, 21-35.
Then Peter came to him and said, "Lord, how often must I forgive my brother who sins against me? Is it enough seven times? Jesus said to him, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who began to reckon with his servants. And when he began to reckon, there came before him one that owed him ten thousand pounds. Since he did not have the money to pay, the master ordered him to sell his wife and children and everything he had and to pay. Then the servant fell down and worshiped him, saying, "Lord, have patience with me; I will pay you everything. Then the master of the same servant was sorry and released him, and he also forgave him the debt. Then the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him a hundred pennies; and he attacked him and choked him, saying, Pay me what you owe me. Then his fellow servant fell down and begged him, saying, Have patience with me; I will pay you all. But he would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw this, they were very sad and came and told their master everything that had happened. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, "Servant of the wicked, I have forgiven you all these debts because you asked me; should you not also have mercy on your fellow servant, as I have had mercy on you? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he paid all that he owed him. So shall my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not your brother his trespasses from your heart.
What the summa of today's gospel is, hear your love soon in the beginning. Peter asks the Lord how he should behave when his brother sins against him, how often he should forgive him, if it is enough seven times? Then the Lord answers him, "I say not seven times, but seventy times seven." That is, forgiveness of sin should have no measure nor goal among Christians; one should always forgive another, and be careful that he does not take revenge. For this belongs to God alone, to whom His majesty and power are to be left undisturbed. As the likeness shows by length, and we shall hereafter draw together and show such causes one after another.
(2) But here we must take special note of the little word which the Lord says: Let the kingdom of heaven be like a king who would reckon with his servants. For such a commandment of the forgiveness of sins is not to be carried into the kingdom of the world, since offices and persons are unequal, and therefore one always has power and command over the other. There one should not look upon wickedness, nor let anyone do what he desires;
but the evil should be punished and the people kept to discipline, respectability and fairness.
(3) Therefore, it is not the opinion of a father to forgive his children for everything and to watch their mischievousness. He should punish and not forgive. So lords and wives with their servants, secular authorities with their subjects, should not forgive what is done wrong, but punish. For naughtiness is in the world without this: the more it is overlooked, the worse and more wicked it becomes, so that in the end, where the children of father and mother do not want to let themselves be drawn, the executioner must draw them and ward off the wickedness.
(4) Therefore, this command does not belong to the kingdom of the world, where there are unequal persons and offices, as reported before; but to the kingdom of heaven, where we are all equal, and have only One Lord over us, whom we shall all enjoy. Such a Kingdom of Heaven begins here on earth, and is called by another name the Christian Church here on earth, since God rules in it through His Word and His Spirit. In the same church, unless you have a special office, where God calls you to punish wrongdoing, it should be done so that one person always
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forgive one another, and no one should take revenge, but show all mercy and kindness to his neighbor where he needs it, even though he may well deserve something else for us, and we, according to the world, would have good cause to inflict all evil on him. But why our Lord Christ would have such things, he finely shows with several causes, in the likeness of the two servants and the king.
The first reason is that our dear Lord Christ wants his Christians to remember what grace God has shown them, who also, if he had wanted, would have had many and great causes to punish us and put us to all misfortune. But since we have received mercy without merit, we should do the same to our neighbor.
6 For this reason, this is to be remembered all the more diligently. For the Lord herewith shows what is the right way for us to come to the forgiveness of sins, and puts before us in the most real way who we are and who God is, what we deserve against God and what God does for us.
(7) For he holds up to us the parable of the servant who owes ten thousand pounds, in the same the Lord will teach us all what is our opinion before God's judgment. The word talentum, which we translate as pound, was used by the ancients to mean a certain sum of money, approximately six hundred crowns. Therefore, ten thousand pounds make an immeasurably large sum, in the six thousand times hundred thousand crowns. To such a great sum of money the Lord equals Our sin, to show that we can never put it away, or do enough for it. For sin is inherited upon us, that we bring it with us from our mother's womb. The more we grow and increase in age, the more the sins prove themselves, so that we add our own sins to the sins we have inherited from others, and grow so deeply in debt to God that we are just like this servant here.
008 And what is the judgment of this servant, because of his great iniquity? This, that the Lord will sell him, his wife, his child and everything. By this the
Lord indicate that we poor sinners not only cannot pay, but we must suffer death for the sake of sin. As Paul says: "The wages of sin is death"; and the Lord threatened Adam and Eve in paradise: "The day ye eat of this tree ye shall surely die. This is what has happened to all of us poor human beings, that for the sake of our sins, the law of God has made such a harsh sentence against us and condemned us to death. For where sin would not be, no man would die. Where shall we go now? The guilt is before our eyes, we cannot deny it; so the Lord wants to be paid, but we cannot pay, it is impossible for us.
(9) Now this is the excellent, noble, and comforting thing, whereunto we ought to incline our ears, and open wide our hearts, if we may learn this art also, that we may come out of great trespasses, and escape from death. But this is done only by doing as the Lord says here, that this servant has done. He sees both his great guilt, and then his inability and the punishment. Therefore he falls down before the Lord, worships him and says: "Have patience with me" 2c. This is what we call crawling to the cross and desiring mercy.
(10) This is what the Lord wants us to learn, if we want to be freed from guilt in any other way. For he that would not confess the trespass, but would deny it (as the Pharisees do, who think themselves pious and righteous), would only make his cause worse. But if we confess, we are imprisoned; for we cannot ever pay. Therefore it is a dangerous, horrible error that in the papacy people are directed to their own work and satisfaction to put away sin with it. The only way is for you to confess such guilt and sin, and fall down with the servant and beg for mercy, saying like the tax collector Luc. 18:13: "Lord, have mercy on me.
(11) Yes, you say, yet the servant here says that he wants to pay everything. He says whatever he wants, so we must confess, if he is serious, that it is not true, but quite impossible for him. Therefore
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Christ wanted to show how it is for our hearts in such a case, namely, that we cannot grasp such grace, which is so plentiful and abundant. It always seems to us that it is too much, that God will not be so gracious as to let us off the hook for everything, that something still has to be paid, that it is too much to let us off the hook and give us everything. The Lord intended such thoughts of ours to indicate that the servant, although he asks for mercy, nevertheless offers himself as if he wanted to pay what he owes. Although this is true, he who desires forgiveness of his sins with all his heart must least of all have the intention that he will no longer be guilty, that is, that he will refrain from sins and amend himself and become more pious. For to continue in sins, and not to cease from them, and yet to ask forgiveness of sins, is to mock our Lord God.
(12) Therefore, whoever turns to God's mercy and asks for mercy, how will he find God? Most willingly and most graciously. For listen, what does the Son of God, who is in the bosom of the Father, say? "It grieved the master of the same servant," he says, "and he let him go, and the debt also he remitted to him." This is the right and proper color, since one can and should paint GOD and His heart in the most proper way. But whoever gives him another color, paints him wrongly and differently than he is in himself.
(13) For our hearts to think that God is a severe judge, since sinners do not find mercy in Him, but must fear all unmercy, is altogether a false thought; and there is nothing in it, although the law itself does not preach otherwise about our Lord God. For the law speaks of sinners who neither hope nor desire mercy. But sinners who confess their sins are sorry for them and wish they had not angered God in this way, and all their concern and care is that they have lived against God in this way and have not obeyed his commandments, and for this reason they ask for mercy: they shall find mercy, as it says here. Cause, God is a gracious God.
God, and has a fatherly heart. Therefore our misfortune grieves him and goes to his heart; and as the prophet says (Ezekiel 18:23), he does not delight in the death of the sinner; but this is his delight, that the sinner may repent and live. Therefore, if he finds in you such a heart that desires mercy, and is displeased with sin and refrains from it, he will gladly drop all guilt and show you mercy. As we see here in the servant who confesses his guilt and asks for mercy.
14 But what the means is by which God will be gracious to us, the gospel shows in other places, namely, that the Son of God, our dear Lord Christ Jesus, took care of sinners, took their sin upon himself, and paid for it with his death. Where there is such trust in the Lord Christ and his death, God's heart is won away, so that he cannot be angry or punish. For without this he has a compassionate heart, and he is grieved by our sorrow and misery. For this reason, as soon as Adam and Eve fell into sin and death, he offered himself to take away the devil's power through the seed of the woman.
(15) This then is our doctrine, which, praise God, we hold rightly and purely in our churches, that we have forgiveness of sins and eternal righteousness and life through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, that is, through God's grace and mercy. As we see here in the case of the servant who owes such a large sum, but by grace, without merit, without any works, it is forgiven him: only because he adheres to grace and asks for it.
(16) Therefore, it is an erroneous, false, even blasphemous doctrine that the papists, when they preach forgiveness of sins, point out to people who are in such debt that it is impossible for them to pay, that they should and must pay for themselves with their own works. But that we point people only and solely to God's grace through Christ, they call heresy and error. But take this gospel before thee, and consider which are nearer: we who preach of grace, or they who preach of their own.
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preach works and repentance. In sum, this entire sermon is intended to teach us that God wants to forgive us and freely accept us for free, and to forgive all our sins. The Lord reminds us of this grace here, that we should also do this, and use all grace and kindness toward one another, and not reckon with our neighbor exactly; then we will be like Christians who have received grace, and for this reason we will also show grace toward everyone. This is the first reason the Lord gives, and also teaches, which is the right way to salvation, that we may come to grace and forgiveness of sins.
(17) The other reason is that the Lord wants us to take a good look at the harm and injustice done to us by others, and to move it well; so we will certainly find, if we put it on the gold scale, that the debt we owe to our Lord God will be like ten thousand pounds against a hundred pennies that our neighbor owes us. This will also move us, because God has left us such a large sum, that we will not count so carefully on the small amount, but will also turn in our owed money and let ourselves be found willing.
18 The word denarius, which is sometimes translated as penny, sometimes as groschen, is an old Roman coin that was worth half a place *) of a guilder. Such a penny, a hundred against ten thousand pounds, as each pound makes six hundred crowns, is a very small sum. So then the Lord says: "If you want to magnify your loss, because you think you have a reason to be angry, what is it? It is hardly a florin compared to hundreds of thousands of florins that you owe to our Lord God. If God closes his eyes against you, he does not want to count or see such a great debt: how can you be such ruthless, hard people that you do not want to slacken anything and count everything so exactly? Do not do it, for God's sake. Put your sin on a scale, and your neighbor's as well, and do not do it.
*) Place - quarter. D. Red.
more than your heavenly Father has done with your many and great sins, you are true Christians.
(19) The third cause is this, that the Lord in the likeness calls us all servants together. "The same servant," saith he, "went out, and found one of his fellow servants owing him an hundred pence." Such a thing should also move us to mercy and deter us from revenge. For we are but fellow servants, and have all one Lord over us, who can and will punish us for what every man wickedly does; to him we should leave his power and authority, and not fall upon him. For he will not suffer thee to take hold of his office, and to do that which is his alone to do. As the Lord says in another place: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay. For God's order is without this, that he wants to punish sin; and for this work he has not only the evil enemy, who can attack body and goods and damage them in many ways, if God decrees this for him; but he also has on earth father and mother, lord and wife, and temporal authorities. All of these have orders from God to punish evil.
020 Therefore, if thou be a child or a servant in the house, if wrong be done thee by other children or servants, beware; let not wrath pass thee over, that thou shouldest avenge thyself, and not forgive. Remember, it is my fellow servant, I have no power over him; I will have him punished who is lord over us both. If he will not do it and will not wait for his office, there is another one above all of us who will not let it go unpunished. So citizens, peasants, and all in all, each one of them should stand up to the other, and beware of revenge. This is what the Lord means by the word he says in the parable: "This servant found one of his fellow servants.
(21) The fourth cause is that he who would not follow such teaching, and would not consider God's great mercy toward him, nor his neighbor's little trespasses, who is his fellow servant over whom he has no power, and would go out of his head and yield nothing, but be angry and punish him: what would he accomplish thereby? Nothing else, but that such great
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Unfairness and unmercifulness will not remain secret. Other Christians will see it and be very saddened by it, and will come before the Lord and tell him everything. This means in German: By such unmercifulness the Holy Spirit is grieved in the Christians; it grieves them and they sigh to God because of it. Let no one think that such sighing should be in vain and in vain. For if the Lord would otherwise pretend not to see and know, and would forgive and endure the punishment, he is moved by such lamentations and groans of the other Christians that he must take care of the matter and hasten to the punishment.
22 Therefore, just as the intercession of pious people is not in vain nor in vain, neither is the common curse, the common complaint against the wicked, in vain nor in vain. Therefore, the Lord wants to warn us herewith that we should not despise such common curses, but be kind and merciful to our fellow servants: so we will find Christians who will thank God for such mercy, and desire that God should pay us and do the same.
(23) Therefore these are wretched, unhappy people, who despise both the common blessing and the curse, which both affect: the blessing the pious, the curse the wicked. As one learns when an evil time comes. He who then holds back the grain, as miserly men do, and waits until it is worth more money, the people curse him, as Solomon says, Prov. 11:26; but blessing comes upon him who sells it. The wicked despise both of these things. But let it be seen whether such a curse is in vain, and whether all misfortune does not befall them who bring it upon themselves. For, as we see here, the Lord instructs us to beware of this, and not to give cause for our fellow servants to be grieved, to come before the Lord and say what they have seen. For then hear what follows.
The Lord summons the servant before Him. This is the fifth cause: that where you do not want to show mercy to your neighbor, but want to avenge yourself and punish him, God will not be silent about it, but will make you speak. This will happen on the last day.
happen. Then the terrible sentence will go, that you will be handed over to the tormentors until you pay everything.
(25) What have you gained by your anger, you poor man? Since you would otherwise have a merciful God and could have gotten rid of all your guilt, if you had shown mercy to your neighbor and forgiven him for his wrongdoing, God will not forgive you either, and will count against you just as accurately as you count against your neighbor. That is a poor, miserable bargain, since you lose a hundred thousand florins for the sake of a penny, before you leave it behind. However, this equation is far too small for this matter, since a man cannot come to the forgiveness of sins and must remain in the wrath and disgrace of God for eternity.
26 Therefore the Lord concludes, saying, "So shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye forgive not your brother his trespasses from your heart. He calls us brethren one to another; there will never be any enmity or unkindness. But now we are all so frail that we will never live like this among ourselves; sometimes one will offend the other with words, works, and other things.
What should it be like? Shall we bite and scratch one another like cats and dogs? Oh no, but let us forgive from the heart and think, "What have I wronged my brother for? If God is gracious to me and has given me such a large sum of money freely, purely, for nothing, for the sake of Jesus Christ His Son, what would I want to louse myself for a penny or two? *) I will set off one against the other, forget and forgive, and thank God that he has also forgiven me and accepted me for mercy, when he would have had a thousand and a thousand times more cause to be angry with me and to punish me than I have against my neighbor.
28This is the teaching that our dear Lord Christ has preached to his dear Christians today, that we should break ourselves, not leave the bridle to wrath, but rather bear our guilt against
*) to louse - to be felted. D. Red.
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We should be glad that we have come to this and that both are cancelled out.
(29) But there you see how we do not follow at all, and let the devil ride us and drive us to anger, revenge and all misfortune, with our great harm and damage. For it is decided: If you do not want to forgive, God will not forgive you either; if you want to avenge, anger, punish, God will also avenge, anger and punish. But it is an unequal anger and punishment. For God's wrath and punishment is an eternal wrath and punishment: you are imprisoned by a small wrath, which arises because of a small sin, against him, because you have no right to it; but God alone has the right to it, and is certain, if you only do not punish him and come to him, he will punish the sin of your fellow servant far more severely and cruelly than you can ever remember.
(30) That is why you see how one sin is always punished by another. The devil drives such vengeful, angry, intolerable people so far into wrath that they cannot nor will they pray the Lord's Prayer. For they see a sting in it, which they cannot let pass over their tongue, that a Christian should pray: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Then they feel very well that if God does not want to forgive them in any other way than forgiving others, then their sins will probably be forgiven them unpardoned.
remain. They do not want to speak such a judgment against and about themselves, but rather leave the Lord's Prayer unprayed. But do you not think that the devil has honestly taken such people under his spurs, so that they also lose their prayers for the sake of anger? But what does a Christian have if he has lost prayer? He has nothing, indeed, he is in a twofold disobedience to God!
So it also happens that such people abstain from the reverend supper of the body and blood of Christ, and for the sake of a small, petty, unjust anger against their neighbor deprive themselves of the highest comfort against sin and conscience. Would it not be better, a thousand times and a thousand times better, to forsake all wrath, to suffer and bear all injustice, than to wilfully and wantonly deprive oneself of God's grace and fall into His wrath?
32 Therefore, whoever finds his heart so hardened with anger and hatred, let him take this gospel before him and reflect well, and ask God's forgiveness for having so long kept his anger against his neighbor and lived so unchristianly; and let him soon come to and forgive from his heart, so that God's judgment and sentence may not overtake him, but that he may also come to forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ, our Redeemer and Savior of all. May this be granted to us all by our gracious God and Father in Heaven, Amen.
*On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. )
Matth. 22, 15-22.
Then the Pharisees went and held a council, as they caught him in his speech; and they sent unto him their disciples, with Herodi's servants, saying: Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God aright, and askest after no man: for thou regardest not the reputation of men. Therefore tell us, what do you think? Is it right to give interest to Caesar, or not? When Jesus perceived their wickedness, he said, "You hypocrites, why do you tempt me? Give me the interest coin. And they offered him a penny. And he said unto them: What is the image and the superscription? And they said unto him, The emperor. Then said he unto them, Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. When they heard this, they were astonished and left him and went away.
*) Held in the house, 1333.
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The reason for today's gospel is that the Jews had such a promise in the Law of Moses: if they kept God's commandment, they would be their own kingdom, have a king from among their people, and not be subject to any foreign king. They kept this promise and always hoped that there would be no trouble for them. When the Romans came and became powerful, even though they had to do a lot, the Jews were very upset and caused a lot of misery and hardship in the country, hoping that they would get rid of them. But they were beaten and so humiliated that they were not allowed to oppose the Romans from then on.
(2) From this it is seen what is the wickedness of us all. The Jews had kept this in mind, that they should have a kingdom of their own; but that they should keep God's commandment, and do nothing contrary to his will and word, they would not touch that, and yet they would have it. The kingdom, they said, is ours, it is promised to us; therefore we will have it. It is as if a wicked maid said to her wife, "You promised me my wages, so give them to me and I will do whatever I want. No, that does not apply, but it is said: If you want to have the wages from me, then you must work and do what I tell you to do. It was the same with the Jews: they were disobedient to God and stiff-necked, so that they asked nothing of His commandments, and yet they wanted to be free.
003 Wherefore there was a great question among them, Whether they should be under the power of the Roman emperor, who was a heathen, because they had such a clear promise, that they should have their own king. Therefore they went about catching the Lord in his speech, taking Herod's servants with them, and asked him whether they owed the Emperor the interest or not. Now he speaks yes or no, they think, he cannot escape them. If the Lord says yes, they think he will stir up all the people against him, and they will call him a blasphemer and a liar who teaches against God and Moses. For there was a promise that they should be a free people of their own, and not be a stranger.
or serve pagan masters. But if he says no to this, he has forfeited his neck once again. They are only very sure of this, because the Romans did not like this. They wanted to put him in this dilemma; if he said yes or no, he would be caught and forfeit his life. This is how evil and poisonous the enemies of our dear Lord Christ are.
4 But what happens, how do they fare? So that the Lord turns the spear, that they may think to stab him, and smites them with their own sword. Let me see the coin," he says. When they give him the coin at his request, he asks, "Do you know what the image and superscription are? This means to deal with the matter in a simple way. The Pharisees do not think anything bad yet, but they say that it is the emperor's image and superscription. But when the Lord had heard this from them, he was content, and said, "Do you say that this is the image and superscription of Caesar? Yes, we say so. Well then, if you have the emperor's goods and coin, give him what is his. For the fact that they had confessed that they needed his coin was already known as much as if they had accepted the emperor as their lord. Therefore the Lord is right to conclude from their own words that he will not take from Caesar what is his.
5 This is the cause of today's Gospel, a real masterpiece, because the Pharisees wanted to betray and sell the Lord Jesus, and yet such a plan comes out against themselves afterwards. They wanted to catch him in his words, and catch themselves. For he must neither say yes nor no to such a question; they themselves remind him with their answer what he should answer, and give him the sword in his hand, so that he should strangle them, just as when one murders himself with his sword.
(6) From this history we should note two things. The first is that we learn to recognize our naughtiness from the example of the Jews. For we all, no one excepted, are of such a mind that we like to complain when we feel what is hurting us; we also think that we are being wronged. And it is true that it is sometimes wrong for us to reckon with people, that we do not deserve it for them, that they deal so unfaithfully with us.
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We will think. There we go, unable to see anything but our right and our adversaries' wrong; then we cry out and complain, just like the Jews here about the Romans, that they ruled against God and right over them, who were God's people. And indeed, as I said, the Romans had no right to overreach the Jews and make them their subjects. For the Romans were Gentiles who did not have God's word and the right worship, as the Jews did. This hurt the Jews very much; they therefore thought that they had grasped their rights sharply and had a good grasp of them. But they lacked, just as we also lack in such a case. For though thy neighbor wrong thee, thou shalt not reckon upon it; but go thither, thinking, How if I have sinned so greatly before our Lord GOD, that I should long since have deserved that he should take from me not only my right, but also life and limb? This is the one thing we are to learn.
(7) Now it is no less, the Jews were very wicked that they should be subject to a heathen emperor; they thought: We are God's people, the Gentiles know nothing of God, and live in all idolatry and shame: how then do we come to serve them, and they to be our lords? But those who were godly and pious lifted up their hands to God and asked for mercy, but they did not ask for anything in return, for they knew that they had earned it with their sins. Cause, the teaching and preaching that went public was no good (as we see in the Gospel); so the government was no good either. Avarice, usury, fornication, pride, lust and other sins went with heaps. What should our Lord God do about it? Should he protect them, since they asked nothing of him and his word? Should he keep them by their rights, since they did not lift a finger for his sake and to serve him? Yes, he should not do that. For since they would not keep his law, he had good reason not to keep their law either. God did not promise them the kingdom of the flesh as if it were to remain forever;
But God had tied a shillelagh around the dog's neck and promised them the kingdom if they were pious and obedient and kept His commandments. They let such thoughts go, asked nothing of God's commandments, and still wanted to have their rule unchallenged, God granting that they were godly or godless. Like a servant who wants his wages, he deserves them or not. Yes, they should be ordered to do so. Thus it is said: Do what you ought, and you will be repaid what you deserve. If a peasant does not want to be pious and obedient, nor does he want to pay his interest, he will not be wronged if the lord of the manor takes away both his property and his right and gives it to another who is pious and does what he owes to his lordship.
(8) Therefore let us learn to temper our complaint and make a similar reckoning, not only to see what right we have against others, but also what wrong we have against God; and then, in all humility and patience, lift up our hands to God and say, "It is true that I am wronged, I have not deserved it for this person; but I must also look behind and above myself to see how I am faring with God. There I find a long record that proves me to be ten times worse, and I have sinned against God ten times, yes, a thousand times more than my neighbor has sinned against me. Therefore it behooves me to bend the crook, and say, O Lord, forgive; I also will forgive.
(9) For it would be wrong for us to stand so stiffly on our right, since we have done so much wrong against God. It is true that he who can maintain his right by proper ways and means does not do wrong. For judgment and justice are ordained by God Himself, to be sought and used. But where we cannot establish justice, let every man beware lest he complain much, or become impatient; but turn round, and say: I ought to be right, and they that offend me wrong; but I must confess that I have well deserved such wrong in the sight of God. Then we would not do as the Jews did: they gave with their life and being a wicked
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They thought that since God had lost His right with them, they wanted to keep their right from the people. Just as if the wicked peasants wanted to have protection from their authorities, and yet wanted to be free of interest and give nothing to anyone. But God has finely rewarded such courage by putting the sword into the hands of the authorities. If they do not want to give it with good, they can be taken by the head and forced.
(10) Such an opinion does not apply to the poor priests; they have no power to force those who do not want to give them what they owe. Therefore, such wicked citizens and peasants let themselves think that they are well justified in giving them nothing at all, or even nothing good, but the worst. But how does it work in the end? If the priest cannot punish nor obtain his right, God sees into it, he sends pestilence among people and cattle; he sends thieves or mercenaries, who take what you have; he decrees that through thunderstorms wine, grain, fruit, turnips, herbs in the field perish 2c. When this happens, the saying goes: "Dear citizen, dear farmer, do not complain that injustice has been done to you. You let yourself think that you are being wronged, but before God it is very right for you. You have long since earned this, indeed, much trouble for him. Therefore, do not complain that you are wronged, but complain about your sins and unrepentant life, about your avarice, pride, security, contempt for God's word and the like; for such sins make your right out of all wrong.
(11) So the Lord also wants to remind the Jews here, because they lost their kingdom and were conquered by the Romans, that they should not cry about it, but think behind themselves about the score, and remember that they did not give God what they owed him; therefore they should take it for good. But the Jews would not do it; they wanted to have their kingdom back by right. Then our Lord God says no to it; then the emperor at Rome shall be good for me, and he shall force you, if you do not want to give yourselves under the deserved punishment, that you must do it. For the empire
The Jews were not promised anything else, except that they should be devout; otherwise they would lose the kingdom and the law one with the other.
We must do the same with the Turk today. It seems unjust to us, because he is worse than a pagan, that he should have such a great victory against us Christians. But let us not see who the Turk is, but who we are against God; then it will be found that we are not wronged. Why do the papists stand so stiffly over idolatry, and persecute the Word? Why do we who have the gospel not amend ourselves, and yet do not live as Christians should? This is the one thing we are to learn today.
The other is that a distinction should be made between the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of our Lord Christ, and that our Lord God does not condemn the worldly kingdom here, but confirms it with house, court, food, marriage and all the statuses that an emperor must have. For Christ to say, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's," is as much as to say, "If thou be a citizen, a peasant, a nobleman, a prince, a man, a woman, a manservant, a maidservant, keep the same, and destroy not Caesar's kingdom. You servant, serve your master. You child, follow your father and your mother. I will not break these estates; for they are the emperor's estates, which he cannot do without, and they do not hinder my kingdom, which is not a world empire.
14 This is so that whoever wants to be a Christian will not withdraw from worldly obedience and want to be free, or change his profession and undertake something new, as the monks did, who thought that if they remained in worldly status and office, they could not be saved. No, says Christ, such shall not be; I do not want to tear the empire apart with my preaching. Therefore remain in your position and give what you have to give to Caesar; God will not prevent you from doing so, for he has his own special obedience.
(15) Therefore you should also give to God what is God's, that is, believe in Jesus Christ, hear the holy gospel and accept it,
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and keep yourself in the fear of God and His commandments. Be merciful, kind, patient. This you shall offer to God: in this he will be satisfied. But as far as your body, property, status and profession are concerned, let the emperor have a hand in it. Thus, God and the emperor can remain close to each other, since the Jews would have liked to tear it away from each other, indeed, neither God nor the emperor wanted to give their own.
16 But here one should diligently note: Just as God does not want to disrupt or tear apart the emperor's regiment (for nothing hinders you in your faith and before God, you may have a worldly office and profession as you wish; if you wish, you may well remain a Christian in it): so the emperor should also leave our Lord God's regiment unbroken and whole, and not hinder the people from giving God what they owe to God. But what is the same is reported above, namely, we owe it to God to believe in Christ, to hear His word gladly, and to live our lives according to it, and not to do anything against it; we cannot do more to God on earth.
17 The emperor or secular authorities shall not prevent the subjects from such service. But if the secular authorities do so, the subjects should not obey them, but rather suffer what they think they should suffer. Therefore, it is a grave and great sin for worldly authorities to keep their obedience in such a way that God cannot be obeyed. As when they forbid the right doctrine and punish their subjects for it, when they receive the sacrament completely, as Christ has ordered, they force the people to the idolatrous nature, with masses, indulgences, invocation of saints and other things. In such and other ways they step out of their office and want to hinder God's obedience. For God demands of us, above all things, that we hear His word and follow it. But where the authorities want to prevent this, the subjects should know that they do not owe them obedience. For it is written: "One should obey God more than men.
And here the Lord does not only mean to give to Caesar that which is Caesar's, but also to give to God that which is God's.
(18) If, for the sake of such obedience to God and His word, worldly authorities should be angry with their subjects, sting them and kill them, or even take their lives because of it, this must be allowed to happen, and they must keep to the consolation: The emperor or temporal authority is our lord - that is true; but not alone, but we have beside him a lord who is greater, namely, our Lord GOD in heaven. Now if one of these two lords must be angered, so that one must disobey either God or the emperor, it is better to anger the emperor with disobedience than to anger God. If you disobey God and want to please the emperor or the worldly authorities, God is a Lord who can and will punish the disobedience you show Him with hellish fire and eternal death. No man should ever gladly take this misery upon himself, and a thousand times rather anger the emperor, who, even if he is evil, nevertheless cannot punish disobedience more severely than only with a temporal punishment. But I do not call the emperor here this or that person, but in general all authorities. For so Christ also calls them here, when he says: "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's."
- After this, look also at the reward. If you are obedient to God and obey His command, eternal reward, heaven and eternal life will follow such obedience. On the other hand, for the unrighteous sinful obedience that you render to your authorities against God's command, you will only be rewarded for a time, and will have to repay him (as previously reported) for eternity. The poor Christians should hold on to such consolation, who now and then sit under such authorities, who do not let them come to God's word, and who want to force and compel them to the Pabst's idolatry and false worship. For God does not want to be joked with. He wants you to give to Caesar what is his, but in such a way that you also give to God what is God's. And this we do justly. For from the emperor
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and worldly authority we have nothing more than food, eating and drinking, clothing, protection, peace, and what else belongs to this transitory life. But from God we have body and life, then the hope of eternal life. Should we then hand over such God, whom we shall enjoy for eternity, for the sake of men, serve men and disobey Him? That is not what God wants, let it be the same for us, as is His divine will.
(20) But the temporal authorities had better remember their office. If Christ had said, "Give to Caesar all that he wills or that you have," he could justly demand such things, or take them from his own. But here it is clearly said, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's." That is, he has what is named and determined, which is his and in which he should be content. But if he wants to go further and also take what is God's, then you should know that you do not owe it. Therefore, even if you love the salvation of your souls, you must not give it to him. For just as the emperor has no power to demand such things, so it is forbidden and commanded by God Himself that the subjects should not give them to the emperor.
(21) Therefore it is a terrible pity, which will undoubtedly bring all misfortune to Germany, that worldly princes, and especially the bishops, who (as they now consider themselves) are no more than worldly princes, keep house so miserably with their poor people. For they are not satisfied with obedience, that their subjects will sit down with them with body and goods and serve them; but they also want their subjects to believe and to do in matters of faith what pleases them and is publicly against God and his word. Therefore they forbid them the right pure doctrine, they do not want to let them go to the places for preaching, where God's word is acted rightly. About this they forbid the books, that one should not read it either. They appoint false, lying preachers, who preach the old rubbish, from which one does not hear a word, since a conscience could grasp a right consolation and improve itself from it. And that is even worse,
In all their sermons, such criers do nothing but blaspheme the holy gospel and revile it most horribly.
(22) If such people can bring about that the terrible idolatrous sacrifice of the Mass remains, that saints are invoked and honored, that pilgrimages are made, indulgences are purchased, and that through confession, fasting, feasting, and other such works, forgiveness of sins is hoped for, they think that they have done it very well. In particular, however, they are very unwilling to use the reverend sacrament, since the command of Christ and of the first church is so clear and explicit that it should be taken in its entirety, and not only in one form (as they call it).
(23) All this, and other such things, which princes and bishops now practice with their subjects, they want to maintain by saying that one should obey secular authorities. Just as if it were written here: Pray to the emperor for everything, and to God for nothing. For to follow the emperor in matters of God, and not the word of God, means to place the emperor above God, to take everything from God and to give everything to the emperor. But it shall not be. Not only does God want to grant the emperor the obedience of his subjects, but he commands it most diligently, and is so serious about it that there has never been any rebellion or disobedience against temporal authorities; the subjects have always been severely punished, as we have also seen with the rebellious peasants.
But God also wants his obedience. He wants to make body and goods, house and court subject to the emperor, so that only his heart remains and he may rule in the heart through his word and spirit. But if he is not to receive this, and the emperor wants to have power over the heart as well as over the body and goods, and to rule over them, so that everyone should believe and do what he wants in the affairs of God, and not what God has taught and commanded in his word: then nothing good will finally follow. For God wants His kingdom undisturbed and His service unhindered. But he who submits to it will run headlong and run himself off. As it has always happened with the greatest monarchs and kings everywhere; as soon as they have everything and
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God did not want to leave anything, nevertheless God kept His own, and they, the tyrants, lost everything and went to ruin.
(25) Thus we see how the Lord has embraced the emperor's power here and delicately restrained him so that he may remain with his own and not encroach upon God's kingdom and power. "To Caesar," he says, "give what is Caesar's." As if he wanted to say: What belongs to God and is not the emperor's, do not give it to him at all; otherwise you would disobey me and obey the emperor too much; he may reward you for a while, but I will punish my disobedience with eternal fire. Therefore let the emperor remain with his own, or if he does not want to remain with his own, beware that you do not give him what is mine. For these two kingdoms are to remain distinct, not mingled together, so that what is God's may remain, and what is the emperor's may remain for the emperor.
(26) Even in temporal matters, as far as the body, money and goods are concerned, a measure should be kept. For there shall always be a difference between temporal authority and a tyrannical regime. A tyrant takes from his subjects as long as he finds something. The Lord does not want to grant this to the authorities here; but because he commands the subjects: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's", he also wants to give the authorities or the emperor to understand that they should neither demand nor take more than what is theirs. So make a difference between that.
that is thine, and that which thou shalt give of thine own unto the authorities. For the regiments are not instituted to make vain beggars, and no man shall keep nothing. Therefore one gives to the authority lap, interest or annuity, that the subjects may remain with their own, seek their food, bring themselves and their own with honor and increase their own.
27 If, however, there is an emergency that requires something to be done to preserve the common peace against the enemies, then no one should refuse, but should gladly go to the authorities with body and soul and assist them as long as they can. But outside of such common distress, the authorities should not rule tyrannically, should not impose too much on the subjects, but should let them remain with the ordinary and unpleasant burdens. Otherwise, they will take what is not theirs and cause God's wrath against them, who uses rebellion, foreign enemies and other ways to punish tyrants.
That is enough of this gospel. May God grant His grace to our authorities and to us, so that we may give to God in both parts what we owe to Him. So the other will be fine, that we will also give to the emperor and he will take what is his. So we will spend our time here in a fine, peaceful life pleasing to God, and through faith in Christ we will be eternally saved. May our dear Lord God grant us this through Christ our Lord and the Holy Spirit, amen.
*On the twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity. )
Marc. 5, 21-43.
And when JEsus was come over again in a ship, much people gathered unto him, and were by the sea. And, behold, there came one of the rulers of the synagogue, named Jairus. And when he saw him, he fell down at his feet, and besought him greatly, saying, My daughter is in her last days: come, lay thine hand upon her, that she may be healed and live. And he went with him; and there followed him many people, and they pressed him. And there was a woman, which had the issue of blood.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
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She had twelve years, and had suffered much from many physicians, and had consumed all her goods, and it helped her nothing, but rather it became worse with her. When she heard of Jesus, she came up behind the people and touched his garment. For she said, If I but touch his garment, I shall be healed. And immediately the fountain of her blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her plague. And Jesus immediately felt in himself the power that had gone out from him, and turned to the people and said, "Who has touched my clothes? And the disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about for her that had done this thing. But the woman was afraid and trembled (for she knew what had happened to her), and came and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. And he said unto her, My daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. While he was still speaking in this way, some of the servants of the ruler of the synagogue came and said: Thy daughter is dead; why troubleest thou the Master further? But Jesus soon heard the words that were spoken, and said unto the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not; believe only. And let no man follow him, save Peter, and Jacob, and John the brother of Jacob. And he came into the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw the tumult, and them weeping and wailing very much. And he went in, and said unto them: Why do ye tumult and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep. And they laughed him to scorn. And he drove them all out, and took with him the father of the child, and the mother, and they that were with him, and went in where the child lay. And he took the child by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha kumi, that is interpreted, maid, I say unto thee, arise: and straightway the maid arose, and walked: and she was twelve years old. And they were amazed beyond measure. And he forbade them sternly, that no man should know it, and told them to give her to eat.
In today's Gospel your love hears of two miracles, both great and excellent. The first, of the sick woman who has such a firm faith in the Lord Jesus that she hopes that if she would only touch his garment secretly, without his knowledge, she would get well as soon as she touched it. The other, from the head of the school, who also believes that although his daughter has died, the Lord can give her life again. In both miraculous works, then, faith is praised excellently, as an example to us, because faith in Christ accomplishes such great things that we allow ourselves to be stirred up by it, and also like to find ourselves with this man, to whom no one has ever thought of anything good that would not certainly have happened to him, as he believed.
The first story is about the poor woman who had a dangerous, serious illness. Marcus says in particular that she had consumed all her possessions among the physicians, for she had had this plague for twelve whole years, and had grown worse with it from day to day; that it is a wonder that she was able to endure it so long; and yet she is so easily helped by the Lord: that she does no more than, as she has heard, that some have been healed who only had his clothing.
When she had touched his garment, she thought she would get well that way; therefore, she went to the Lord among the people, but she was not allowed to ask him for it, but because of her great humility, she thought she would steal it from him secretly and touched his garment. Immediately, as she had believed, her cause was better, and the sickness subsided, since she had previously had so much trouble with it, had dared so much expense on it, and had tried all kinds of things, but in vain and in vain, yes, even with her great harm. For, as Marcus says, the longer it lasted, the worse it became with her.
3 Here it is especially to be noted that the Lord does not want to let such help steal away so that no one should know about it, but asks who touched him? The apostles thought this was a foolish question, that he asked so exactly who had touched him, because the people were so crowded around him. But the Lord knew that was hidden from them. For it was not a bad touching with the hands; they touched him with the heart and firm trust in his grace and omnipotence. Therefore a special power went out from the Lord Jesus, which he felt. The Lord does not want to let such touching remain secret; so the woman drives us to an example with her questioning, so that
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She must come out and let herself be seen, and publicly confess to everyone everything that has happened to her, so that he may have cause to praise such faith, and teach us all how it is such a dear service to him, where we take comfort in his help and provide good things for him; for this reason he praises the woman very highly, and addresses her warmly: "Be of good cheer, my daughter, your faith has helped you. Then the disciples themselves must confess that the Lord had not asked in vain; it was not a bad touching, but something special, since the Lord and all of us are concerned.
4 But it is a strange speech that the Lord makes here, if we want to consider it. He confesses that a power has gone out from him. As the woman stands there before the Lord and confesses the good deed he has done her, the Lord does not let it be known that such power has gone out from him, but attributes it to the faith of this woman, since it was not she herself but the Lord who had helped her. The Lord does this to show us how much he enjoys it when you turn to him for help. As if to say, "Watch and learn to believe with confidence, whatever your need may be; for I would much rather help you than you can desire it. I would much rather deliver you from death than you have life. As he proves here with the work, since it happens so easily, and he lets the power go from him so gladly.
5 Therefore we should learn from such an example that we also believe and do all that is good for Christ in all our needs and concerns. But what happens? We hear about it in the sermons, we are told about it in our homes, we see his miracles that he still does every day, but faith does not follow. He who has his storehouse and cellar full believes, though hardly, that he will have enough to eat and drink for a year. He who is healthy believes that God can help him. But when we come into poverty and sickness, our faith is gone. We do nothing more than lament and cry out, and let ourselves believe that there is no help left anywhere, whether we are
We must hear every day that God will be gracious to us through Christ and gladly help us.
But how does this rhyme with this woman here, who has perhaps only heard once or twice about the Lord Christ and his miracles, and yet she attacks him with such strong faith that if the Lord Christ had been seated above all the heavens, she would have torn the heavens apart and brought him down with such faith that he would have had to help her. For, as I said, he cannot refuse help when it is sought from him with earnestness and right faith.
(7) Therefore, we are truly, let it be confessed to God, wretched people, who have God's word so abundantly, and yet will not come to faith. This is the fault of the devil and of our shameful old Adam. Otherwise, if we earnestly desire to be justified and saved, and to have what we need, we should also believe in Christ and hope for everything through him. For as we have heard, faith cannot fail. That is why the Lord praises it so much here, saying, "Your faith has helped you." The same faith in Christ will also help us, and raise us from the dead to life, overcome the devil, drive out sin, and make us blessed. Such works, though Christ does them, are called the works of faith. For without faith it cannot be done, as you know that Christ Himself, the holy sacraments, and the Word of God or the sermon do not help or benefit us apart from faith. Faith must do it, or it remains undone. This is the first miracle.
The other miracle is about the dead maiden, who was as old as Lucas says, when this woman had her illness. Now no one knew anything other than that the maiden would certainly die; therefore everything was already prepared, as one is wont to do with deceased people who are to be cared for. The whistlers were in the house; for the Jews had no bells, but just as we ring for the dead, so they had a funeral song trumpeted outside the door. Thus
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the people had gathered for the funeral procession, so that there was a great commotion and much going and coming in the house; as happens in such places where someone distinguished has died.
(9) Then the father of the little girl, since all the world has no more hope (for what can one humanly hope for when a man now dies), goes away with a strange, strange thought, that he hopes that if he has Christ, his daughter who has died may well come to life again. For his words testify to this. He falls down before the Lord and says: "Lord, my daughter has died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live again." For although Marcus and Lucas say that he came to Jesus while the daughter was still in the wings, yet they report that before Christ came into the house the maiden died, and finely indicate that the father nevertheless believed and kept such confidence in the Lord that he would help her and raise her from death. Who has seen or heard more strange people in his life? The woman, who despairs of all the world's help, thinks that she will get well if she can only come so close to the Lord that she touches a little corner of his skirt. And her thought does not fail; as she believes, so it happens to her. The father here, who had lost his daughter, thought that if the Lord would only lay his hand on the dead girl, she would live again.
Yes, you would like to speak, if it were a bad sleep, not the bitter death itself, one would like to do something with the hand. But no hand, no shaking, no pushing, no yelling, nor anything else will help, all is lost. So reason can and must think, and not otherwise. But the chief did not have such thoughts; otherwise he would have stayed at home and not followed the Lord Christ.
(11) But here we see once again how the Lord is so warmly pleased with such faith, which reason considers to be pure foolishness. For even though he had to deal with the necessary things and had a sharp disputation with John's disciples, regardless of all of this, as soon as he had this faith and
When he feels confident, he sets out after the chief, thinking that he must do as this man believes. Therefore, when he enters the house and sees that everything is prepared as for dead people, he fears that the misery will strike the father in the face, and other people's examples and unbelief will turn him away; he soon returns and comforts the father with words, and tells the people to leave the house who had gathered for the funeral. As if he wanted to say: You people, what are you doing here? Do you think you want to go with the corpse? Oh no, go to other places where someone has died, no one has died here; the maiden is only sleeping.
(12) No, say the others, it is not asleep, it is dead; therefore we are here, that we may bury it in the earth. You must not be wise to think that we do not know the difference between a man sleeping and a man dead. That is why the evangelist reports that they laughed at him and thought him a fool who did not know what sleep or death was. But the Lord rests on his opinion, and is further concerned only to prove by his work whether he is true or not. There is no one who agrees with him and believes it to be true, except the maiden's father. The Lord is satisfied, and for his own sake, that is, for the sake of his faith, he proves it with the work; otherwise, if the father had not had such faith, the little girl would certainly have remained dead and would not have slept. It is such an excellent thing about faith that one can provide something good for oneself to the Lord Christ.
(13) Therefore the Lord comes and takes hold of the little girl and shakes her a little with his hand, just as we do with a sleeping child when we want to wake it up. For thus the father believed; and the Lord will not do otherwise than the father believed. Soon the little girl wakes up, no differently than if she had lain in a fine, gentle sleep.
14 We should diligently remember these words, that the Lord says here, "The maiden is not dead, but sleepeth"; for they are comforting words, since, where they may be purchased, we shall be able to buy them.
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We should gladly do our utmost to keep, understand and believe them. For whoever could look at a dead man as if he were lying on a bed and sleeping; whoever could turn his face in this way and consider death a sleep: he would like to boast that he could perform a special art that no other man can do.
(15) But we know and see in ourselves and in other men, that the higher a man's reason is, the less he believes, and the more he laughs. As it is seen here, that they mock the Lord, and think, Should he bring the dead to life? He will not be in his right mind to think that a dead man sleeps and can be raised with one hand. So it goes; for God's wisdom is so high that it considers reason to be nothing but foolishness. For think thou, if a child had died unto thee, and I had said unto thee, Well, he hath not died; seest thou not that he sleepeth, and canst be awakened with one finger? then wouldst thou think that I mocked thee in thy misery, and wouldst say unto me, I should leave thee contented. These also have done the same to the Lord Christ.
(16) Therefore learn from today's gospel that death to the Lord Christ is nothing but a sleep, as we see here that he awakens the dead maiden with his hand, as from a sleep. The woman has her sickness, and yet she does not have it, because she comes to Christ. And the sickness is not a sickness to the Lord Christ. As the other example shows with the woman who was very sick, but as soon as she comes to Christ and touches his garment, the sickness must subside and go away.
(17) So the Lord shows himself in other troubles and afflictions also. The blind who seek help from him receive their sight, sinners are justified, and the lost are saved. He can deal with us in such a wonderful way. What he says is not only nothing before our eyes, but the very antithesis. Thus the damsel is dead in the sight of men, but in mine eyes, saith Christ, she liveth and sleepeth. David is a poor shepherd in his own eyes and in the eyes of all the world; but in the eyes of
To me he is a king. All of you who believe in me are poor sinners before you, but great saints before me, and like the angels of God. For it is no more to me than to do a word, sin, death, and sickness must depart, and righteousness, life, and health must be in their place. As I speak, so must it be done, and not otherwise, though it seem possible or impossible in the sight of the world. That is why our Lord God speaks such a strange word here, which is a great lie before the world, when he says of the little girl that she is not dead, but asleep. If he had only said that she was asleep, people might have said that it was the sleep of St. Michael, since one sleeps until the last day. But he says roundly: It is not dead, but it lives! Before you and in your eyes she is not alive, but before me she is alive. And that ye may see that it is true, I will awake her with one finger, as ye awake your children from sleep.
18 In sum, all this is to the effect that we should not look at our distress according to reason, with carnal eyes, but with Christian eyes. These are the eyes that, when they see death, sin, and hell, can surely say, "I see no death, I feel no sin, I am not condemned; but through Christ I see perfect holiness, life, and blessedness. So, when I am poor, I feel no poverty, methinks I have all things enough; for I have Christ, who is able to give me all the hours of my need, though I have nothing.
(19) If anyone had such eyes, he would boast that he had the eyes of a Christian; he would look at things far differently when the time is dear or when death is near, as the world does. In the time of trouble, everyone sees what he has in the cellar and on the floor; what he finds there is what he wants to find. If he finds much, he is happy; if he finds little, he is sad and wants to despair. So in death's throes, he who can flee flees, thinking he will be safe in other places. But a Christian who has a firm faith in Christ would think like this: "If I have a thousand pestilences in my body, if it were possible, I would not be afraid to die, because I would not be afraid to die.
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I have Christ. If it is his will, the pestilence shall harm me no more than a flea among the poor; it may eat and sting a little, but it cannot take away my life. And it is certain that whoever could grasp such a heart would remain safe and be in good spirits without fear. But because we do not believe and do not have such spiritual eyes, but look at all things with carnal eyes, we fear and tremble, and fall into foolish thoughts, as if we could escape the wrath of God for ten or twenty miles.
20 Now the Lord Christ testifies that even those who have died before our eyes, who are buried and have long since rotted, are alive to God. Therefore the Lord says in the Gospel, Matth. 22, 32: "It is written: I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; but God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living." Therefore Abraham, Isaac and Jacob must be alive and not dead, since they have lain in the earth for more than three thousand years and have long since turned to ashes, so that neither skin nor hair is left of them. But Christ strongly proves that they are alive. Cause: God must live it all, but for us it is all dead. For the world and reason cannot see other than death. But the eyes of the Christians should see that they do not see and only hear in the word; as here the father and Christ look at the dead maiden.
Twenty-one: As I have spoken of death, so it is with sin. I am to know and confess that I am a sinner, and yet I am to believe and hope in true holiness and righteousness. For there is the word of our Lord Christ in baptism, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved"; item, in the Lord's Supper, "Effet, this is my body, which is given for you; drink, this is my blood, which is shed for you for the remission of sins." I should believe this word to be true, and even though I see and feel the contradiction in myself, I should not turn to it, but only look at the word and listen to what it says to me. So when thou seest a Christian dying, thine eyes behold a dead man; but close such cow's eyes, and put away the
spiritual eyes that look on the word; then you will find that such a man is not dead, but lives before God. For there is the word of Christ, "He that believeth on me shall never see death."
(22) We are to learn from today's gospel that all calamities, however great they may be in your sight, are less than nothing in the sight of our Lord Christ. For if death be nothing in a Christian, blindness, leprosy, pestilence, and other diseases shall be still less and less. Therefore, if thou seest sin, sickness, poverty, or any other thing in thee, be not dismayed; shut thine eyes of the flesh, and open thine eyes of the spirit, and say, I am a Christian, and have a Lord, who with a word is able to control all this evil: why then should I trouble myself about it? For it is certain that just as easily as Christ helped this maiden from the bodily death in which she lay, so easily will he help us, if we will only believe and turn to him for help.
(23) Now we should also consider here that this maiden is not helped by her faith (for he that is dead believeth not, neither heareth or seeth); but her father believeth, and is such a stranger. faith so powerful that it comes to life again. For as Christ says, all things are possible to faith. So a mighty thing is it about faith. Let it be a thing so great that if thou canst believe it, and if thou canst provide thyself unto Christ, it shall be yea; and neither devil nor death shall be so strong as to hinder it. As we see in the two miraculous works here, they are held up to us for this reason, and faith is therefore so highly praised by the Lord Christ Himself, that He incites us to see the creature much differently before God than before us.
(24) Therefore, whether we appear to ourselves poor and dead, in sins, sick with pestilence or other diseases, let us believe that in the sight of God there is much else, and cheerfully say, "Though there be poverty, pestilence, and death, yet, as a Christian, I know not of any poverty, death, or pestilence; for in the sight of my Lord Christ there is fullness of riches, health, and happiness.
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holiness and life. But if I do not yet see it, if it is only for a word, I will also see with my own eyes that it is true, and it will certainly be so. God grant us, for the sake of Christ our Savior
and of His Son, by His Holy Spirit also such spiritual eyes, that we may look upon all calamities other than the world, and retain such consolation, and at last be saved, amen.
On the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity.
Matth. 24, 15-28.
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, that it shall stand in the holy place, then let him that is in the land of Judah flee unto the mountains. And he that is on the housetop, let him not go down to fetch anything out of his house; and he that is in the field, let him not turn back to fetch his garments. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that lie with suckling in those days. But pray that your flight be not in winter, or on the sabbath day. For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be. And if these days were not shortened, no man would be saved; but for the elect's sake the days are shortened. If then any man shall say unto you, Behold, here is Christ, or there, believe it not. For false Christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall shew great signs and wonders, to deceive (where it is possible) even the elect. Behold, I have told you before. Therefore, when they shall say unto you: Behold, he is in the wilderness, go not out; behold, he is in the chamber, believe it not. For as the lightning goeth forth from the going forth, and shineth even unto the going down; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. But where there is carrion, there the eagles gather.
(1) In today's Gospel there are mainly two pieces. The first is a warning for the devout Christians who are to experience the destruction of Jerusalem, that they should know this beforehand and make themselves scarce and flee from it. The other is a warning especially for our last days, when we are in danger, because such terrible and horrible errors will occur, that we should be prepared for them, hold to the right doctrine, and beware of false prophets. Both warnings are necessary and useful to us; therefore let us diligently take them before us.
(2) Even though the first one refers only to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, and is now almost five and a half hundred years old, we can still learn a useful and comforting lesson from it: that we should learn to love and value God's word, and that we should be rightly prepared for it, since God has thus punished with great wrath the contempt of the word against His own people. For as your love on the tenth
Sunday after Trinity, it was a miserable trade beyond measure. For the Romans came to the city at that time, when the Jews from all countries went in crowds to Jerusalem for the Easter feast; that, as Josephus writes, there were about thirty times a hundred thousand people there.
Now such a large crowd cannot remain healthy for long in such a narrow place; therefore the three main plagues came together: the enemy around the city with war and in the city the pestilence, item, a severe, cruel theurge that some mothers strangled their children and cooked and ate them like other meat. About all this there was a terrible disagreement among the Jews in the city. And Josephus numbered that in the time of the siege and conquest of the city ten times a hundred thousand men were slain and died, and ninety and seven thousand were taken captives. And the captive Jews were so worthless,
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that thirty of them were sold for half a penny. Therefore it is not a forgiven word that the Lord says here of such a siege and destruction that there was no such great tribulation from the beginning of the world, and that there will be none like it hereafter.
(4) Such misery should be held up to the common man yearly, so that we may all consider it carefully at the same time, and look all the more diligently at what this sin is that has caused such terrible misery, so that we may learn to beware of it. For the calculation is easy to make: if God did not spare His own people when they fell into sin, He will certainly not spare ours either, if we will not abstain from such sin.
Now it is true that disobedience, murder, adultery, avarice, theft and other such sins also move God, where one does not want to desist from them, that he must punish. But there are still merciful punishments against these. God does not take away everything, but leaves something. And as we see in the histories, he usually leaves more than he takes. But here he takes everything together. Therefore, this must be an immeasurably greater sin than the other, since the punishment is so great and terrible. What is the name of this sin? Christ calls it Luc. 19, 44. "This," he says of Jerusalem, "will happen to you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation"; that is, when God sends His word and the world does not want to accept it, but still persecutes and wilfully continues in sins, this is Jerusalem's sin, where destruction and desolation must follow. For how faithfully God meant it with them, one can see: he sent his prophets, John, finally his only begotten son himself and the apostles. All of these are primarily concerned with showing people the right path to eternal life, and to teach them how to lead their temporal life in such a way that they can have a good conscience and God's grace and blessing.
(6) But what do Jerusalem and all the world do? She does not want to know or hear about the salvation and teaching of our Lord Christ, and not only strangles the apostles, but also the apostles themselves.
the Son of God Himself, and makes believe that they want to be saved without Him and His teachings. It is impossible that God should laugh at this and not be vehemently angry about it. For think, if you had many thousands of florins, and saw a poor beggar, and thought to help him, and sent your son to him, and told him to come to you, and that you would help him out of all distress, and make a rich man of him; but he being such a desperate wicked wretch, slew your son, who brought him such good tidings, with a club to death: how do you think that such a thing would please you, and what kind of heart you would have toward him?
(7) Now this is the sin of the Jews, that they have deserved such great wrath and abominable punishment. We should learn to beware of this. For God does not like it, because he is so fatherly with us when he sends us his word, that we should despise or persecute it. With the kingdom of Israel it was the same, as Hosea says in Cap. 8, 3: "Israel rejects what is good; therefore the enemy must persecute them. For he who will not accept God's grace and word must remain in disgrace and error. It is impossible for it to last long; it must fall to the ground. For this very reason, all monarchies and kingdoms have always fallen, and still do.
Therefore, let us be on guard against despising the word of God with great diligence. The Jews strangled Christ and the apostles for the sake of the gospel. Today the papists also strangle the poor Christians, and intend to suppress the word by force. We do not do it so roughly on our side yet, praise God! We would not like to be deprived of the Word; but nevertheless we see how in other ways the Word, though not persecuted, is despised among us. For God will have little pleasure in it, even if you go to the sermon and yet hear in such a way that it goes in one ear and out the other, and you do not improve in the least. For this very reason God has you preach that you may establish your heart against sin and death through the death of Christ, and a godly heart,
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You are to lead an unruly life. Because you are walking along, letting avarice, fornication, anger, envy, pride and other sins grow from day to day, just as if God were doing you a service, or if God had not forbidden you to do so: God will certainly not accept such things otherwise than for great contempt, and in His time will punish you far more horribly than you can now remember.
(9) Therefore, we should never let such an image of wrath leave our eyes and hearts, so that we may learn God's word with earnestness and righteousness, and amend ourselves from it; for this is why it is preached. But those who do not mend their ways, but either despise the word or persecute it, may learn here what sorrow will come upon them. For if God has not given His people such contempt and persecution, you must not think that God will give it to you.
- For we see not only the kingdom of Israel, Judah, and then the holy city of Jerusalem lying in ashes before us because of such sin; But before our eyes are all Asia, Syria, Egypt, Grecia, Macedonia and other countries as far as Austria, where the Word of God has dwelt abundantly, but now that the Turk has come in, everything has been laid waste, and the people have lost not only body and goods, but also their souls; because the Word of God has been lost everywhere, and no baptism, no sacrament is left in the places. They have earned such misery by not keeping the gospel faithfully, and by dropping the right doctrine and despising it. Let us beware of this. For it is not far off that we will also see such things in our papists, who so persecute God's word and so stubbornly hold on to idolatry. Therefore, it is high time to amend and repent. For once the wrath of God is incurred, it cannot be quenched in such sin; as we see in the example of the Jews.
(11) Now not only should such terrible wrath deter us from this sin, but we should also be enticed by this friendly warning that we should earnestly keep God's word and diligently listen to it and improve ourselves from it. For here it says both.
The Jews, who did not want the word, are punished in the most horrible way. But those who accept Christ and believe in him enjoy the Lord Christ and their faith also in that they are so faithfully warned against such affliction and escape it. And that is even more, Daniel had to show the mark and sign longer than five hundred years before for the sake of such Christians, so that they would be warned soon enough and saved sooner.
(12) It had been unequal hitherto. The blind, obstinate Jews exercised all courage against the word, and were masters of it, sitting in the regiment. On the other hand, the poor Christians had to suffer everywhere, and were nowhere safe in life or limb. But it lasted only a while. For when God's wrath came, the pious were saved, but the wicked were made to suffer. Because the wicked did not want to take Christ for their teacher, promised by Moses, Deut. 18, who was to proclaim and show them the way to eternal life and blessedness, they did not have to believe him either, since he preached of the wrath to come. But the believing Christians trusted Christ with their souls and salvation. Therefore they were also preserved bodily from the wrath. For as soon as it came to pass that all kinds of wantonness got the upper hand, and especially the right worship together with the pure doctrine had fallen, which is the right and greatest abomination; and the Roman emperors set their idols and flags in the temple in the places where the mercy seat and the highest sanctuary of the Jews stood, then the devout Christians could well know that it was time for them to get out of the dust and flee to other countries. So now Christ wants to reward his own who accept his word with faith and become more devout, that he wants to warn them and protect them from the wrath of God.
(13) This, I say, should entice us to be all the more diligent in keeping the word and to hear it with great earnestness. Unfortunately, we have fallen into a dangerous time because of our sins and wickedness. The Turk is on our backs and is an enemy we will never escape if we do not change our ways.
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to the cause. Therefore, we have neither seals nor letters to ensure that we will not suffer the same fate as the Hungarians and that our wife and child will not be taken prisoner with us to Turkey. This is how it is with death runs, with theurung and disunity among us even in Germany. Such ruthlessness is bound to no one but the godless despisers and persecutors of the Word; to them it will also be granted. But those who love and esteem God's word, hear it earnestly, amend themselves from it, and forsake all days of sin and the old Adam, do not follow the evil example of the wicked world, but keep themselves in check, and think: Behold, thou art a Christian, thou hearest how God is so hostile to avarice and all unrighteousness; why wouldst thou, for the sake of a debt, leave God's obedience and word behind? should you not sooner and rather give ten guilders freely in vain for the sake of God, than with one guilder unjustly gained weigh down your soul and anger God 2c. ? - Such people, I say, who take the word seriously, and put their heart and trust in God's goodness through Christ, and keep themselves from sinning: they shall enjoy such piety; otherwise all others must suffer evil because of their sins.
14 Therefore we see that Daniel and his companions, who were God-fearing and did not wantonly commit sins among the Gentiles, even though they were caught, nevertheless had a far more miserable prison than other ungodly Jews. Yes, that is more, God exalted them among their enemies, so that they became great lords and did much good among the Gentiles. So remember that if you are devout and God-fearing, God will keep you also, and you will enjoy it and be preserved, even if you are alone in the midst of Turkey. This is what we should learn, and for this reason we should gladly be pious and follow God's word.
(15) Now Christ adds a little word here, which we must not leave undone. "Pray," saith he, "that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the sabbath day." For in winter it is very evil to wander in snow and thunderstorms; so the Jews had
a special command that they were not allowed to go on the Sabbath, if they wanted to; as you can see that iter sabbathi, a Sabbath journey, was a small way, barely a quarter of a mile. For this, Christ now says, ask. He wants to indicate and teach us that we should not only hear God's word gladly and diligently, but also pray; and that such prayer will cause and drive God to consider us and give us happiness and salvation for our sake.
(16) Therefore, in so much trouble and distress, especially in these perilous times, we should not let a day go by; we should ask God for protection and protection, so that he will be with us, protect us and keep us in all distress. Just as Christ remembers the daily bread in the Lord's Prayer. For food and drink are not enough to sustain life and limb; we must also have peace, good and healthy weather, and the like. Therefore this petition includes all kinds of bodily needs, that God may protect us against the Turk, protect us from pestilence, give us good years and healthy fruits. Since Christ has called us to ask for such things, we should not doubt when we earnestly ask that God will graciously hear us and give us what we need in body and soul.
(17) This is the first part: that we should hear God's word gladly, improve ourselves from it, and not despise it or persecute it; since God punishes the despisers and persecutors so horribly, but again so graciously warns, protects and saves those who accept His word and are devout.
(18) The other part, I have said, is also a warning concerning our time and the last time. The Lord begins it by saying, "If these days were not shortened, no man would be saved; but for the elect's sake they will be shortened. These are very terrible words, which we should form in our hearts and keep the word all the more diligently. For it is not a matter, as with Jerusalem, of war and bloodshed; but of another, greater and higher, which is called error, unrighteous doctrine, and unrighteous worship, by which we not only perish for body and soul, but also for the sake of the elect.
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life, but for the soul and salvation. As the Lord says: No man would be blessed unless the days were shortened.
(19) But whether such blindness will still be present before the last day comes cannot really be known. But when we look behind us, we find such great blindness, and such abominable and, as Paul calls it, powerful errors, that certainly (if God had not come in with the light of his word) no man could have been saved, except the little innocent children, who died after their baptism, before they came to reason and their days. For what of Christ, of the forgiveness of sins, of righteousness, of the consolation of the conscience, did one have in the priesthood that one could have held on to? Again, how shameful errors and blasphemous lies have been driven into the poor people under the name of truth, in which they have put their trust and hope of salvation? Therefore I think that this prophecy of our Lord Christ about future errors has already been fulfilled for the most part. For although error and darkness are still present, they cannot be greater than they already were in the papacy, as we have seen, and their books still exist and testify to this. Moreover, we can ever doubt nothing at all of the words of Christ; for he gives the child a name, and says what errors there will be. "False Christs and false prophets shall arise," he says, "and shall shew great signs and wonders, that the elect also may be deceived into error."
20 Now it is unnecessary to make a distinction here between false Christians and false prophets. But because such prophecy corresponds so exactly with the history, one can distinguish it without driving, and point the false Christians to the Turk and his faith, but the false prophets to the pope and his teachings. For these two regiments, Pabst's and the Turk's, are without doubt the real anti-Christ, since Daniel, Christ, Paul, John and other apostles have warned us against them. For the faith of the Turks is nothing else, because they believe the
They think that the true Christ, the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in the flesh, is not a Christian, and they put the wretched Mahomet in his place. For thus they believe that Christ was a prophet, who was of some value in his time, but that he was not God. Therefore, what the Christians believe that they should have through Christ, one must believe from Mahomet; he will make them blessed, and is God's favorite prophet, above Moses, Abraham, Christ and all others. Such blasphemous teachings and horrible lies have almost torn away and deceived most and the largest part of the whole world; as you can see, all of Egypt, Syria, Asia, Grecia, Macedonia, and many more countries have such faith, live and die in it, that they do not want Christ, and put their trust in the devil Mahomet.
The pope does not do this; he lets Christ remain the Son of God and the true eternal God, he does not make another Christian. But he falsifies the doctrine of Christ; for what we should believe in Christ and hope and wait for by his merit alone, that, he teaches, we should hope and wait for by the saints' merit, intercession, and our own work; just as, for the sake of such trust, there was neither measure nor end to the service of God in the papacy. For there the doctrine has been absolutely as the Lord says here: "Behold, here is Christ; behold, there is Christ. Behold, he is in the wilderness; behold, he is in the chamber." For why have monks and nuns run to the monasteries? Why did the one become a priest, the other a hermit? Why did they go on pilgrimages? Why did they say mass, hear mass, offer mass? Because all the world was convinced that one would find Christ, that is, God's grace, forgiveness of sins, eternal life and blessedness.
22 Therefore Christ warns most of all against the Antichrist, who makes no other Christ, nor denies Christ as the Turk does; and yet by false doctrine of the true Christ points to the creature and his own work, saying, Believe not, that is, be not pointed to any such thing; abide with me, and hold to my doctrine, to my works.
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works and my merit alone, nothing shall harm you.
But what has happened? The Lord Christ and his faithful, diligent warning, as we hear here, were not lacking. "Behold," says the Lord, "I have told you before." It was all our fault that we did not heed this warning and went blindly and believed as we were told, even though the Lord specifically forbids this, saying, "Do not believe, even though you will see miracles and signs. For the signs and wonders that are right agree with the word of our Lord Christ, and do not turn away from the word. But the devil also performs miraculous signs, as Christ testifies here and warns against. And Paul calls them lying signs, so that the lies are confirmed and the people are led away from the truth and the word. So the Turks still boast today of many miracles of their Mahomet, which he did and still does. I believe that some of them are true miracles, but that not God but the devil does them to confirm their error.
(24) Thus all the churches are full of miraculous signs in the papacy, since the Holy One has done one thing and the other another. Although they may have lied and said more than has been done, we cannot deny that many miraculous signs have been performed. For Christ himself says here that the false Christs and false prophets will perform great miracles and signs, which are intended to deceive people and make them believe such lies and falsehoods to be true. But God does not perform such signs, but the devil does; we are not to believe him.
(25) Here you may consider what the right doctrine is based on, from which one should not depart. Notice, then, that right doctrine does nothing but point out and present Christ to you, so that through him you may comfort your heart against sin and death. This is what happens when we are taught to believe that Christ is the true, eternal, almighty God, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and that he came to us on earth by the Holy Spirit.
and born of the Virgin Mary into this world. Finally, he died on the cross, not for his sins, for he, as God, could not sin, but for our sins, so that God might be satisfied by such death and our sins paid, and so that through the resurrection of the Lord Christ from the dead we might also come to eternal life. That therefore Christ has overcome sin and death for our good, that sin and death should not harm us; and now sits at the right hand of God, that he will protect us against the devil, grace us with his spirit and hear us in all that we need in body and soul and ask in his name. This is preached by Christa and rhymes with the word everywhere; therefore, one must not worry about the Counter-Christ and his lies.
(26) For it follows first of all that this teaching, when it strikes the heart, drives people to praise God's grace and goodness, to love God with all their hearts, and to think how they can live to please such a gracious God. So they begin to do from the heart everything that they know God has commanded, and seriously guard against everything that they know God has forbidden. These are fine, pious and holy Christians who have forgiveness of sins through faith, and keep themselves in fear and obedience to God.
For this reason Christ so diligently exhorts us to abide in this doctrine, and not to be persuaded otherwise. And he promises that he will not be shut up in any other place, but will be and remain with us everywhere with his word and grace. Therefore, although it is terrible that such a great error, darkness and seduction should come upon the world, it is still comforting that he says: "Where the carrion is, there will the eagles be found," that is, my Christian church shall remain with me. Even if the devil, the Turk and the pope become as evil and powerful as they are, they shall not harm my Christians who thus keep my word. May our gracious God in heaven, through His Holy Spirit, grant this to us all for the sake of Christ, our dear Lord and His Son, amen.
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On the twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity.
John 6:1-15.
After this, Jesus sailed across the sea from the city of Tiberias in Galilee. And great multitudes followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were sick. And JEsus went up into a mountain, and sat there with his disciples. Now the feast of the Jews, Easter, was at hand. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and behold, a great multitude come unto him, and saith unto Philip, Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat? (This he said to tempt him, for he knew well what he would do). Philip answered him, Two hundred pennies worth of bread is not enough for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Peter's brother Simonis, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what is this among so many? And Jesus said, Make the people lie down. And there was much grass in the place. And about five thousand men encamped there. And JEsus took the loaves, and gave thanks, and gave to the disciples; and the disciples to them that were encamped; and to them also of the fishes, as much as he would. And when they were full, he said unto his disciples, Gather the fragments that remain, that nothing perish. So they gathered, and filled twelve baskets with fragments, of the five barley loaves that remained for those who had been fed. When the people saw the sign that Jesus had done, they said: This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him, that they might make him king, he departed again into the mountain by himself.
You will find the interpretation on Sunday Lätare at midfast. See above Col. 276 ff.
To the Christian reader.*)
This following Gospel with its interpretation may be read and preached at an appropriate time during the year. Here in our churches, on the Sundays before Advent, if one, two, or three (which is quite rare) are longer than the 24th Sunday after Trinity, we use to read and preach the Gospels and Epistles of the other future of our dear Lord Jesus Christ on the Last Day, as they are written in the Church Postil.
And is well thought of and ordered that one
*) Addition of the edition c. D. Red.
preach at this or another time of the year about the last day, which is now, if God wills, at the door, so that some hearts will be improved by it. For most of the people, and the greatest of them, are pretending and pretending as if the last day will never come and they will live here forever; for this reason, they are becoming secure and nefarious, taking care only of how they can get great honor and wealth here and live in security, joy and pleasure. But it will come to an evil end; they will not believe this (although Christ has faithfully warned them of this, Luke 21) until they rise up in the abyss of hell.
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On the twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity.
Matth. 5, 1-12.
And when he saw the people, he went up into a mountain, and sat down; and his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are they which are poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, when they lie against you, for my sake. Be glad and of good cheer, for you will be well rewarded in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.
This gospel was preached in the papacy on All Saints' Day, and was not ill-intentioned, if only it had been understood correctly and applied to the living saints, that is, to the true Christians here on earth.
2 For the sum of it is this, that our dear Lord Christ here tells us what he has for disciples, how they should fare in the world, and what they should hope for. "Such teaching is not for the dead saints, of whom we have nothing here on earth to enjoy; but for all of us who are still alive here on earth, and have the blessed hope of eternal life still before us; that we may learn how to keep ourselves, and what we should hope for and comfort ourselves. For we must pay special attention to the little word that the evangelist reports: His disciples sat down with the Lord Jesus, and he talked with them. As Lucas especially reports: "The Lord Jesus lifted up his eyes upon his disciples, and said, Blessed are ye poor" 2c. Therefore, whoever hears this gospel, let him learn here, if he wants to be a disciple of Christ, how it must be with him, how he must keep himself and how he must comfort himself. Now Matthew summarizes in eight different qualities that will be found in all Christians, if they want to be true Christians or disciples of Christ
The first property is:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(3) First of all, we must not be mistaken that Lucas merely says: "Blessed are you poor"; but Matthew adds: "you who are poor in spirit"; for it is the same opinion; and it is the same that Christ says Matthew 11:5: "The poor have the gospel preached to them"; and Paul 1 Corinthians 1:27.The poor have the gospel preached to them"; and Paul 1 Cor. 1, 27: "What is foolish in the sight of the world, God hath put to shame; and what is weak in the sight of the world, and despised, God hath put to shame that which is strong. And that which is base in the sight of the world, and that which is despised, God hath chosen, and that which is nothing, to destroy that which is something, that no flesh should glory in his sight." As Christ also says in the parable of the kingdom of heaven, that those who have plots of land and oxen, and send themselves to the care of the house, will not come to the banquet. But the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, who are found in the streets and lanes of the city, come. They are those who are lying on the roads and fences, because they are required to attend this supper.
(4) For the gospel is such a preaching that rich, worldly, mighty men think they have cause not to receive it, because they have had enough before. And because the gospel brings with it the cross and all kinds of hardships, they do not think of putting their own at risk for the sake of such preaching. On the other hand, the poor wretch, who has no other consolation on earth, the wretched wretch,
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abandoned, despised, troubled and weary, will be glad to hear in the Gospel that they have a gracious God in heaven, even if they have nothing or even little on earth. These are the poor, as Lucas speaks of them.
5 Now we learn that even among the poor there are many unholy bad boys, who are in a bad way because they are naughty, do not respect God's word, lead a frivolous, angry life, and because of this can never get on a green branch. On the other hand, you can find rich people who are good Christians, who like to hear God's word, who lead a godly life, and who do a lot of good for poor people. Therefore the Lord does not leave it at that, that he says: "Blessed are you poor", but adds: "Blessed are those who are poor in spirit" or "spiritually poor"; "for such is surely", as Christ says here with round words, "the kingdom of heaven".
(6) But what is this spiritual poverty? We can learn it very well from the opposite and from the example of the world: it lives in such a way that everyone must think it is very rich in spirit. For there is the greatest security, as if they should not worry about anyone, even though they live in all kinds of sin and shame. As can be seen from the Pharisees in the Gospel, John and Christ are at loggerheads with them for no other reason than that they let themselves think that they were pious, that they had a gracious God, to whom they sat in the lap 2c. Such people are rich in spirit, that is, they make themselves believe that they have everything enough and do not need grace. Therefore they are in good spirits, they do not let anything go to their hearts, they do not live any differently than if they had seals and letters, they would be satisfied with God in all things, and God would be satisfied with them. For this reason they let themselves think that they are happy people. But in truth, they are absolutely wretched people who will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven if they do not convert.
7 But these, says the Lord, belong in heaven who are spiritually poor, that is, who are not secure, who have God before their eyes, who do not live in the wind as the betters do, but take heed to all their doings and to all their actions.
Let it be, let it be fine against the word, and see how the nature is so corrupted by sin that it will nowhere follow with right obedience. Before we look around, we are in anger, hatred, envy, impatience, and all kinds of spiritual misery. When the punishment comes, as it does not remain outside, then it arises first of all that one laments, fears and worries, and would like to have a merciful God, and to be free of both sins and punishment. Such a heart that has neither day nor night rest for the sake of its sins and the future judgment of God is called a poor spirit, or a spiritually poor heart; there is not much joy and laughter in it. That is why the betting judges it to be a wicked, unholy thing. Again, it considers it a blessed thing where there is no such fear and anguish, since mens soluta curis (a carefree spirit) is.
008 But Christ saith, My disciples shall be such men as have foolish, weak, and anxious hearts. They see what they ought to do, but it will not come to pass, and every day, yea, almost every hour and moment, a new evil is found, that now the devil is here, now there he falleth them. This, says the Lord, does no harm; let the bet be safe and go on as if no water had ever made it turbid. But you, my Christians, if you go along thinking as if you were the greatest sinners, good for you, for you are on the right path to heaven. For he who knows his sin desires mercy; he who fears death and hell rejoices in life and heaven. Therefore you are blessed people, but those who live so securely are unblessed. So to be spiritually poor is nothing else than to have a broken and troubled heart and spirit because of sins and inherent weakness. God wants to dwell there, as Isaiah chapter 66 says, that is, He wants to comfort with His grace, not to make people despondent in such distresses, but to let the Lord Christ shine into such hearts through His holy gospel, so that they may have comfort and joy and inherit the kingdom of heaven.
(9) Now this is the first characteristic of Christians, or true disciples of Christ, that they are spiritually poor, that is, they live in God's
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fear, are not sure, would like to be pious; and yet see that the devil and the flesh are always in their way: this makes them stupid, frightened and fainthearted. Do not be afraid of this, says Christ. You may think yourselves wretched people, who have to carry such sorrow and grief in your hearts day and night; but believe me: blessed are you, yours is the kingdom of heaven; while others must go down to hell to the devil, who live in all security, like cattle, and would not even think about how they would stand with God, and could give an account of their life, deeds and omissions on the last day. Therefore, it is not a bad sign if you stand in the fear of God, recognize your sin, would like to be pious, worry about your sin and disobedience, yes, you are blessed. Therefore, beware that you would think otherwise, for it says here that the disciples of Christ are such people who are poor in spirit, that is, who have anxious, sorrowful hearts because of their sins. Whereas all the world, though drowned in the midst of sins, passes through freely and securely, caring for nothing: therefore they are wretched people. This is the first comfort and the first characteristic of Christ's disciples.
The other feature is:
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
- to bear sorrow does not mean, as we commonly use, to dress in black, where a dear friend, wife, child 2c. has passed away with death; but it means to be sorrowful, to weep, to be miserable, and to have misfortune because of a particular accident that happens to the body, to the property, to the wife, child, servants, and others. For this is how Lucas explains it: "Blessed are you who weep here, for you will laugh.
(11) Now this is another characteristic of Christians, that they not only have a frightened, stupid heart, but also wet eyes, because they encounter all kinds of accidents. For since both the devil and the world are fiercely hostile to the Christians, it is not possible that such enmity could pass off without all harm. There the devil shoots with pestilence and other diseases; there with fire,
with waters, with hail, because mischief follows from the food; there he arouses evil people, who do such damage also to the body and property. In sum, no one can tell what evil the devil and evil men do to Christians. Now they are human beings, having flesh and blood; therefore it is not possible that they should laugh at this. They are tormented, forced and driven so long that their eyes go out. For be it harm to body or goods, it hurts, the flesh does not leave its kind.
(12) Then the world again judges Christians to be wretched people, that they must suffer and be tortured. Again, the world considers them blessed people, who have no offense at all, who are strong and have a healthy body, who are well fed, who find abundance everywhere, and have all the pleasure of wife, child and servants, as it says in the 144th Psalm. So the world likes it, so it also wants to have it; and honestly strives for it, where it would go differently, that it could create advice for itself.
13 But what does Christ say? First of all, it is decided that the true disciples of Christ will not be people who always laugh; there will be so much misfortune that their eyes will glaze over, that is decided. Therefore, whoever wants to be a Christian may willingly enter into such a journey. But whoever wants to have good days, always laugh and be happy and not cry, let him stop being a Christian in time, because Christians are supposed to cry.
14 But beware with all diligence, that thou thinkest Christians wretched because they mourn: but hear what Christ thinketh of them, saying, Blessed are they that mourn and weep. How may this come? For where there is evil, where there is weeping and mourning, there can never be blessedness. Blessedness means joy; but where there is weeping, there is nothing but sorrow. This is true, says Christ, but only for a time. For it shall be so with my Christians: if they weep here, and are sorrowful and sad, it shall not remain so long; they shall be comforted again. Therefore, it is not right to look at the present. Whoever wants to judge rightly about Christians and unbelievers, must look to the future:
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The world has joy, but it is not only a short, bad joy that can soon vanish, but such joy is followed by eternal sorrow. What will you now judge of the world? Will you consider it blessed for the sake of its laughter and short dance? No, truly. Again, the Christians bear sorrow, they weep, they are in misery: but look to the future, it is said, "Blessed are they; for they shall be comforted." As we see in the Lazaro and rich man. The rich man was considered by all the world to be a blessed man, for he had everything his heart desired. But how long did it last? Since he died, such laughter and joy was followed by eternal weeping and sorrow. Lazarus, on the other hand, took evil here, as Abraham says, it was very bad for him; but he was comforted afterwards for eternity.
(15) So we should judge not by what is present, but by what is to come; then the cross and suffering would become small to us. Nor would we consider ourselves wretched people because we have to suffer much tribulation and misfortune here; but, as Christ says here, we would consider ourselves blessed people, yes, we would give thanks that he so fatherly visits us and gives us cause, through temporal misfortune, to think of the future and eternal consolation. Others, on the other hand, who have enough here and no offense, forget such eternal consolation and are truly wretched people, with all the honors and goods they have. This is the other characteristic of Christ's disciples, that they not only suffer and weep because of sin, God's wrath and judgment; but they also have wet eyes because of all kinds of bodily accidents and adversities. By these two characteristics, Christians are easily recognized.
Now follows the third :
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
The Lord has summed it up very well and precisely, how it is with real Christians, how it is with them, and how they should comfort themselves. The world does the same: when it is in a bad way, it can't help it, its eyes glaze over and it feels bad. But through
search your heart, and see what thoughts you find there. There you will find such weeping, which is nothing but malice or weeping in anger; which comes not because the hurt hurts so much, but because she cannot avenge herself nor cool her temper as she would like. Such an angry, vengeful heart, says Christ here, you will not find among my disciples. They weep, like the pious little children, only because their harm hurts them. But on the other hand, they have a gentle heart, they do not intend to take revenge, they command God and let it go that way; because God has decreed it, they will gladly suffer it until he provides counsel and help.
(17) But what follows where such a heart is? This, that they will possess the earth; that is, because they place all vengeance in God's hands, God will protect them and guard them, and will place His blessing on them in such a way that the pride and arrogance of the wicked will not harm them. As can be seen in examples. Joseph's brothers were very angry with him, and all their attempts were to oppress him so that he would not get over himself. What did the pious child do? He could not and would not take revenge, so he ordered God to do so and patiently suffered what God had told him to suffer. God looked upon him and exalted him, so that he became lord over all his brothers, and God gave him a rich and great inheritance. This would not have happened if he had not suffered such opposition from his brothers. So the people of Israel in Egypt were greatly afflicted and oppressed by the tyrant Pharaoh, who intended to subdue them so that they would no longer be above him. But Pharaoh and Egypt had to go down; the poor oppressed people, whom God commanded to take vengeance, had to come forth, and the Gentiles to strike out for the land and possess the earth.
18 The Lord also comforts us here: "You, my disciples, must be oppressed in the world, but beware that you do not become disobedient, but keep a gentle heart and bring vengeance home to me. In this way, your enemies who want to oppress you will perish, but you will remain my heirs and lords in the land.
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We should hold on to such comfort and not be so afraid of the tyrants who want to take life and limb, goods and everything. They should leave it alone, if we only look to God, who can save and protect us. But they must go down, for they are wicked people.
20 Here learn and consider what a miserable, harmful thing it is for a vengeful heart. Otherwise, when you patiently entrust your cause to God, God would save and protect you and make your cause the best: through such vengefulness, you stand in your own light, and willingly deprive yourself of the treasure you could have from God.
(21) Therefore the judgment is reversed here: Those who have great power and authority, and can defend themselves and protect themselves, the world considers to be blessed. But they are wretched. If they have something, let them have it; they will not possess the earth. On the other hand, those who have a gentle heart, suffer in patience what God sends them, and wait for God's vengeance, until He looks in and forbids the wicked: they are the ones (the tyrants do what they want about them) who shall nevertheless inherit the earth; as we have heard from Joseph and the poor Jews in Egypt.
22 We see the same example in David. He was chased away from the land by his biological son. David saw well the punishment he had earned; therefore he suffered it patiently and waited for God's help. The help did not fail to come, so that David returned to the land; but the rebellious Absalom fell to the ground with his people. This is the third characteristic of Christ's disciples, that they are not vengeful, but wait in patience, with a gentle heart, for God's help in suffering.
The fourth property is:
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
(23) Here also Lucas leaves it badly, as above, that he says, "Blessed are ye that hunger here: for ye shall be filled." And is easy to understand; for it has just the opinion, as Mary sings in the Magnificat, "The hungry he filleth with goods, and the rich he leaveth empty." It concludes
But the gloss that Matthew adds to this is a fine one. For it is evident that there are many poor people who have barely enough dry bread; God leaves them in poverty so that they deserve it, and they themselves give cause for it, ask nothing about the sermon, are industrious in their work, and lead an annoying life. In this way they waste God's blessing, so that He cannot help them, even though He would like to; but must always continue with the punishment longer and harder, so that poverty, sickness and other misfortunes increase. Of such poor the Lord does not say that they are blessed or that they shall be filled. They are poor and wretched people, and must remain poor and wretched here and there, if they do not improve and become more pious.
(24) But these poor are blessed, whom God does not want to suffer hunger and thirst all the time, who are God-fearing and would like everything to be right and good everywhere; it grieves them that things are so bad in the world and that so little improvement follows among the people. For this is what we experience in the world every day: whoever is pious and keeps himself well and Christian, very seldom enjoys his good fortune in the world and must always have more disadvantages. On the other hand, what is fast and directed to all kinds of mischievousness, that comes to money, to honor, to good, then luck strikes with heaps.
(25) The Lord looks at this kind of trouble and warns his Christians against it. As if he wanted to say: Do not let yourselves be seduced by the examples of the world; continue in piety, be godly, and do not let yourselves be hindered that others come forward, become rich and mighty, but you must always follow behind and remain poor beggars. Believe me, you are blessed people, but those are wretched people, and both have this before you: those with all their money and goods, because they are not God-fearing, must have all misfortune and go out alone; but you shall find my blessing abundantly in its time, also here on earth, and afterwards have all fullness in eternity.
(26) So this little piece is for pious Christians, who are generally poor and miserable in the world, and have scarcely their daily bread. They should not let this happen to them.
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But stop with piety and the fear of God, and hope that God will not remain on the outside with His blessing.
The fifth characteristic of Christ's disciples:
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
27 The piece is easy, and especially Luca explained it in the 6th chapter to Christ according to the length, what kind of mercy is the mercy of the Christians, which does not only go against friends and such people, whose we can enjoy, but also against the enemies, since we can expect nothing from them. For God is merciful in this way, that he gives to friends and enemies, good and evil, his sunshine, rain and everything they need. Although this may be unpleasant, for the old Adam cannot soon forget his loss and is therefore unwilling to prove all the good he has done to those who have caused him all the misfortune, we should nevertheless look to the great comfort that is given here and not follow the old Adam.
The Lord comforted us before: If we have a gentle heart, and offer all vengeance to him, he will give us abundant blessings and gracious protection. Here he leads us higher, not only wanting us to forgive, but also to do good to those who have shown us evil, if they need it and we are able. And the promise is attached to it: "Just as we are merciful and accept the needs of poor people, even if they are our worst enemies, and gladly help them, so God will also accept our needs, gladly forgive and forget everything, and grant us all grace and mercy.
(29) Say, therefore, whether these are not blessed people to whom God will be merciful; with whom God will not be angry, but will show them all mercy. Well then, whoever desires this, let him become a Christian, that is, let him believe in Christ and then be merciful to his neighbor; then God will also be merciful to him. But wretched and wretched people are those who do not respect such comfort and pursue their anger: that they could help poor, miserable people, but they do not want to.
Now comes the sixth property:
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
(30) A "pure heart" means in the most simple way such a heart that looks only at God's word and will, and does not (like the world) hang on money, goods, honor, power and splendor. For these are unclean hearts, as Luke 8 says, since God's word cannot bear fruit; just as a field is unclean when it is full of stones, thistles and thorns and other weeds. But where men are so disposed that they possess money, goods and other things as if they did not have them, and let themselves be most concerned about the word and kingdom of God, these are right, good and pure hearts, since the fruit grows from day to day, the longer the more, so that they learn to recognize God, take comfort in His grace and rejoice in His help.
(31) These are also blessed people, as Christ boasts in John 17:3: "This is life eternal, that they know thee, that thou only art true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. On the other hand, the others, with all the good they have, are wretched people, because they either do not have the word, or do not take it to heart and do not let it be their highest comfort and treasure. For they never come to see or know God. Therefore, when death approaches and Christians then have all comfort, joy and hope in God, they must fear God more than the devil. Then an unhappy, miserable death must follow. Therefore, we should diligently adhere to the word, let it alone dwell and shine in our hearts, then we would see God rightly, and be certain that He is a gracious, kind God; and although no one is innocent before Him, that He nevertheless forgives our sin and for Christ's sake wants to make us eternally blessed.
If anyone wants to interpret a pure heart, as Matthew 15 says, as having no evil thoughts, no murder, no adultery, no fornication, no theft, no false testimony, and no blasphemy inside, this is also interpreted correctly. But such a heart is only judged by the Holy Spirit through the Word. Therefore,
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When I say: A pure heart, which always looks to the word and the will of God, with the same I include all such virtues. For from such a single source they must come; otherwise, where the word and faith are not first in the heart, the heart remains impure and impure works also follow.
The seventh property:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they are called children of God.
- To be "peaceable" means to help and advise for peace and atonement, to prevent anger, discord, ill will and other things in all places. This is also a special Christian virtue, which is gloriously praised here. But it is not thought that this alone should be called peaceable, when two quarrel, stab and beat each other, that one should run in, take peace and tear them from each other.
(34) This virtue can and should be practiced in all classes and among all people, to prevent anger and help atone for it. In the home, one sees that husband and wife do not always move in with each other at the same time; but what is the devil to do? For him it is a desired game, where he can make married couples quarrel. For there he has a thousand and one thousand ways to instigate all kinds of misfortune. That is why he agitates and incites, so that no one should keep a secret from the other, so that it goes according to the will and desire of the devil. But what does Christ say? You husband, you wife, if you are my disciple, know that my disciples are peaceable people, they have no desire to quarrel, to scold, to curse; and even if they are sometimes overtaken by anger, so that they go out with an evil word, they soon come to their senses, are sorry, and think how the matter can be brought back to good ways and to unity. So do thou also: give no cause that ill will should break in; seek cause that unity may become new and whole again; then do thou like a Christian, and art a blessed man, for thou art a child of God. Man, for you are a child of God.
(35) The devil's way is that he likes to cause dissension, for he is a murderer and an enemy of life. Such kind follow
His children, who like to scold and quarrel, and who like to cause dissension. But such people do not belong in God's kingdom. Therefore, if you want to be my disciples and true children of God, think peaceably, calm down anger and quarrels where you can; do not reproach again, do not curse again, think that a good word finds a good place; so happiness and salvation shall be with you; whereas all misfortune is with those who give cause for discord. As can be seen in the disobedient, peevish servants, who can do nothing but bite and scratch one another like dogs and cats, neither wanting to listen to a word the other has to say. Everyone wants to scold again, curse again, beat again. This is a sign that they are not God's children, but the devil's, because they follow his ways and thus take pleasure in strife and discord.
(36) If this virtue is so highly needed in the household, how much more is it needed in the regiment and in the high estates, that one should not provoke to anger, but, wherever possible, instruct great lords to gentleness and peace! For where there is violence and great power, the devil takes special pains to see whether he can stir up discord. Therefore it would be necessary that this text should be written in all princes' council chambers and law offices: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. So that in great matters such people would remember, and not do the devil a court service, and help to discord, where one should advise and help to peace.
(37) As the papists of this day do honestly, who without ceasing provoke and drive kings and princes, let them put to the sword and scourge our churches; that it may be clearly seen that they are the children of devils, who follow their father the devil, and would rather counsel strife, bloodshed, and murder than peace and unity. These are wicked people, and they will find their reward in their time, let no one doubt.
The eighth property:
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men persecute you for my sake.
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And they shall revile and persecute you, and shall speak all manner of evil against you, when they lie against you. Be glad and of good cheer, for you will be well rewarded in heaven; for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
This is the last characteristic by which Christians are recognized. Christians can be recognized that they are harmless and unpleasant people in their life and conduct. But the world does not like their teachings and therefore persecutes them. This also seems to be a poor bargain, that the Christians should not enjoy their doctrine before the world in any other way, than that therefore all misfortune is put upon them, they are chased away, theirs is taken away, and finally they are strangled over it. But be not deceived, saith Christ; blessed are ye. For first of all you suffer, and yet for the world you do not deserve it. Therefore you suffer for my sake. Be satisfied, and I will reward you well and pay you abundantly in heaven. For what is on earth would be far too little for that. The dear prophets who were before you also suffered in this way, and you consider them to be blessed people. So you also must come to the place where they are. Woe to you, you mean well with the world, you would like to help it to become eternally blessed, but for this it persecutes and blasphemes you; you must let yourselves be scolded as the worst of boys. It does not hurt, they lie to you. Therefore be of good cheer, the kingdom of heaven is yours, you cannot lose it. But look where such persecutors and blasphemers will finally remain. For if the kingdom of heaven is yours, you who are persecuted, there will be no lack of hellfire for those who persecute you for my name's sake.
39 Thus we see how our dear Lord Christ paints his Christians, that they are first of all people who are not secure, like the world; they have a stupid heart, are afraid of God's wrath and judgment, and would like to be pious. After that, their bodies and food are in such a state that there is not much laughter. And yet, even though the world holds them in contempt, they keep a kind and gentle heart and are not moved to anger and impatience. They are pious and live without all aversions. But at the same time they must suffer hunger and thirst. They are merciful, and take everyone's need to heart, and help where they can. They are peaceable and prevent anger and strife where they can. Nevertheless, the world will not tolerate them, but persecutes them for the word's sake. All this seems to be a miserable and wretched being; but see how Christ comforts: the kingdom of heaven is for such people, God wants to comfort them, protect and preserve them, provide enough for them with His blessing, be gracious and reveal Himself to them; they shall be called children of God, all things shall be richly rewarded for them in heaven 2c.: - so one will find, as the Lord certainly says, that Christians are to be held for what they will, that they are blessed people.
40 For this reason we should all consider these things carefully, practice good works, and not be afraid of the cross and the ingratitude of the world, so that we may know that we are also disciples of our dear Lord Christ, and through him have the hope of eternal life. May our dear Father in heaven, through his Holy Spirit, grant this to us all for the sake of Christ Jesus, his Son, our Savior, amen.
End of the house postil through the year, on Sundays.
To God the Father, to God the Son, and to God the Holy Spirit, the one true God, be praise and glory forever, for these and all His benefits, Amen.
Gospel preachers on Feast and apostle days
Evangelion explanation
to the most noble feast and apostle days
through the whole year.
Festtheil der Hauspostille.
We have kept the order with the festivals in this postilla, as it is customary according to Brandenburg and Nuremberg order, since also the apostles' festivals are not included without cause, and besides the same some special histories, which are to be presented to the people every year in the churches.
although the feasts are not kept, or the days are celebrated; as there are. St. Paul's conversion, the story of Magdalene the sinner, St. John's beheading 2c.*)
*) Addition in editions a and d, in edition a at the end, in b at the beginning of the sermons.
St. Andrew's Day.
John 1:35-42.
The next day John stood again, and two of his disciples. And when he saw JEsu walking, he said, Behold, this is the Lamb of God. And two of his disciples heard him speak, and followed JEsu. And JEsus turned, and saw them following, and said unto them: What seek ye? And they said unto him, Rabbi, where art thou lodging? He said to them: Come and see. And they came and saw it, and abode with him the same day: and it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard of John and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simonis Peter's brother. The same found his brother Simon first, and said unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is interpreted, the Anointed). And brought him to JEsu. And when JEsus saw him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas (which is interpreted, a rock).
1 Today's gospel, as you have heard, teaches us how Andrew came to the knowledge of Christ and was called to the apostleship. This story is written by all three evangelists, Matthew in chapter 4, Lucas in chapter 5 and John in chapter 1, although they seem to speak about it differently. Matthew says that Peter and Andrew fished with each other when they were called. Lucas reports nothing about Andrew, and says only about Peter, how he fished, and how he recognized Christ during the fishing trip and was very shocked, and that Jacob and John were there. John, however, says how Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, and was at that time with
He confessed to John that he had seen Christ, pointed to him, and called him the little lamb of God. Because of this, he was moved by such preaching that he left John, followed Christ, and asked him where he could find an inn, so that he could come to him, hear him preach, and be with him. So he stayed with Christ all day, and on the next day he first came to his brother Simon Peter, brought him to Christ, and stayed with him.
(2) But there is no disparity in such history. For from John it is certain that Andrew came to Christ sooner,
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because Peter. So it is certain from Luke that Christ accepted Peter as an apostle after the fishing trip. And it is to be believed that Andrew was also present. Since Simon and Andrew are brothers, can be made in the same way, and both come to Christ, Matthew groups them together. For he does not want to show all the circumstances of how the two came to such a profession, as Lucas and John do: Lucas with Petro, Johanne and Jacobo, and John with Andrea. Let this be enough from the Historia, so that no one is offended by it, as if the evangelists were in disagreement.
(3) First of all, we should look at the example of St. Andrew. He is a fisherman and undoubtedly has a wife and child, just like his brother Peter, who is described in the Gospel as having a wife-in-law. Therefore, the care of the house, how he should feed his wife and child, was on his neck. But he did not take such a hard time; when John the Baptist appeared, preached repentance and baptized for the forgiveness of sins, this fisherman Andrew also joined him, heard the sermon and was baptized. Let us take note of this example, I say, and see how he enjoyed it.
(4) If Andrew had done as those who care for food do, and hardly take time to eat and sleep (let alone go to church and preach, for they cannot wait), he might have had a better supply and more good things in the house; but he would never have come to know Christ, and thus have become an excellent man in God's kingdom. But he trusts God for food, and is satisfied with a little; and this is his highest and greatest concern, that he may come to the kingdom of God; this he seeks first. When others pursue their fishing and do not think of the sermon, he finds himself with Johanne, listens to him exhorting to repentance and comforting about the future Christ; he enjoys such diligence and godliness that he not only sees Christ, shown to him by Johanne, but Christ accepts him, keeps him with Himself, and commands him the
preaching office, that he should henceforth be a fisher of men, as Matthew and Lucas say.
(5) Therefore, we should follow this example and diligently keep God's word, being more concerned with it than with food and other things. For we can also enjoy it more and better. Money and goods are not brought higher than to serve the belly, because it is healthy and can accept the food. But where there is sickness, or a man must die, money and goods are of no more use to us than the broken pieces and stones in the street. But God's word is an eternal treasure, through which we come to grace and eternal life, and are delivered from sin, death and hell.
(6) Therefore it is a terrible blindness in people that they regard the word so little, and let themselves be more concerned with their handling, however bad it may be, than with such a great treasure. Therefore, just as St. Andrew is very proud of his godly diligence in keeping his word so faithfully, those who are not so diligent are highly rewarded for their carelessness and have to be wicked people here and there. For here money and goods, care and daily concerns leave them neither day nor night in peace; and when death comes, they find that money and goods do them no good, and yet have nothing else to comfort them.
(7) Therefore it would be highly necessary for us to observe this example. It is a small and laborious food with a fisherman, especially as they were among the Jews, who did not eat all kinds of fish, and without that kept themselves very low in food; that the dear Andrew will have had nothing else. But regardless of this, he is not only called a fisherman; he is also called a disciple of John, that is, his preaching child, his listener. And he is not found alone in his house, making or mending nets, he is not alone in the water, fishing: he is with John, listening to his sermon in such a way that as soon as he hears the word: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God", he quickly follows Jesus. And as JEsus asks him and his companions what they are looking for, he calls him Rabbi, Master, the
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He desires to hear him and to be his disciple, and therefore asks where he can find him for lodging. Let us do the same.
- The voice of St. John the Baptist is also heard today, testifying that the son of the Virgin Mary, the Lord Jesus, is the little lamb of God; that is, God, the eternal Father, sent His Son Jesus Christ to earth to be a sacrifice, and by His death to atone for all the sins of the world. With such a voice, one can also see the holy finger of St. John, that he alone points to such a little lamb of God, and not like the pope with the devil's finger to monasticism, own works and saintly merit. Therefore it is up to him that we do not let ourselves be hindered in our nourishment and handling; but with dear Andrew follow such a voice and holy finger, and accept Christ as Master, diligently hear and believe his word; then it shall happen to us as we believe. If we believe through Christ, the lamb of God, forgiveness of sins, God's favor and grace, and eternal life, sin shall not hurt us; God will love us and be merciful to us, and neither death nor hell shall hold us. This is the first piece of today's history.
(9) The other part is about the ministry of preaching, what it is, and what manner our dear Lord Christ has kept it, for it is especially important to have certain instruction about it. Among the Jews, when the law was still in force, it was thought that not everyone was fit for church service. For high priests and church ministers had to be of the tribe of Levi; otherwise no one was allowed to be subject to the priesthood and church service. As there are many examples in Scripture that God punished those who sacrificed, burned incense, attacked the sacred vessels, and yet were not of the tribe and did not have the office. Therefore, God ordered it thus: just as the church people were special people, so they also had to have special adornment and clothing; they also had to have special ceremonies.
remonia when they were commanded to bathe them, anoint them with special oil, and do other things. As you will find in the 29th chapter of the other book of Moses. Such things had to be kept strictly, and not to be treated lightly, nor to be regarded as a carnival. For there stood God's expressed command, who had thus commanded it, and no one was allowed to change it.
(10) The pope also followed this example with his consecrators, and in the New Testament made a special feast with the priests, that they should be blessed, anointed with oil, given ropes, keys, books, and other things into their hands; he also consecrated chalices and other vessels, and ordered special garments to be worn in church, as it seemed harmless to him that the Jews had worn priests' and Levites' garments. Therefore, such garments still have the name and are called Levite skirts. Over such things, the pope stands very stiffly and does not like to let a layman touch a chalice.
(11) But if thou askest why he hath thus wrought, he answereth thee, If the priesthood of the Old Testament was so honestly and gloriously held, it is only right that the priesthood of the New Testament should be no less honestly and gloriously held. For there the priests and Levites dealt with cows and sheep; in the New Testament they deal with the body and blood of Christ 2c. This is the Pabst's faith and holiness all together: it is not, like those, in the law, on God's command and word; but on man's discretion.
(12) One may think much of it, who does not know better: but a Christian thinks much less than nothing of all that is made without God's word and will; yes, he still thinks it an error and harmful devil's poison, where one wants to praise it for a divine service, as the pope is wont to do with such monkey play. For the Christian church, just as it knows and believes of only one sacrifice, by which the sins of the world are taken away and paid for, so it also knows and believes that there is only one priest, the Son of the eternal God, born of Mary, Christ Jesus. Such
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Faith shows God's word. For the name "priest" (in Greek hiereus, who is called a priest because of his office, that he sacrifices) is not assigned to any man in the New Testament, but to the one, right priest, JEsu Christo. But the ministers of the church have other names and are called apostles, evangelists, bishops, presbyteri, shepherds 2c. Such names they have not for sacrifice, but for preaching and other services that must be maintained in the church.
Therefore, the name "sacrifice" and "priest" does not belong to the pope and his priests, but to the only Son of God. But he who, like the pope, makes other sacrifices and priests, is an antichrist, and does not belong in God's church, which only knows and believes in one sacrifice and priest, as reported.
14 Although there is only one priest, Christ, the church has other ministers, as Paul calls them, Eph. 4:11: "apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers", and in his epistles he calls them bishops, which we find in the
Germans keep and call priests. But it is called old, honest people, who have public testimony of their good life and conduct. For such office does not belong to young, inexperienced, fickle and unstable people; there should be age and bravery.
(15) Now let us see what manner Christ held, and afterward the apostles and the first church, when they ordained ministers; and we shall be able to judge aright what reason the pope has for his ordination, whether he follows Christ and his apostles. First of all, the testimony of the twelve apostles is before us, and it is impossible for any papist to deny it. Matthew is sitting at the customs, waiting for his money: Jesus says to him, "Arise, follow me. With this word he makes him an apostle, for he does nothing more than send him out to preach the kingdom of God. So Peter, John, and James fished all night and caught nothing, sitting and mending their nets: there is none of them to think of becoming a preacher. But when Christ comes and
He says to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they become preachers from fishermen, and especially great preachers, who preach not with words but also with excellent miraculous signs. This way Christ led on earth, when the preaching ministry was still enclosed and went only among the Jews. But when the apostles were to go among the Gentiles, the Holy Spirit made them into true preachers, so that they could speak with all kinds of tongues and spread the name of Christ among Jews and Gentiles.
16 The apostles also did this. Since Judas was to be substituted for the betrayer, they did nothing more than appoint Barnabam and Matthiam, and asked God to indicate to them which one would be most suitable for this office. Since they saw God's will in their lot, they left it at that, and did not anoint, smear, or circumcise Matthiam, as the pope does with his priests, even though they had both been in the preaching ministry before, for the Lord had had seventy-two other disciples besides the twelve apostles.
It is clear from St. Paul's Scripture that he first teaches Timothy and Titum, before they elect anyone to the preaching or church office, that they should look at life and doctrine, that the doctrine be pure and wholesome, the life unruly, and the person fit to teach. If they found this to be the case with someone of whatever status and character, they appointed him as a church servant, and did no more than call the elders (that is, other church servants) together and lay hands on him; these were all the ceremonies.
18 Now such laying on of hands was not only a public sign of the commanded preaching ministry, but it was prayed that God through His Holy Spirit would enlighten, rule and guide such a chosen person for the welfare of the Christian church. Such prayer has not been in vain. For through such laying on of hands and prayer, the Holy Spirit has at times visibly come upon the ordained ministers of the church, as, Acts 19. 19. and Paul reports it twice from Timothy, how he had been led by such prayer.
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1 Tim. 4:14: "Do not neglect the gift given you through prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders"; and 2 Tim. 1:6: "Awaken the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands."
19 From such a custom, when there was no lack of doctrine and life, such fit persons were called to the church ministry, and afterwards, through some bishops and parish priests who were the closest, they were publicly commanded to the ministry in the church with the laying on of hands. Thus one reads of Saint Ambrosio. He was a regent in secular office in Milan; and what is more, he had not yet been baptized, although he was a Christian and liked to hear God's word: but regardless of all this, because he was of honorable conduct and had a good understanding of Christian doctrine, he was elected bishop against his thanks and was baptized. It was the same with Augustino at Hippone in Africa. There one hears nowhere of the Bescheeren. There one hears nowhere of the bribery, smearing and other gimmicks that the pope plays with his bishops and priests. But it goes quite well. For because the pope makes such priests, such as have not been in the church before, who are to sacrifice Christ for other people's sins and crucify him anew, he must also use a special way that has not been in the church before.
20 Christians should know that a church servant, bishop, pastor, chaplain, or whatever one wants to call it, does not require more than that he first be of an unruly character and have a good understanding of Christian doctrine and be able to express it clearly. Where such is the case, there is no need for more than that such persons be appointed by the authorities and that they be publicly commanded to preach and other church services. For this one may need the laying on of hands and pray at the same time. And there is no doubt that such prayer, although the Holy Spirit no longer comes visibly, will not go without fruit, but will accomplish that for which it is done, according to Christ's promise: "Where two or three have prayed in my name, I will send them away.
are gathered, what they ask the Father, he will give them."
(21) So shall Christians consecrate their ministers, following the apostles' and the first church's example; and shall ask nothing of the pope's monkey business. He anoints his ministers, and Christ does not call him. He anoints them, but Christ does not call them. He orders them to sacrifice Christ and through this sacrifice to obtain forgiveness of sins for themselves and others; this does not call him Christ either, and is completely contrary to Scripture. Finally, so that there is nothing good about the pope's priests, he forbids them to marry, that they must vow chastity, since all the world knows how they keep it. But who would want such ecclesiastics? Especially because the bishops, with the exception of hardly two or three, accept all the priests they consecrate with the thought that they should hold to the old idolatry, defend public error and not preach God's word. Therefore we have good reason, because they do not want to give us righteous church servants according to their office, that we do not ask for their monkey and priest game, and arrange and choose church servants for ourselves, as Christ, the apostles and the old righteous church chose and arranged them. This is a special service to God, but the devil is annoyed by it: there is nothing to it.
But what is the purpose of such church ministry? Christ shows this finely in Matthew 4 and Luke 5, when he says, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Mark these words well. He does not say that they should sacrifice him, but that they should catch men from the sea and the devil's kingdom into God's kingdom and eternal life.
(23) With what then is this done? He who wants to catch fish must have yarn or nets. But with what do you catch people? There also belongs a net (as the Lord speaks of, Matthew 13), the holy gospel. For we men are like fishes in a vast sea, where one eats another, and there is much strife and unrest. But especially in such a sea is the great Leviathan, the devil, who has his rant, and plagues the poor fish very well. Sol-
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Our dear Lord Christ wants to control this misery through the apostles, and gives them the yarn in their hands, his dear gospel, in which repentance and forgiveness of sins are preached in the name of Christ, so that whoever believes and is baptized shall be blessed. The poor sinners hear this word and accept it with joy, and are thus caught out of the vast sea of the devil into our Lord God's container, and believe through Christ for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
(24) For not only the word, but also the holy sacraments, which Christ commanded and left to his church as a treasure, serve for such faith. For as the word points us to Christ, that he died for us, and by his death paid for our sins, and so saved us from eternal death and the tyranny of the devil: so hear thou in baptism, that the death of Christ is for thee, and that thou shalt comfort thyself, and receive him, and hope for salvation. In the Lord's Supper you also hear that the body of Christ (which you receive in the bread, according to the words of Christ) is given for you, and his blood (which you drink in the wine, according to the words of Jesus Christ) is poured out for the forgiveness of your sins. Thus we are caught out of the devil's kingdom by the Word and the Holy Sacraments, so that we may be under God's grace and keep the hope of eternal life through Christ.
(25) Therefore the devil is exceedingly hostile to such a net; if he can, he tears a hole through it, so that the fish come out again in heaps, that is, he falsifies the doctrine, sends mobs and heretics who do not keep the word right; this does not go off without harm, as we see. Or if he cannot break the doctrine, he sets about the fishermen, whether he can hinder them in such work, let them go and make them workless, or lead them away to some other action. As we see in the case of the papacy, he has done both things, the wicked enemy, in that the pope and his preachers do not think about how to catch people from the devil through right doctrine to eternal life; but all their fishing is done so that they can catch land and people, money and goods, honor and power.
to bring about. And since they should catch people with the word, they have other nets, that is, monasticism, own works, indulgences, keeping mass, fasting 2c.
For this reason, the pope and all his preachers can be called loose fishermen with the truth, who send themselves to such work, which the Lord has commanded Andrew and Peter here, as if someone wanted to fish with a bowl basket: he would not catch much, yes, everyone should laugh at such foolish presumption. But the pope does not want it to be laughter, but still wants to persuade all the world that he is a right fisherman and handles the craft properly. But here it is: Whoever wants to be a real fisherman must have a net, that alone is the preaching of the holy gospel. The pope does not want to suffer such a net, persecutes and blasphemes it as if it were useless for catching fish, and comes rolling along with an old bowl basket, with his own holiness, with monasticism, vows and other things; he wants everyone to fish with him and be caught with him.
(27) Therefore, we should thank God from the bottom of our hearts that He has given us righteous fishermen who have the right kind of yarn in their hands, as Christ says of Luke the last, that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name. With such yarn we are caught from the devil's kingdom and sins, and placed in God's kingdom, which is a kingdom of grace and life. And furthermore, it is only up to us that we remain in such yarn and do not hop out again, as one can see that it is unfortunately all too common. For God offers us all His grace, He lets us all come to blessed baptism, lets His word be preached to us, and does not want to exclude anyone. But what do we do? We let ourselves love the world more than God's kingdom. He is addicted to avarice, and all his thoughts and actions are no more than how to gain money and goods; he lets himself love fornication, indulges and drinks, and does what he desires; so from then on with other sins also. So they wilfully jump out of this yarn of grace into the devil's kingdom and damnation. As Paul says in 1 Cor. 6, 10: "Let yourselves
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deceive not; neither the covetous, nor the drunken, nor the blasphemers, nor the robbers shall inherit the kingdom of GOD."
(28) Therefore, let every man have good respect for himself, and see that if God has caught him to His kingdom through the gospel, he remains within it, and does not fall out again through wilful sins. But if a case has happened, do not lie still,
but to pick himself up again through repentance and right trust in God's goodness and swim again to this net. For whoever remains in this net will be blessed; whoever does not remain in it will be condemned. May God, the Father of all graces, who has allowed us to come to such blessed fishing, graciously keep us in such grace until the end, through His Holy Spirit, for Christ's sake, amen.
St. Thomas Day.
John 20:24-31.
But Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called a twin, was not with them when Jesus came. Then said the other disciples unto him, We have seen the Lord. And he said unto them: Unless I see in his hands the marks of the nails, and put my finger into the marks of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it. And for eight days his disciples were there, and Thomas with them. When Jesus came, and the doors were shut, he entered into the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he unto Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord, and my God. saith JEsus unto him, Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that see not, and yet believe. Also many other signs did JEsus before his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life in his name.
This history happened on the eighth day after Easter, and is a true Johannine history, who has a special regard for all the preaching and miracles of the Lord Christ, which belong to the doctrine of faith. Therefore, although the other evangelists report nothing about it, John did not want to leave it behind as a special example: first of a great deep unbelief in the disciple Thomas; then of a glorious confession of Christ, that the unbelieving Thomas not only believes that Christ has risen from the dead, but praises him as the right and true God. Both of these pieces serve to teach us and comfort us, whether we have been unbelievers or are still weak in faith, that Christ does not throw us away because of this, but takes care of us in the most gracious way and brings us to the right and true God.
Faith (if we want differently ourselves) want to help.
(2) Now someone might wonder, first of all, why the apostles wrote their own sin and disgrace in this way, and that the church then arranged it in such a way that such histories were placed and preached on the apostles' days, which were written in small honor of them. For the apostle Thomas has a bad reputation, that he was so stubborn and hard in unbelief; so that on St. Jacob's Day one reads how he and his brother wanted to be the most distinguished, and on St. Bartholomew's Day that the disciples themselves quarreled among themselves and each wanted to be the best; item, that Matthew was a tax collector and a public sinner. It seems that it would be better to remain silent than to write and preach about it.
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(3) But it has a far different opinion. For we are not concerned, as in the papacy, that the saints be highly honored and praised; from this we will have little benefit nor comfort: but that we may learn from them how God is gracious and merciful, and will bear with sinners; and we may see from such examples that in what we are by nature there is little difference between us and the dear apostles, since they as well as we were sinners, and often erred, and enjoyed only that Christ is gracious and merciful. That whether we find such or greater weakness and infirmities in ourselves, we may not therefore despair nor despair; but take comfort in their example, and hope that Christ will also bear with us, not punishing all things in us that are to be punished, but overlooking and helping us to come out of sins and become more godly.
(4) For this reason, the dear Thomas is cried out in all the pulpits today, how he was in a terrible unbelief and no one was able to lift him out of it. He was there and confessed with Peter when he said, Matth. 16, 16.He has not only seen the great miraculous works of Christ, but has himself performed great miraculous signs at his command and in his name. He has often heard Christ preach how he is the truth and the life, how he will give up his life and take it again, and how he will rise from the dead on the third day. Therefore (which is the most serious thing) first the women, then Peter, and after Peter the two from Emmaus came and said that they had seen Christ, that he had risen from the dead: the one who neither believed nor wanted to believe it was Thomas. And it did not help that the other ten apostles, who had been with one another at night on Easter Day and had seen the Lord, all bore witness together to the women, to Peter, and to two from Emmaus, saying that Christ had risen, that they had talked with him, that his wounds were in their hands, and that they had seen him again.
seen in the body. All together it was in vain: Thomas could not and would not believe it. This may be a strong unbelief, which is just as bad for an apostle, as that Peter even denies him and says that he never saw him.
005 What thinkest thou then that Christ should begin and do with such a disciple? Is it not true that your opinion is that if Christ were to leave him in such unbelief and let him perish, it would not do injustice to the stubborn head, since he considers all the others to be fools, who gladly let themselves be persuaded, and believed that this was basically a lie and a fair fable? For these were actually Thomas' thoughts: Let it be thought of JEsu, my Master, as it may, that he has done such great miracles; but now it is over with him, just as with other men; what once comes down to the earth, that will not come again: therefore my companions are vain great fools, that they let themselves be thus persuaded by women, and their eyes be deceived by ghosts. Let no man persuade me, except I see in his hands the marks of his nails, and put my fingers into the marks of his nails, and put my hand into his side: then will I believe it, and not otherwise.
(6) This may be unbelief, and a hard head that thinks Christ must make it for him as he wills, or he will not believe. Just as if so much depended on what he believed or did not believe. Then, I say, consider what thou thinkest that Christ should begin with him, and what is the cheap reward of such unbelief? For here are many sins. The first and greatest, that he does not believe in Christ more than in other prophets who were bad men. The second, that he despises his fellow disciples as fools and considers himself the only wise man. The third, that he thinks Christ must do as he pleases, or that he does not want to see him believe.
What does Christ do to the poor unbelieving man? Does he also leave him in such unbelief? No; that would be contrary to his manner and office; for he compares himself to a shepherd, who is a shepherd to the unbelieving man.
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He follows the sheep until he finds it. He does the same here. Although Thomas does not want to believe the other apostles, Christ is not interested; he is satisfied with the fact that he hears so much about Thomas that he wants to believe when he sees and grasps him. Therefore he does not delay long, comes to them through closed doors, and lets himself be seen and grasped. And the greatest of all, he also lets himself be heard with extremely friendly words and says: "Peace be with you. Include in such a word also the poor great sinner Thomas, that he may have a merry heart, and not think that he is there to punish and rebuke him on account of his unbelief. No, dear Thomas, peace be with you too, do not be afraid, I am not angry with you or with any man. Thou hast said that thou wilt not believe until thou seest my nail marks, and puttest thine fingers therein: now therefore, dear Thoma, put forth thy fingers, and take hold of my hands, and put forth thy hand, and lay it in my side; only that thou be no longer faithless, but believing.
(8) Let us diligently consider both these things: first, the great unbelief that Thomas has in him, and second, the great and excellent kindness that Christ has toward unbelieving Thomas. There we will have to confess that our dear Lord Christ does not have an angry heart against sinners. He has a compassionate heart that the devil holds them so captive. Therefore try and do everything together that is possible for him, so that he may bring them out of the devil's snares and sin and convert them.
(9) Therefore this is a very comforting example, from which we may learn how kind a heart our dear Lord Christ has toward sinners. For if he does this to Thomas, who is so deep in unbelief, what do you think he will do to sinners who recognize their sins, would gladly be rid of them and free, and desire mercy? He will not tarry long, nor long endure the afflicted poor hearts; but, as is seen from time to time in the Gospel, even so
Soon we can reach for help and mercy, as soon as we can ask for it.
(10) We should be diligent and mindful of this. For it is not natural in our hearts that God should be merciful to sinners. Thus the devil, when he sees that consciences are struggling with their sins, always wants to lead them and persuade them that they should not show any mercy to God. Therefore, when sin has really set into the heart, one does not want to be comforted, but is afraid of God and flees. But if God's heart would be like this towards sinners, then Christ would be different towards Thomas. He sees well that his heart is ill-satisfied, fearful and timid because of unbelief and other sin. This is the nature of sin, it cannot be otherwise. But Christ, our dear Lord, is there to ward off sin and to comfort our hearts with God's grace. That is why he speaks this word and says: "Peace be with you"; so that everyone may learn that he is there where our hearts cannot be satisfied because of sin, that he wants to satisfy them so that they will not be afraid of God, but will know that God is merciful and has given and forgiven sin through Christ.
For this reason Christ became man, for this reason he died on the cross and rose again on the third day, so that our hearts, the devil and the whole world of sin might cry out against us and over us, that we are at war, that God does not want us to be at war, that he might say to us: No, not so, but peace with you, that he may say to us, "No, dear man, not so, but peace with you, God is not angry; therefore do not fear, for I have paid for your sin, I have strangled death; so comfort yourself that I have brought it about, and there will be an end to strife and peace.
(12) So this history serves us primarily to learn how Christ will not cast us away for our sins, but will gladly accept us in grace, bringing us out of unbelief and sins to the forgiveness of sins and righteousness. This is his ministry, which he carried out on earth, as this and other histories testify, and still carries out today through his word.
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For that holy baptism is not denied to anyone who desires it, the gospel of the forgiveness of sins is preached publicly, and the precious treasure, the body and blood of Christ, is offered up for our sins and shared with us as often as we desire it: this is an indication that there is no strife between God and us, and that for this reason we should be of good cheer and joy, and take comfort in His grace, and not be afraid because of sins. This is the first thing we are to learn from this history.
The other is from the confession of Thomas. For the evangelist Thomas emphasizes unbelief so well: this is not because we follow such unbelief, but because we should recognize the kind and gentle heart of our dear Lord Christ toward sinners, and also take comfort in such grace. For there will be no lack of sins among us. Therefore, fear and terror will not remain outside. It is impossible to have any comfort except this, which we see here in the Lord Christ. After that we must follow the example of Thomas, when he sees and hears Christ, that he immediately comes over another heart and says: "My Lord and my God! Follow, therefore, the heartfelt admonition which the Lord gave him, saying to him, "Be not faithless, but believing."
(14) For this is necessary, that as Thomas here casts off unbelief and believes, so also we should confess our sin, forsake it, and amend our lives. For Christ does not want to be gracious to us and forgive sin so that we should continue in sin and not amend, for then we would again fall from grace into the wrath of God: but for this reason he is gracious to us and helps us out of the devil's kingdom through the forgiveness of sins, so that we may remain in the grace and kingdom of God and become blessed. Such a change shall follow with us, as here with Thoma. Before, no one could persuade him that Christ had risen from the dead; he thought no more of him than of any other man. But now his heart and mind are quite different. He believes
not only that Christ is risen from the dead, but he worships Him and calls Him his Lord God.
(15) Then he learned in a moment, which seemed impossible to him before, that he should believe. For then he will no doubt have thought behind him and taken before him the promise of the ancient fathers, when God promised the seed of the woman, which should crush the serpent's head, and deliver all the families of the world from the curse and bless them; and from this he will have decided: Here I see, which I never saw nor believed before. This man dies, and rises again from the dead, that he is a true natural man, and yet in another and eternal life; there can be no other opinion, he must be master of the devil and of death, otherwise they would have held him, and not have let him come to life again. That he died on the cross in all dishonor, that is the bite of the old serpent, which cannot let it go, because it cannot catch him by the head, so it stabs him in the heel; on the other hand, this man steps on her head and takes all power from her. Such a thing would be impossible if this woman seed were no more than a woman seed. He is the Son of God, therefore such power and authority comes to him; and from now on it will be in him: whoever wants to be safe against the devil, sin, and death, let him stay here with this man; there he will find help and comfort against the devil, sin, and death.
(16) Thus Thomas soon became from an unbelieving, unlearned, coarse disciple a very excellent theologian and doctor, who really and well knows the Lord Christ in his person, and afterward also in his office. How then the answer of the Lord is clear, that he says: "Because you have seen me, you believe. What does he believe? Not only that Jesus, the Son of Mary, has risen from the dead and lives again, but also that he is God, and such a God who wants to help against death and sin all who believe in him, and therefore should be worshipped with the true, eternal God. Such faith makes Thomam blessed and us as well, as the Lord said.
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says: "Blessed are those who do not see and yet believe", which Thomas believes.
(17) Mark this saying diligently and carefully, not only for the sake of our adversaries, the papists, who call it heresy, when it is preached that one may be saved by faith alone; but also for your own sake, that you may know how you may attain to salvation. For the thought is inborn in all of us, that he who would be saved must not be a sinner, but must have kept the Ten Commandments. And it is true that God did not give the Ten Commandments to be broken, but to be lived by and kept; for which reason every man is obliged to perform such obedience. But whoever does not want to obey, God's wrath comes upon him, as St. Paul says to the Colossians in Chapter 3, v. 6. But this is not the way to salvation. Cause: no one could be saved, for there is no one who keeps the Ten Commandments.
(18) Therefore we should first recognize such disobedience and impossibility, and confess that we are poor sinners, and beware of wilful sins. Then, with St. Thomas, we should not be unbelieving, but believing; that is, we should take comfort in the fact that Christ, the Son of God, paid for our sin with his death, overcame death, and rose from the dead on the third day, and will also raise us to life on the last day. Such faith, Christ says here, is true blessedness. For thus his words are, "Blessed are they that see not, and yet believe." Here he says nothing of the Ten Commandments: not as if you should not do them, but if you do them as much as you can, you will not be saved. But by faith thou shalt be saved.
19 Therefore, if anyone wants to know what to believe, let him hear here what Thomas believes, namely, that Jesus is the Son of God, and is a
Lord of life, who will help us from sin and death to life and righteousness. Such confidence and hope is the right faith, so that one does not only know it, but also accepts it and is comforted against death and sin. Where there is such faith or confidence, there is blessedness, and sins shall not hinder us. For through faith they are forgiven. Again, if there is no such faith and assurance, even though all good works (if possible) are there, one cannot be saved by it. It is by faith alone that we may attain life and salvation. As John very finely concludes at the end of this history, saying:
These signs have come to pass so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through faith you may have life in His name.
(20) This is a bright and clear saying, that we cannot come to life by works and our own piety. It must be by faith that we may know Jesus, the Son of Mary, to be the Christ and Son of God, sent by God His Father to pay for our sins, to conquer death for our good, and to make those who believe in Him eternally blessed. John says that the signs which Jesus did in the presence of his disciples serve for such faith, and he says that they were written out for this reason, that one should believe. For this reason Christ performed such signs, that he might reveal himself and be seen to be not only the Son of the Virgin Mary and a man, but also true God, and that everyone might seek help from him against the devil, sin and death. Thus John concludes the story in a fine way, after his own manner, so that we may learn to believe from it, so that we may be saved. May our dear Father in heaven grant us this through Christ His Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.
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Christmas Day; Isa. 9, 1-7
On Christmas Day.
Isa. 9, 1-7.
For there shall be another trouble that shall trouble them, as in the former time, when it was easy in the land of Zebulun, and in the land of Naphtali, and afterward it was harder by the way of the sea, on this side Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. The. The people that walk in darkness behold a great light, and upon them that dwell in the land of darkness it shineth brightly. Thou makest the Gentiles much, but thou makest not much joy. But before thee shall they rejoice, as one rejoiceth in harvest; as one rejoiceth when he divideth the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and the staff of their driver, as in the days of Midian. For all warfare with fierceness and bloody garments shall be burned up, and consumed with fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, whose dominion is upon his shoulder; and he is called Wonderful, Counsellor, Power, Hero, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; that his dominion may be great, and that there be no end of peace, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; that he may establish and strengthen with judgment and righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
(1) This prophecy refers primarily to today's feast; therefore it is useful and good that one not only learns the history from the evangelist Luca, but also diligently examines what God preached through the dear prophets about such a birth so long ago. For the prophets also indicate the history, as Isaiah does here, when he says: "A child is born to us, a son is given to us"; and above in the 7th Cap. (v. 14): "Behold, a virgin is with child, and shall bring forth a son" 2c. But after that they proceed with special diligence to show what God's counsel and will was, and what he wanted to accomplish with us humans through such a birth. This is the right core of such a trade, by which consciences can protect themselves against sin and death, against God's wrath and the devil.
(2) The light that the prophet says shines in the dark land over those who dwell in darkness is nothing else but the great grace and mercy preached through the gospel, that God takes care of poor sinners and condemned wretches, and sends His Son to them, so that He, through His incarnation and sacrifice, may rid them of death, sin, and all the devil's kingdom.
(3) Such light and gracious preaching, saith the prophet, shineth and shineth in the
dark land, over those who dwell in darkness, that is, among the Gentiles, who know nothing of God's word and the right consolation against sin and condemnation, and for this reason are like a man who either has his eyes gouged out or is in darkness: he cannot put a foot in front of him, he must fear he will bump and hurt himself. So we have been heathens here on earth.
4 The Jews had an excellent advantage over us, because they had God's word: not only the law, so that they knew what they should do, but also God's promise of the seed of the woman, so that they could comfort themselves against sin and the evil conscience. This was not the case with the Gentiles: they were in sin, and yet did not know how to get out. And if this was still the highest misery, when they thought they wanted to serve God best, they sinned most abominably. This is the darkness and the blind people, who (as Zacharias, St. John's father, also says) sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; But through this light of the holy gospel they come to the knowledge of God, that they know that God is gracious and merciful, and will forgive and grant all sins for the sake of Christ His Son; and that he cannot be served in any other way, but that everyone accepts with faith such grace as has been purchased for us through Christ, and then
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The light of the Lord is the light that brings this light to the > Gentiles. Such knowledge and art brings this light among the Gentiles. > > 5 Therefore the prophet says, "You make many things for the Gentiles. > For no one wanted to be condemned; everyone wants to have a gracious > God. Therefore the Gentiles accepted such preaching with multitudes, > as history shows. This hurt the Jews. They would not believe what the > Gentiles believed, and they angered Christ and His kingdom. This is > what the prophet means when he says: "You do not add much to the joy. > For when he came among the Jews as his own, as John says, his own did > not want to accept him. > > 006 But what the Gentiles and the Jews have received, there, saith the > prophet, there followed also a joy, as it is in a rich autumn or > harvest; there every man is glad, every man sings and rejoiceth, and > doth not trouble men with toil or labour; they are merry and glad for > it. Item, a joy followed, as it is among an army after a glorious > victory, when the enemies are slain. There is no one idle, everyone > promotes and gambols, that he may bring away a good spoil. In the same > way, says the prophet, when the good gospel is preached among the > Gentiles, everyone will rush, and no one will want to be the last; for > it is not a mere empty preaching, it brings a very good prey, as > follows: > > For thou hast broken the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their > shoulders, and the staff of their driver, as in the days of Midian.
These are dark, unintelligible words; but this is the right opinion and the true understanding of it, as Genesis 2 (3:15) says: that the serpent the devil's head should be crushed, and his tyranny and power torn in pieces; that the Gentiles should have forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and resist the enemy the devil, who until this hour has been their tyrant, tormenting and afflicting them as he pleased. This is now the joyful harvest, the rich autumn, and the fitting harvest.
The prey to which we come through the gospel.
8 But how shall such things be done? Or how will we come to it? Must it come about through our strength or ability? Oh no! We are too weak; our enemies, sin, death and the devil, are superior to us, we will not win against them. That is why this battle should be like the one when Gideon defeated the Midianites in the seventh chapter of the book of Judges. He had a great multitude of people with him, but the LORD said, "There are too many people with you for me to give Midian into their hands. Israel would boast against me, and say, My hand hath done me in." Mark these words well. For here it will also be found that God alone wants the glory of this victory, and we should or can do nothing about it; as the mad papists always cry out: Whoever wants to go to heaven must help it with his own works.
(9) Therefore the LORD commanded Gideon to proclaim: Let him that is foolish and despondent to battle depart without harm, and make himself at home. At this proclamation twenty-two thousand men departed and only ten thousand remained. But the LORD said, "There are still too many of them," and told Gideon to lead all the people to the water and tell them to drink, paying attention to those who drew the water with their hands and licked it out with their tongues like dogs; he was to take them with him and no one else. But there were only three hundred of them. This was very unequal to the Midianites and Amalekites, who had settled in the land like locusts, so that, as the text says, they and their camelems could not be numbered. When Giedeon had taken these three hundred men, he divided them into three groups and gave each of them a trumpet in his right hand and an empty jar with a burning light in his left hand, commanding them to do as he did. When they were about to attack the enemy, none of them drew a sword, but at the same time they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars, holding the burning lights in their hands.
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cried out, "Here is the Lord's sword and Gideon's." Because Gideon and his people did this, the LORD caused the enemies to go astray and strike and choke each other and flee with their homes. Gideoni's sword and hand did nothing for such a battle, but it was all the work and power of the Lord alone.
(10) The prophet is saying that this victory will be the same: men will not overcome sin, death and the devil with their good works and devotion; they are far too weak, the Lord alone must do it. He also alone shall have the praise and glory of it, that we are delivered from sins and eternal death, and we are not.
011 But as Gideon, after the enemies were smitten and put to flight, exhorted them in mount Ephraim to pursue after the enemies, and to lose their way by Jordan, that they might not pass over; and the tribes of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh slew the enemies: so shall it be with us Christians. Because Christ, our dear Lord, has slain the devil, sin and death and put them to flight, we are to pursue such enemies, that is, we are to kill sin, resist the devil and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, give ourselves over to obedience to God. This means then to hurry after the defeated Midianites and to plunder them at the Jordan, where the blessed baptism for the forgiveness of sins has begun; to which we also came, and thereby found our enemies in flight and defeated.
(12) But that Gideon and his company (who are an image of the Christian church) have trumpets and lights in their hands, because the enemies choke themselves among themselves: this signifies the preaching of the holy gospel and the faith that we have in jars that are broken. As Paul also says, "We bear such a precious treasure," the knowledge of the clarity of God, "in earthly vessels, that the abundant power may be of God, and not of us." There is no doubt that Paul was looking at this very history, since the prophet reports about it.
13 This is now the excellent, peaceful
Victory of the Lord, where all joy comes from, that henceforth we men have peace, because through such victory, as the prophet further speaks, all wars and bloody garments have been burned with fire and consumed. The prophet goes on to point out such a deal, and reports the person through whom such a victory has been acquired, and says:
A child is given to us, a son is born to us.
(14) This is a somewhat wonderful and strange thing to say. For what should a child do in battle, and especially against such great and formidable enemies? But the prophet wants to teach us that we should regard this child much differently than other children. Otherwise he would not praise this child and this son, if he were a child and son like other children and sons.
(15) But when he says, "To us it is given, to us it is born," he is referring to the promise that the Jews had of Christ. We Gentiles did not have such a promise, nor did we know anything about it. Therefore the prophet says, "It has been given to us Jews, but they, the Jews, should not enjoy it alone; as it says above, this child also belongs to the Gentiles, who need him just as much as they do, because they both sit in darkness and the shadow of death.
(16) This is first of all a testimony that Christ the Lord is a true, natural man, born of a woman like another child or son, but there is a difference in his conception. For, as it says in the 7th chapter above, his mother is a virgin, and, as the New Testament teaches, such a virgin is pregnant by the Holy Spirit without male seed. Therefore, in such a child there is not the sinful nature that is in us humans. Otherwise, it is a man of all things, like us. But not only is he a man; as follows:
His dominion is on his disciple.
7 First of all, learn that this child has a dominion, that is, he is a king or prince who has his own kingdom here on earth. But in this he is a different king, as all worldly kings are, since it is connected with
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worldly kings have the order from God that their rule must sustain them. For land and people must nourish a prince and give him from their work and food, so that he can maintain himself. Thus God has decreed that the temporal authorities on earth must exercise discipline, honesty and integrity, punish evil and create peace and tranquility for their subjects. But this king does not let himself be carried by his rule, but he gives his back and carries his rule. As Christ says: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life for the redemption of many," Matth. 20, 28. And Luc. 15, 4. 5. he compares himself to a shepherd who follows the lost sheep until he finds them, and when he has found them, he takes them on his shoulders and carries them. In this way, St. John also preaches about him, calling him the little lamb of God that bears the sin of the world. For we are such people: because he takes us up, he also takes up sin; because he carries us, he also carries sin.
(18) Now think what strength this child has behind him. If he were no more than a man, he would not be able to carry the burden of sins of a single man. For sin, and death that follows, is too heavy and utterly inescapable for us men. But now Isaiah says clearly: This child does not carry only one man, but his whole dominion, that is, as John says, he carries the sin of the whole world. This means that this child is eternal God; otherwise he would have to leave this burden behind. As we have learned, no man has ever been free from sin, nor has he ever been able to protect himself against death.
19 This is very comforting, if only we could form it in our hearts and believe it firmly. For we cannot deny that we are sinners; we must also despair and despair because of it. But what comforts us? Nothing else, but that God has given us this blessed child and has allowed this Son to be born to us, who has not given his dominion, that is, to us poor people.
We must not let ourselves go astray, but seek and bring us to God's grace, and lead us to God's kingdom, to eternal life. We should comfort ourselves with this support, and thank God for such grace, and ask Him to keep us in such faith forever. As he will gladly do, as will soon follow. For this child was not born for the sake of a little, short help, for twenty or thirty years; it is to bring an eternal help, as it is eternal. Now follows further:
He is called Wonderful, Counsel, Power, Hero, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
20 The prophet gives such names to the Lord JEsu, so that he may present his ministry and help (which he wants to give us) to us all the more, and so that we may be provoked to faith. "Wonderful" is the name of this child. For what more can we do, indeed, what more can the angels themselves do, than to marvel: first, at this great work of God becoming man; and second, at the great immeasurable grace and love of God toward us men, that He thus helps us from the devil, sin, death and damnation? We will not be able to grasp it with our reason, nor will we be able to fathom it with our heart. It is too high. We may be astonished; we will not get any higher in this life. Now this child is not only wonderful because of his person, as reported now, but also because of all his works, which he does with us humans.
(21) Among these marvelous works, the first is that he is called "Counselor," who shall and will help us, not in matters pertaining to the body and the temporal, but in eternal matters, against sin, against death, against the wrath of God, and against all calamities. But how does he counsel? Very miraculously, as we heard above about the battle of Gideoni. He does nothing more than give his word, which is the trumpet, and tells us to hold fast to it, to believe and confess; this is the light that shines for us through the darkness of sin, the wrath of God, and death. For thus saith Christ, I am the way, the truth, and the life;
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"Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"; "He that believeth on me shall never see death"; "This is life eternal, that they may know thee, who alone art the true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ"; "Go ye, preach repentance and remission of sins in my name"; "Go ye, teach, and baptize all nations: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" 2c.; and who can tell all such sayings? This then is the counsel which Christ gives, that we may be delivered from sins and death, if we accept his word and the holy sacraments with right faith.
22 The pope and his preachers also take the name and want to counsel against sin and death. But they do not point people to Christ alone, but to their own works, to the saints' merit and intercession, to the sacrifice of the mass, and the like. But it is such counselors who hinder the poor people from this right counsel. It is Christ alone who can give right counsel. As John says: "No one has ever seen God; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared it to us.
Now Christ is not only called counsel, but also "power," for we men can also mean one another faithfully and counsel well, but such counsel does not always proceed and work out. Such care is not needed here with this Counselor, the infant Jesus; for he has the power and the ability with him, so that whoever follows his counsel must succeed, and the devil and the gates of hell shall not be able to do anything against it. The devil and the gates of hell shall not be able to oppose it. But how he counsels and how we find counsel with him is reported above: that he gives us his word. This, as Paul calls it, is a divine power, by which all who believe in it are saved.
(24) Where this child gets such strength from, the third name indicates that he is also called "hero," that is, a strong man who has proven his strength by action. Because no hero is called, he has proved it before with the fist, that he is manly, bold and strong. With this name, the Holy Spirit looks at the word that was said to Adam in paradise, how the seed of the woman is the
Serpent should crush the head. For this was the work of our Lord Christ soon after Adam's fall, that he lay down against the devil for ever, protected his faithful, and repulsed the enemy; until at last he also overcame and slew him in the flesh and in his body, since the evil enemy tried himself to the utmost and according to his best ability on the Son of God, but accomplished nothing. For since he had already strangled him on the cross, Christ rose again from the dead on the third day and, as the eternal God and true man, reigns over the devil and everything. The prophet sees such a victory, which the Son of God received against the devil for and for, that he calls him a hero. Just as the Lord, Luke 11:21, 22, preaches about himself and his victory over the devil, when he says: "When a strong man keeps his palace, his own remains in peace; but when a stronger man comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor, on which he relied, and divides the spoil."
(25) Therefore he calls this child a hero, because he has beaten the evil enemy so often and so thickly, and has kept the field against him. And in such distress we should seek help nowhere else but from this hero. For although Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David were excellent great saints, there was not one of them who could have taken on such an enemy on his own and won something from him; just as we can see that death has finally destroyed and subdued them all. What do the wicked people, the papists, show themselves, that in such a fight against the devil they point people to their own works and to the dead saints? Why do they not point them here, to this child, who alone is the right counsel, whom they cannot overthrow? because he has always been victorious against the devil, even when the devil strangled him; whereas no such great and highly-graced saint has ever come to earth whom this enemy has not often felled and overpowered. But where they existed and were
*) What does 2c. D. Red.
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In such a case, they alone enjoyed the help of this infant.
(26) But listen further, you do not yet know this child, for there are two other special names behind it, which you must also learn. It is called Pater aeternitatis, "Eternal Father. How does it come to this name, since otherwise his name is called: Eternal Son of the Eternal Father? But just as you must interpret the other names as referring only to this Son of God's office and work, which he performs for us, so you must do the same here. He is eternally born of God, the eternal Father; therefore no other name is due to Him in relation to the Father, except that He is called Son; but He wants to be called and known as our eternal Father. This is his right name towards us, which comforts us in the highest temptation we can have.
(27) For this is the special trial and sorrow of Christians, that they may see how easy it is for the devil to overthrow us. As the examples of great saints are before our eyes, who fell so miserably into error and trouble, and died in it, who before were such fine people. Therefore, Christians are increasingly afraid and think: "Who knows what misfortune lies ahead of you? Who knows whether you will always remain steadfast and not let the word out of your eyes and heart, so that you will be condemned for eternity? Against such thoughts this name comforts, that the child Jesus will not take care of us for one, two, ten, twenty years; but what was promised to us in baptism, when God adopted us as children, through Christ, that shall remain firm and certain for eternity. This child wants to be our father forever, that is, to protect, save and give us what we need forever. That there should be no lack of him at all, if only we remain pious children, and do not run away from such a father of grace, like the disobedient children, who do not want to tolerate their parents' punishment, and rather run away to a foreign country, because they have to suffer one day more misfortune, than with father and mother a whole year. Such wicked, disobedient children are justified. Therefore we should beware of
and not run from this Father who wants to carry us and keep us for eternity.
(28) Who then could believe these things assuredly, and keep them in his heart: what thinkest thou that such men should care or be troubled in the wide world? For let misfortune come, as it will, so says such a believing heart: Let it go, it is not eternal; but on the other hand I have an eternal Father, who will protect me against sin, the devil and death for eternity. This shall comfort me more than temporal misfortune can frighten me. So a heart is satisfied over such things.
29 Therefore this child is called with honor by the sixth name, "Prince of Peace," that is, such a lord, who is in his kingdom, must have a peaceful heart, even in the midst of adversity. For what would grieve him? Sin cannot condemn him; for he knows Christ has borne it. The devil cannot frighten him, for he knows that Christ has smitten him. Nor can death hold him, for he knows, because he has an eternal Father in the Lord Christ, that another and eternal life shall follow the short physical death. This can be a child that we should rejoice in from the bottom of our hearts that the gracious God has granted and given it to us. Therefore, the prophet interprets all these names himself, why he named this child in this way, and says:
That his dominion may be great, and that there be no end of peace, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; that he may establish and strengthen it with judgment and righteousness from henceforth even for ever.
(30) These six names testify what kind of ministry the child will have on earth and what he will accomplish with us. Therefore, he says, his dominion will be great: not only that many people will find their way to such a child and desire his grace, but also that it will be an eternal kingdom, where peace and all good things will never fail. Such things are brought about here on earth by the Word and by faith; but in the life to come we shall feel them, and have them in our hands, as the Word now tells us, and as we believe. As the pro-
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The prophet finely indicates this by saying, "The child will establish his kingdom with judgment and strengthen it with righteousness. For both of these things must take place here on earth and be established by word and faith; as Christ says in the last verse of Luke 46, 47: Christ must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name among all nations.
For the word "judgment" means nothing else than the preaching of repentance, that through the gospel the Holy Spirit punishes the world for sin, because it does not believe in the Son of God; therefore threatens eternal death to all who remain in such unbelief. Such preaching makes stupid, frightened hearts that recognize their sin and fear God's wrath; that is the right judgment. Then it follows that one does not continue in sin, but repents and mourns over it, and thinks how one may henceforth become more pious. Through this the Lord Christ establishes his kingdom. For through preaching the way is prepared for him, so that hearts may rejoice, hunger and thirst after righteousness, and accept with all their heart the joyful message of this child.
32 Where therefore this judgment is, it shall be followed, because the kingdom of Christ is begun, that it may henceforth be strengthened with righteousness. For to recognize sin and to be sorry for it, that will not make it; first of all the first throw is done and, as they say, the first stone is laid. But that is what makes it and completes the construction that has been started, that righteousness is done for us, which is, as Paul himself puts it, Romans 4, forgiveness of sins. For here on earth we will otherwise come to no righteousness. Although the Christians begin and practice in the
right obedience to God, it is still a weak and impure obedience, since a great deal of disobedience and sin is involved. But that we have forgiveness of sins through Christ, that is how we are preserved.
(33) Now where there is such righteousness as believing in the forgiveness of sins through Christ, let it follow, as we have heard above in the history of Gideon, that we should hasten after the beaten and conquered enemies, and plunder them and strangle them completely. That is, we are to keep ourselves in holy living, not letting sin and the devil drive and lead us, as the world lets itself be driven and led; but know that both sin and the devil have been slain on the head by Christ and put to flight, yes (as John 16 says) that the devil has already been judged. Therefore we are to oppose such an enemy with strong courage, not yielding to him nor following him; in this way God will dwell with us with His Spirit, and help us to defeat the enemy completely. So that these two parts, judgment and righteousness, should always run together. Faith should not doubt the forgiveness of sins; and yet judgment or repentance should always go along with it, so that we keep ourselves in the fear of God, practice God's commandments, and kill sin from day to day, and hasten after it; as Gideon's people hastened after the enemies who were slain by the Lord, and slew them completely at the Jordan.
(34) So this kingdom of the child is prepared by judgment, and strengthened by righteousness, "from henceforth even unto ages of ages. For for the sake of this temporal life it was not begun; we are therefore to pass from the temporal to the eternal. May this be granted to us all by our dear Lord Jesus, the wonderful Child, our Counsel, Strength, Hero, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace, Amen.
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Stephani Day; Apost. 6 & 7, 1.2. 44-59
On the day of Stephani.
Apost. 6. and 7, 1. 2. 44-59.
In the days when the disciples were many, a murmur arose among the Greeks against the Eberians, because their widows were overlooked in the daily giving of hands. Then the twelve called together the multitude of the disciples, and said: It is not fit that we should omit the word of God, and serve at meat. Therefore, brethren, look among you for seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint for this need. But we will continue in prayer, and in the ministry of the word. And the speech pleased all the multitude, and they chose Stephanum, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philippum, and Prochorum, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenam, and Nicolaum, the fellow-Jew of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and prayed, and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples became very great in Jerusalem. Many priests also became obedient to the faith. Stephen, full of faith and power, performed miracles and great signs among the people. Then arose certain of the school called the Libertines, and the Cyrenes, and the Alexanderes, and those that were of Cilicia and Asia, and consulted with Stephen. And they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit from which he spoke. Then they judged some men who said: We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came near, and took him, and brought him before the council, and set up false witnesses, saying: This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and against the law. For we have heard him say, Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and change the customs which Moses gave us. And they looked upon him, all they that sat in the council, and saw his face as the face of an angel. Then said the high priest, Is it so? And he said, Brethren and fathers, hear me. Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, as he had commanded them, when he spake unto Moses, that he should make it after the pattern which he had seen: which our fathers also received, and brought it with Joshua into the land which the heathen possessed, whom God cast out from before the face of our fathers unto the days of David. He found favor with God and asked that he might find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. Solomon built him a house. But the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as the prophet saith, The heavens are my throne, and the earth my footstool: what house will ye build me, saith the LORD, or what is the place of my rest? Has not my hand made all these things? Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do ye. What prophet did not your fathers persecute and kill, who before proclaimed the future of this righteous one, whom you have now become traitors and murderers? You received the law through the business of angels, and did not keep it. When they heard this, their hearts were sore, and they gnashed their teeth at him. But when he was full of the Holy Spirit, he looked up to heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see heaven open, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. And they cried with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed in upon him with one accord, and thrust him out of the city, and stoned him. And the witnesses laid aside their garments at the feet of a young man whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, who cried out, saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, saying, Lord, keep not this sin from them. And when he had heard the said, he passed away.
This is a very good history, otherwise the evangelist would not have made so many words of it. But its main purpose is that we should see and learn in it, first of all, how the Christians or the church
The second is what is their consolation and hope in such persecution, and wherewith they may be saved from the Lord Christ, their faith and confession,
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They have to suffer because of it. Whoever learns this from history can then really and thoroughly know what the kingdom of our Lord Christ is. So that this teaching may be the more clearly understood, let us divide it into three parts, as the evangelist divides the history, and speak first of the ministry and life of Stephen, then of his persecution, what he was charged with, and how he answered for it; and finally of his departure or death.
(2) Of the ministry and life of Stephen, the evangelist indicates two things: the first, that he was a minister of alms; the second, that he was full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and did wonders and great signs among the people, and provoked the Jews against him, so that they assailed him and brought false witness against him. For when the gospel was first preached in Jerusalem, and the number of the faithful increased day by day, Lucas says in the fourth chapter, v. 32, that all the faithful were of one heart and one soul, and that none of their goods were said to be theirs, but had all things in common. But those who had fields and houses sold them and laid the money from the sold goods at the apostles' feet; they then gave each one what he needed. When the crowd became too large and too many in number, this disorder occurred so that some were forgotten in the spending, and the apostles became so busy with almsgiving that they could not wait to preach. Therefore, because preaching was more important, they waited for it, and appointed seven godly, righteous men to undertake this ministry, and to provide food and drink for the congregation. Among them, Stephen was the most distinguished, who allowed himself to be used for such service, so that the ministry of preaching would be promoted the more and the Christians would be served the more nobly.
The Anabaptists have set such an example very high, and do not want to consider those Christians who keep something of their own and do not have everything in common. But first of all, the Scriptures themselves prove that from this
No one should make an example, nor force people to do so. For at that time, when such a thing was going on, Peter the apostle said to Anania: "You might well have kept your field while you had it, and since it was sold, it was in your power. It is clearly testified that no one was forced to sell and throw in such things. But whoever did it for himself, unbidden and in the opinion that he wanted to give it to poor people in the present time of persecution, which they had to wait for every day, no one has opposed him. For it is a good work, and may well have been so in those days, when the disciples were few, and had all received the Holy Ghost, that no man might fear any unfaithfulness. Now it is all mixed up, and most of them are so clever that they would rather get their food from other people than work themselves and create something honest with their hands. Such a community would cause all kinds of misfortune among such unruly, naughty people, whom no one can get to work and stop from begging.
(4) And this is the cause that such an order had to fall also at Jerusalem, because the multitude had become too great. For if they had wanted to maintain it, the household could not have existed. Cause, where there is a wife and children, there must not be a community, but a property with the goods; otherwise all kinds of trouble would take place. That is why the apostles did not establish such a community anywhere else. For at Corinth there were also Christians, but there, when they came together, it was seen that each one had his own table and food. Paul does not punish them for this, but he reproves them for not eating at home and putting the poor to shame. And what need is there of special exhortation against the rich, that they should gladly give and help, if such fellowship were certainly commanded and arranged?
5 Therefore it is a great error on the part of the Anabaptists to make such fellowship necessary and to command that everyone must keep it. After all, the gospel is not a
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Such a doctrine that changed something in the regiment or household. It leaves both states, and teaches how we may come to forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and does not want to disrupt either household or regiment by such teaching. But now it is obvious that the disruption of such estates would have to follow, where one wanted to make everything common. The Christians, however, have a different community; they should be allowed to remain in it and no more should be imposed on them. John preaches from Luke 3:11: "He that hath two coats, let him give to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise"; and Christ: "Give to every one that asketh thee. For to this a Christian is bound, that he should help where he can; but that Paul's rule may remain, 2 Cor. 8:13, that not others have rest, nor we affliction, but our abundance should minister to another's need; that is, where there is real need, and not sloth, or industrious stewardship, and thou canst help without harm in such need, thou art bound to help. For some would gladly give, but have not; some could well feed themselves, but either do not want to work, or let too much rise. You should not help such people; you only make them worse and get them used to begging.
Therefore, it is not necessary to make such an example of the first church and to force the Christians to such a community. Let it remain that one Christian should help another where he can without harm. For our Lord God does not want you to help a beggar and make beggars of yourself and your children. It is said, as Paul says: Non ut aliis remissio sit, vobis autem molestia, ("Not that others have rest, but you have tribulation.").
(7) In this case, this history is useful and good, so that one may consider the examples of the apostles and learn from them what kind of men are to be used for such a ministry, since St. Stephen allowed himself to be used. For thus the apostles say: "Look among you for seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. To "have a good report" means that one has honestly and unambiguously
The first thing I want to say is that I think that the people of the world have not been shamefully stingy, as the world is now wont to do, or have been abundant with money and goods. For such people are not at all fit to handle other people's money and to preside over others. Avarice seduces them, so that they gather to themselves what they can with little appearance. But if they are accustomed to splendor and a good life and have other people's property in their administration, they will see how it is done. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention first to the rumor of how such people have behaved before in their own actions.
After that, the Holy Spirit also belongs to it. For otherwise, where one does not know how to keep and rule according to God's word, money could make peelers, even if they had been pious and honorable before. For "having the Holy Spirit" is nothing else than being a Christian, loving God's word, hearing it gladly, living according to it, and keeping a good conscience. All these things are the work and fruit of the Holy Spirit, after which others grow, as Galatians 5 says.
(9) Now both these things may be, that a man may have a good report and the Holy Ghost, and yet be unfit for such an office; wherefore they say, Such men also shall be wise, having skill and practice. As you can see, one is more skilled in housekeeping than the other; he knows how to manage his business with advantage, so that he buys at the right time and with advice, which another does at the wrong time and with harm. Therefore, if such an office is to have practiced heads, it must be done otherwise with benefit and justice. Lazy, disgruntled, careless, clumsy people are not suitable for it; they should be let go in one year, since another, who is wise, could last two or three years.
(10) Now when the apostles have such men, who are upright, godly, and skilled in such administration, the church comes and sets them before the apostles; and they, the apostles, pray, and lay hands on them. Now this is also a very necessary piece. For we learn that human wisdom and skill cannot do it; it must be God's blessing.
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be present and give prosperity. We must seek this through prayer; otherwise it may happen that the most skillful act most unskillfully and cause the greatest harm.
(11) That the dear apostles apply so much diligence to this office, pray so earnestly and lay their hands on those elected, all this is an indication that this administration of the common church goods or alms is not a bad administration. Otherwise, what need is there of such diligence and earnestness with such people? It is true that the ministry of preaching is far higher and more; for through it God does not help the body with food and drink to this temporal life, but He helps the soul against sin and eternal death. But after the ministry of preaching, there is no higher ministry in the church than this administration, that the church property be handled rightly and honestly, so that the poor Christians, who cannot create and obtain their own food, may be helped so that they do not suffer hardship.
That is why the devil is so hostile to such a ministry, and tries all the estates so hard that they deal very unfaithfully with the church property and common alms. Great lords keep house with the church goods, that it would be better; as unfortunately is only too much in the day, that one should be much more diligent and willing to maintain and protect church servants and schools, than one does. For our forefathers gave abundantly for this purpose, and thought to maintain the church service in this way: but they lacked this, that they knew nothing of the right church service; as we now know, and yet do not want to let happen to this what is given and ordered by others, but want to keep it ourselves and use it for our own benefit. So citizens and peasants, what they should give to their parish lords, one sees how it is done so unfaithfully; everyone would rather still take. Therefore, as the prophet Malachi threatens, God's anger is so obvious that everyone, the great lords as well as citizens and peasants, become beggars with such goods. That would still be to suffer, if it were not for the lamentation that schools and churches would fall away and the poor people would be missed out.
This is the fate of the wretched devil, who can see where it will end up. For this reason it would be necessary that in large principalities and cities, yes, even in every village, there were many Stephani who took on such service with seriousness and handled the church goods rightly; who did not look at their own use and avarice, but at those to whom such goods belong by right, as there are: First, those who must serve the church in the word and cannot wait for such service because of their own doing; and then the poor Christians who cannot provide their food because of sickness or other need; and third, fine, skilful young boys who are fit for study and yet have no other help. So the lack of this is that we do not have people who belong to such administration, honest, God-fearing and skillful people; otherwise things should be different.
14 Now this is the first of the lives of St. Stephen, who gave himself to the service of the church, and provided for the Christians that they might eat and drink, and keep up the more diligently in word and prayer. Because of this ministry, he would have remained unchallenged by the Jews; but Lucas further reports of him that he was full of faith and power, and that he performed miracles and great signs among the people.
15 Now it is certain that God caused such signs to happen, as Marci says at the end, to confirm the word with it. Thus the works and signs of St. Stephen show that he did not keep his faith secret and silent, but confessed it freely and preached about the Lord Christ Jesus. This is the reason why the Jews cannot stand him, but take him by force, seize him and drag him before the authorities.
(16) This is an example for us to learn: if we confess our faith and honor Christ publicly before men with our confession, the devil will not fail to stir up some who will trouble you and bring all kinds of misfortune upon your neck. Therefore, you may prepare and send yourself on such a journey; it will not be otherwise. For we
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Christians should not enjoy our faith and confession in order to become great lords and rich with it; but life and limb, and what we have, we must put in danger, and take great pains that the world will not leave us unchallenged. As can be seen here in Stephano, it grieves him that the Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians and others blaspheme Christ and do not want to be the Son of God; for this reason, he settles with them and disputes against them. He thinks that he is a Christian and must save Christ's honor. And he does this in such a way that they cannot resist his wisdom and the spirit from which he speaks.
017 But how is he over it? They, the Jews, judged some men who said: We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. And moved the people, and the elders, and the scribes, which came and took him, and brought him before the council. This is what St. Stephen got from the fact that he did not like it when people spoke evil of Christ and thought that it was not his place to do otherwise, that he had to save the honor of his Lord. Today, praise God, it is the same for us with the Pope and his followers; we may thank God for this, for it is not an evil sign.
18 Now the text reports with particularity that they have set up false witnesses. For this is what happens everywhere: Christians cannot be attacked with the truth, therefore they must be attacked with lies. They blamed St. Stephen for speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God. But he will by no means have confessed this to them. For what he thought of Moses and believed of God, his answer testifies sufficiently. That is why he brings such a charge against his adversaries, accusing them that they and their fathers followed Moses as little as they followed God. That one can finely sense from history that the Jews dealt with Stephen as the papists deal with us today.
19 When we preach: Christ has not instituted the reverend Sacrament, His testament, to be annulled, transferred, imprisoned, or destroyed (as the papists are wont to do).
but to eat and drink it, and to proclaim the death of the Lord, that is, to take comfort in his suffering and payment for our sin: We think nothing of the Sacrament and dishonor it. When we preach: For sin only the one sacrifice of our dear Lord Christ serves; with works the least sin cannot be put away; they cry out: We forbid good works, and give every man cause to do whatsoever he lusteth after. For if by good works one cannot earn heaven, by evil works one cannot earn hell 2c. There all the papists are found as false witnesses, who publicly proclaim such things of us, but without truth.
(20) It was the same with St. Stephen. He preached the doctrine of the forgiveness of sins, as we preach it, praising God, and said: With the law it was lost that one wanted to go to heaven with it; God had not given it for that reason; whoever desires to go to heaven must have something higher and more than Moses and all holy works. They interpreted this sermon as if he blasphemed Moses. Thus he bore witness to Christ that he was the Son of God and performed miraculous signs in his name; they called this blasphemy. They especially did not like that he kept so little of the temple and the old service, and threatened that if they did not leave Moses and accept Christ, then the temple, the service, the government and everything would fail. They took this not only as blasphemous words, but also as a rebellious sermon, and attacked him fiercely for it.
(21) Therefore, we should not complain about the unjust accusation of this day. The devil can do nothing else but lie, and pervert what is right and well said, and interpret it in the worst way. The papists have such an art from him; therefore they blaspheme the holy gospel and speak the worst of the righteous preachers. One must be accustomed to this, and wait until God comes and knows whether they are true or lying. However, we must be content that we have the testimony of our conscience with dear Stephen.
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that we do not like to blaspheme God or to teach and seduce people unjustly.
- This conscience will be comforted by the fact that history reports that Stephen looks up to heaven and sees the glory of God, and Jesus, His Son, at the right hand of God. He, the holy Stephen, was also a man who had flesh and blood, and if it had been without the Holy Spirit, he would have allowed himself to be moved so that the chief priests, Pharisees and all the people stood there and considered his teaching of Christ to be heresy and condemned it. For such a challenge cannot be overcome without the Holy Spirit. But just as the Jews were most vehemently opposed to it, and Stephen was now to suffer death for this confession and teaching, he saw Christ standing at the right hand of God, whom the chief priests, Pharisees and all the people thought was sitting in hell.
Stephen saw this sight with his own eyes. We do not see it bodily, but in the Word we see it too, praise God. Therefore we hold to such teaching, and let the papists rave, shout, lie, catch, strangle, as they will; that shall be of little concern to us. As Christ promises: His Spirit shall be with us, comforting and strengthening us, so that we may have all joy and comfort in Him, and at the same time bring our cause to light in such a way that one must feel that it is not we, but the Spirit of God who speaks, Marci on the 13th verse. As we hear about Stephano here, that he does such an excellent responsibility on the false accusation of the Jews, and proves that the temple in Jerusalem is not God's house, that he should be bound to it and that it should not be destroyed because of the sin of the Jews. For there he proves how God was among his people, and yet had no such house; for it was Solomon the son of David who first built it. Item, when such a house already stood and was held in its dignities, at the time of Ezechiä,. then God said by the mouth Jesaiä: "The sky is my chair, and the earth my footstool; what will you then build me for a house?"
- but because the Jews were so stubborn on their
If they persist in their opinion, and want to be bad, God is bound to this house: if Stephen honestly scolds them about it, they are called stiff-necked people, who have uncircumcised hearts and ears, who resist the Holy Spirit, and become traitors and murderers of the holy prophets, who have never kept God's commandment. Stephen would not have spoken such things for a long time if the Holy Spirit had not been in him. For we learn that he who is in such distress as Stephen thinks that he speaks what people like to hear and makes them friends again. Thus Stephen speaks to his adversaries in such a way that it goes through their hearts and they clench their teeth. This is done by the Holy Spirit in Stephen, who drives him to forget his life and limb, and to see only that he saves the glory of his Lord Christ and shows sinners their sin.
But how does Christ let the holy man enjoy such honest service? This is the third and last part of this sermon, and it can be seen as if St. Stephen was rewarded, as it is said that the executioner rewards his servant. For so it is written in the history:
They shouted loudly and stopped their ears, and unanimously rushed in to him, pushed him out of the city, and stoned him.
26 Well, dear Stephane, there you lie. So the world is worthy of all servants and faithful servants of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. In the eyes of the world it has a bad reputation. For if he had been a murderer, a thief, an adulterer, it would have been impossible to go along with him worse, and yet everyone would have had more compassion for him. But because he confessed Christ and wanted to bring others to such faith, he died in disgrace and vice. For everyone considers him a deceiver and a blasphemer who wanted to destroy Moses' law, worship and all discipline and respectability. This is the true death of the saints. Before the world a blasphemous, shameful death; but before God a noble death, as the Psalm testifies. For first of all, our Head and Lord, Christ Jesus, the Son of God, is the Son of God.
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himself, thus in all dishonor, like a seducer and rebel, died on the cross between two murderers.
27 Secondly, let us learn here from Stephano, and hear from him himself, who suffered such an ignominious death, what he thought of it. For thus Lucas speaks:
He cried out and said: Lord JEsu, receive my spirit!
028 Where is the good man thinking? He lies there on his knees; the witnesses who confessed against him, and were therefore the first to throw stones at him, sent themselves to trade and took off their coats; now that it was time to cover him with stones, the pious man forgets his body and life and does not say a word about it, as if he wanted to say: The body is not worth anything better, it belongs under the earth, sin and sinfulness are enough in it; therefore nothing is in it, even if it perishes shamefully. In that case, however, it has only become honest and delicious in that it dies for the sake of the Lord Christ; therefore I do not want to worry about it any further. But this I pray, O Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit. So Stephen is sure that if the spirit is helped by Christ, who alone can help him, then the body will not be in trouble, and will also have to die.
29 Thus, it is perfectly clear that Stephen believes that he will have eternal life after this life. For for what else should he command his spirit to Christ? And he believes even more, namely, that if his spirit is to be helped, neither Moses, nor the law, nor other people with their works, nor he with his works will be able to do it; only Christ, the Son of God, must do it. Therefore, have faith and ask him to do it. This means to know Christ rightly and to believe rightly, and it must be followed by a strong, easy, good courage, even though it is in the greatest straits and greatest need.
30 We should learn this art with all diligence and repeat such words to St. Stephen. For although the Son of God, our dear Lord Christ, stands by his Christians in all roads, protects them, and gives them
If he wants to help us against the evil enemy and the wicked world, who at the same time want to damage body and life and the soul, then this is his special office and work, that in the last hour, when this life here wants to be over and we have to worry about sin, the devil and death, he wants to sit with us and prove his help and power to us. For why did he die? Is it not because of sins? Why did he command us to be baptized? Is it not true that we should become children of God and be freed from sins and death through the death of Christ? For this very reason he commanded the church the keys to forgive sin and to retain sin. Item, he has instituted the holy, reverend supper for this reason. All such things do not apply to this temporal life, for there the Christians must have the disadvantage and the wicked the advantage, that they may have it as they wish. Christians suffer this gladly, for they know that all the comfort and treasure they have will only be taken and possessed in the life to come.
(31) Stephanum forgets that he lets his enemies do with him as they wish; he does not complain about it at all. That alone he asks Christ to receive his spirit; he is satisfied with that. For he knows well that if Christ takes care of the spirit, which was created for salvation, the body will not remain behind. We should also learn this and pray earnestly, as all the saints have always prayed and Christ is very willing to do. For this is his office, and it is called kicking the serpent right on the head and pressing him down. So the thief on the cross also asks: "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. As if he wanted to say: "I will gladly forgive myself for the help here on earth; let the body get what it deserves, that does not concern me: only, dear Lord, help me in another life, which is eternal.
32 If then Stephen (as we believe and know to be true) asked aright, and was heard: what opinion may he have of them that believe his faith?
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but persecute and strangle him for the sake of his faith? This is to be well calculated. For if Christ alone can and will help the spirit for eternity, then body and spirit must be lost together where one neither has nor wants Christ. The holy martyr Stephen also sees this. Therefore, because he does not doubt how he prays that Christ will receive his spirit, he begins to pray for the poor people who stoned him and were false witnesses, saying: "Lord, do not keep this sin from them.
(33) Both come together, as both must be together, a right faith and a right love. For a Christian should take care of his neighbor, not only with temporal help, but rather with spiritual help; for such help is also more important. Therefore, the holy man is concerned that the devil has so captured and deeply blinded the hearts of poor sinners that they still despise and persecute their salvation, since they should rather lose life and limb and everything.
34 We should also learn this from St. Stephen, and not be angry, as the world is wont to do, when other people do us wrong. It hurts, but think like Stephen: they can do no more harm than to your goods, and where they do it most grievously, to your body. On the other hand, the more they harm you in body and goods, the more they harm themselves in soul. What will you do with such poor, miserable people? Will you be angry with them and harm them again? You cannot harm them so much, they have already harmed themselves a thousand times more; and you will spoil your cause against our Lord God by such impatience and vengefulness, when you patiently suffer God to take up your cause.
and will abundantly repay and pay you for such harm. Therefore, nothing is better than to drop all anger and repugnance with Stephen, and to take heed of the poor people's highest harm that they are doing to their souls, and to pray to God for them that he will forgive them, accept them into grace, and graciously protect them from death and damnation, where the devil has thrown them in.
(35) In addition to this teaching, we also have the consolation that we should not doubt that God will hear such prayer and be merciful to sinners. Otherwise, Stephen would not have asked, where such a request was against the Lord Christ. But because he also prays for such great sinners who do not want to see or hear the Son of God and persecute and kill His saints over it, this is an indication that no sinner should despair, but hope for grace and forgiveness of his sins through Christ. As Lucas especially reports that Paul was pleased with the death of Stephen, and at that time kept the clothes of the witnesses, because they stoned Stephen. But grace was undoubtedly granted him through this prayer, so that Christ might show all patience in him as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.
So your love has the history of St. Stephen, what his deeds were, how he confessed Christ and for the sake of this confession finally gave up his life, who comforted him with His Spirit and filled him with the hope of eternal life, so that he gladly gave up his temporal life for the sake of Christ. May our dear God in heaven, for Christ's sake, through His Holy Spirit, also enlighten our hearts in this way and make us blessed, amen.
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From the innocent little children.
Matth. 2, 13-23.
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and tarry there until I tell thee: for it is come to pass, that Herod seeketh the young child to carry him away. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother by night, and fled into Egypt. He remained there until after Herod's death, so that it might be fulfilled which the Lord had spoken through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son. When Herod saw that he had been deceived by the wise men, he was very angry, and sent and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and all their borders, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently learned of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken of Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Crying was heard in the mountains, and much lamentation, and weeping, and wailing: Rachel wept over her children, and would not be comforted: for they were consumed. And when Herod was dead, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream in the land of Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. When he heard that Archelaus was king in the land of Israel instead of his father Herodis, he was afraid to go there. And in a dream he received commandment from God, and went into the east of Galilee, and came and dwelt in the city that is called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets: He shall be called Nazarene.
This is a good story that should not be left out of the church, both for the sake of doctrine and then for the comfort it gives us Christians. The teaching is that we see how the devil and the world are hostile to the child Jesus and his kingdom, and how they fiercely fight to suppress, dampen or even destroy it. The consolation is that the world does not succeed in such attempts; it must let Christ, his word and church remain; and although some Christians must lose over it, it must be done without their harm, yes, even with their highest benefit; but the tyrants must go to the ground over it, there it must not help anything.
(2) That Herod had the innocent infants killed at Bethlehem and all along its borders was a great desolation. But let no one doubt: Herod will have made a fine semblance of the matter, so that it was not considered tyranny, but a necessary punishment. For the world is especially capable of such art when it is against the Christians.
as all histories testify, and Christ himself says of his disciples: "Whoever kills you will think he is doing God a service. When Herod's son, Herod Antipas, killed St. John the Baptist, he still brought praise and the name of being a true prince who did not like to swear a false oath. Since the Jews brought Christ to the cross, since they stoned Stephanum, they both, master and servant, had to bear the name, they would have been rebellious and would have blasphemed God. There are plenty of examples in the Scriptures. Therefore, no one doubts that the same thing happened to the innocent children, that Herod and all those who advised and helped him made such a pretense of it that everyone thought they had done a good deed and a necessary good work. But how could this have happened? Thus:
3 Matthew writes how the wise men came to Jerusalem and asked about the newborn child, and about the
1074 L. 3.282-284. Of the innocent little children. W. XIII, 2481-2484. 1075
He said that the Jews had been told about the miraculous revelation of the star and were not worried that such a message and guests should frighten the Jews; Herod, as soon as he heard this, was terrified, and the whole of Jerusalem with him. Such fright is now the real main cause of this murderous attack and work, that so many poor innocent children are strangled. For Herod thinks: "If you are born king of the Jews, where will you stay, you who are a foreign king and to whom the Jews are hostile? For this Herod's father was an Edomite, and Caesar Julio made him a captain over the Jews; but when he died, this Herod, Antipater's son, became the first king in the Jewish land, by the help of Augustus, the Roman emperor. Therefore Herod was worried that if another king was accepted, he would not have room for long, and he thought how he could avoid the disaster.
4 Without a doubt, the chief priests helped him to do this. For it says here that the whole of Jerusalem was also greatly shocked by this message. Why was this? Because the Romans were lords over the land, and this hurt the Jews very much, and they were always trying to get rid of these lords. But the Romans were too powerful for them, and they beat them with all their might. So the chief priests and rulers of the people thought, "If the cry of the newborn king arises and he brings about an addition, as will soon happen, then we will have the Romans on our necks again; they will not suffer. Therefore, to prevent such unrest and bloodshed, strangle, dear King Herod, wherever you have a suspicion that this child is to be struck. Otherwise, the country and its people will not escape without harm or destruction.
So the dear child Jesus must be still in the cradle with the world in the suspicion that he will take his kingdom from Herod and bring war and bloodshed, rebellion and all misfortune to the Jews in the country. To forestall this, they take counsel and confidently murder; and poor Bethlehem must be used, because the prophet Micah says,
Christ shall be born there. Because Bethlehem was David's city, it is easy to believe that what was left of the same tribe stayed there and had its dwelling place there. Therefore Herod took the whole border in front of him, so that he would not miss the Child, and he made a good show of his intentions: it was necessary to prevent riots and bloodshed; it was better to grieve several hundred fathers and mothers than to lead the whole country into trouble.
(6) To such an appearance they will have led especially the wise men's future. For they were such guests as were not accustomed to Jerusalem. Because they had traveled such a long way to this child, and had promised Herod to come to him again and report on the newborn child, and the angel had told them to go home by another way, Herod, the chief priests and the rulers would have interpreted this secret departure as such: There is a riot going on, the common man will soon be moved, when many of such guests come into the country, and the matter will become loud. In order to prevent such trouble, and so that the common man could see that the authorities did not like it, they used such seriousness and had the children strangled.
Therefore, the Christian Church sings finely: Hostis Herodes impie, Christum venire quid times? Non arripit mortalia regna, qui dat coelestia: You godless tyrant, why are you afraid that Christ is coming? He gives the eternal kingdom, after the temporal he asks nothing 2c. But Herod will not be persuaded: the devil has held up a painted glass before his eyes and those of the chief priests, with whose help and counsel he has undoubtedly brought this about, so that they see this child for what it is not, and what it is they do not want to see. Therefore, they draw their swords and become horrible, shameful murderers, even if they color the matter in such a way that everyone must agree with them and believe that what they do is all well done, and the country and its people should enjoy it.
- As it was for the child Jesus in those days, so it is still today.
1076 L.3, 284-286. Of the innocent little children. W. xm. 2484-2486. 1077
the dear Gospel. The pope, the bishop, the bullfighters, the priests, the monks, all of them are in Herodi's company, they agree and approve of his attack. For they consider the gospel to be such a doctrine that causes disunity, turmoil and all kinds of misfortune in the world, and they think that if they accepted such a doctrine and let their country come under their people, it would be the first thing that they would have to let go of their glory, income and good gentle life, one with the other. Just as Herod thinks: If the new king should come in, it is over with you. That is why they go to murder, strangle, execute, drown, burn, and chase away the Christians wherever they can, hoping to preserve their power, wealth, honor, and other things.
(9) If the good gospel is not preached for this reason, it does not teach how to take away what is yours. But this it teaches, that everyone may know God, come to the forgiveness of sins, and become more devout; so that everyone may keep the hope of eternal life, which Christ has purchased for us, and not deprive himself of it. This is the ministry of the Holy Gospel and its own work, that God may be honored and men may be saved. But for this, the pope and bishops think, they do not need the gospel; for most of the people do not believe in eternal life. Because they are concerned that they might have to pay for the Gospel in such a way that they would have to forfeit their power, splendor and income, they would rather be advised of such teachings; indeed, they make every effort to suppress and dampen them, as Herod did. The devil can masterfully encourage them to such murderous thoughts. For just as Herod thinks, "What? if it is a matter of one child or two hundred, there is no more need;" so the papists also think, "If it costs one priest, one citizen, or two, the matter is already taken care of; so that it seems mean that they want to suppress and exterminate them without any effort. But let them try and see where Christ and his gospel remain on one side, and Herod on the other. Then it will be found that they do not want to have it, and from the gospel, from a small mere child, such an immeasurable
The result can be a very heavy load, as they have to go down underneath.
(10) First of all, this history of the Lord Christ and his kingdom teaches us how the world will regard him and what it will regard him for, namely, for such a child, if his neck is not cut in time, that will bring misfortune to the country and its people and cause riots, murder and bloodshed. In such hard and heavy suspicion the innocent child, and still today his dear word, must be stuck; therefore God must be allowed to rule. The infant Jesus himself in the cradle did not have it better; we will not have it better either. Our only hope, effort, work, and diligence is that the world may know God, come to Christ, and be saved; that it may escape the devil, death, and sin. For we preach for no other reason, as you can see. A cathedral provost in a monastery has more income than all the ecclesiastics in a large city and almost in a whole country. This is what we suffer, hunger and sorrow with wife and child, and we do not preach about becoming great lords and rich. That is what we are concerned with, that God may be recognized and honored in Christ, and that poor sinners may be saved. But slowly the world will recognize us for this. It considers us and Christ to be rebels and interprets our teachings as causing all misfortune. One must learn to suffer and be accustomed to this. That is enough of the teaching; now let us also look at the consolation.
(11) Herod and the chief priests mean the Lord Christ very badly, but the devil who drives them means even worse, because he knows what kind of fare is in store for him. But how do they fare? In one case, their attack is going on; for the poor little children cannot defend themselves, they have to stand by, and their innocence before the world does not help them. But in the other case, their plot is completely lacking. For before they start to murder, the child Jesus is already out of the country, in his custody, since Herod cannot do anything to him.
This is very comforting for us Christians in two ways. For here we see, although
1078 L. 3, 286-288. of the innocent children. W. XIII, 2486-2489. 1079
God lets his church suffer and acts as if he does not ask about her: we must nevertheless confess that he keeps her well and faithfully and protects her from harm. For since Joseph and Mary would otherwise have stayed longer in Bethlehem with the child, the angel came and warned them that they should leave and stay in Egypt for a while. God had made it so beforehand through the wise men that they should travel such a long way to the child and give him provisions for such a journey; as Matthew says: "They offered him gold, frankincense and myrrh. This will not have been a small gift, but a good treasure, so that the poor people might have helped themselves for a long time and also helped others. Whether the devil, Herod and the chief priests have evil in mind, nothing will come of it. The child, because of which they start such murders, gets away.
(13) So God wants to keep His word and His church for and for, although the tyrants are evil, that they still have to let the church and the word remain, yes, that is even more, their raging and persecuting should give cause for the church to increase and God's word to be spread further. For there is no doubt about it, Mary and Joseph, and perhaps others with them, who knew this child because they were in Egypt, will not have kept silent, but will have preached about the great miracle that happened with this child and brought others to faith and salvation. As especially the wise men in their country were certainly the first preachers of the New Testament and will have diligently taught their people about this child. To this Herod gives cause, although he already knows nothing about it, but even thinks to dampen.
14 Even today, when tyrants rage against the gospel, they do no more than blow into the ashes; the fire becomes greater, and the ashes are poured into their eyes. This is how their tyranny shall come to them. When they shed innocent blood, let such Christian blood be like dung that fertilizes the field, so that it becomes moist and bears well. For it is through persecution that Christianity grows.
where there is peace and tranquility, the Christians become lazy and lax.
(15) Yea, sayest thou, nevertheless it is for the poor little children that they must suffer, though Christ come away. It is true, in the kingdom of Christ it shall not be otherwise. For just as Herods and high priests are found throughout the world, so also innocent little children are found who must endure. But then think: What harm is there to them? They are called innocent children: not only because they come to such death through no fault of their own, but also because they are innocent because of their actions and omissions, and are not yet tainted with real sin; but because they have been accepted by God and entered into the covenant of grace that God made with this people through the promise of Christ and through circumcision, the sign of the same promise. In such innocence they are strangled; this not only brings them no harm, but also double benefit and advantage. For if God had not taken them away in their youth and innocence, they would have fallen into sin. As it is the nature of this life that we cannot remain in it without sin. Therefore, death does not only serve these children to remain in innocence, in God's grace and without an evil conscience; but they are promoted to a different and better life, where the body rests gently and the spirit lives blissfully in the bosom of Abraham.
(16) To this is added the advantage, that without it they should have died; but now it comes to pass with them, that they die not of their nature, or of sins, but for Christ's sake. Of such death the 116th Psalm says: Pretiosa mors sanctorum in conspectu ejus, in the sight of God such death is a noble, comforting thing, God respects it highly and dearly, and for this reason will make ample restitution. So that for this reason death becomes a different thing than it otherwise is in itself. For in itself death is a punishment for sin and comes from the wrath of God. But here it is not a punishment for sin, but an obedience that pleases God, and a high and blessed work. For although these children were born for the sake of such
1080 L. 3, 288-291. of the innocent children. W. XIII. 2489-2492. 1081
If they have not been saved because of their death (for their salvation is this alone, that God has accepted them in grace for the sake of the promised Seed, and has attached to them His covenant sign that He will be their God), such death is nevertheless a special honor for them before God and all His angels and saints, and for this reason they will receive their special reward in salvation.
17 This is still the opinion of Christians today, when they have to die for the sake of the gospel. The body is hurt, but there is never any harm, because God is pleased with such death and wants to reward it eternally. Therefore, no one should complain, but thank God that he is promoted to such eternal honor, since otherwise one would have to die once because of nature and sins. For we have no abiding on earth; but the longer we live, the more sin, fear and misery are found from day to day.
18 Therefore, this is a comforting story. The poor little children are murdered, that seems to be a miserable trade in the eyes of the world; but let one open his eyes rightly and look at the word, so it is said, died blessedly and in the best way. For they die for Christ's sake, who also dies for them, and by his death delivers them from sins and eternal death, and moreover will reward such their death to them for eternity. On the other hand, the tyrant does not have to do anything to the infant Jesus, our head, but let him live and have no thanks for it. So, even though the Christians have to forfeit (which, as we have heard, happens without their harm, even with their greatest benefit), the word and the church are not only not to be annihilated, but also to be strengthened and increased by it.
Nineteen: But that such wrath of the fierce Herod should come upon the innocent children: this also is written there for an example, that Christians, when they suffer, should not suffer as murderers, thieves, adulterers, or so as to take hold of another's office. For among Christians such sins shall not go. They are to fear God and beware of all trouble, and yet they shall
The world shall afflict them, and they shall not be satisfied; that their suffering may be even as that of the innocent little children here, who never deserved such death for Herod's sake, and who alone must repay the infant Jesus in such a case. So shall the suffering of Christians be. So the consolation is that Christ suffers with us; as he says to Saul, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Therefore it must finally follow that either bodily help will resist us, or that the tyrants will give cause for us to be delivered from this evil world the sooner and to come to our Lord and Savior Christ.
20 So nothing bad happens to these children, even though they have to lose their lives. And which is still more, Herod must leave the child Jesus content. But how is the tyrant in the end? What reward does he get for strangling the innocent children and persecuting Christ? You may read about it Josephum in the 18th book Antiquitatum, and in the other De bello Judaico. He soon puts an end to the poor innocent children, but God gives him such a terrible disease that no one could stay around him because of the stench and displeasure. For his privates rotted and maggots grew in them, and he swelled from the bottom up terribly, so that he had neither day nor night to rest. He let himself be led to a wild bath, he let himself be bathed in oil; but there was no help. In the end he asked for a knife, as if he wanted to peel an apple, which he stabbed into his own body to end the pain. So it should go to the tyrants. And is still everything a joke against that, that they must suffer in eternity and burn in the hell. For such sin, which is called persecuting God's word and the Christians (where one does not convert and repent), cannot be paid off here on earth; the hellish fire belongs to it.
(21) So your love has the history of the innocent little children, when you learn in them: Whoever wants to be with Christ and remain in his kingdom must keep himself innocent, and yet await all the misfortunes of the world. But there is the consolation: The tyrants should not end up wanting to curb the church and the word; but just like the
1082 L.3, 291.292. On the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. XIII, 2492.2504. 1083
The angel here says to Joseph: "They are dead who sought the life of the child"; thus the tyrants shall fall to the ground over it. But God's word shall remain, and shall preserve for eternity all who believe it with true faith.
and suffer for it. May our dear Lord God and Heavenly Father, through His Holy Spirit, grant this to all of us for the sake of Christ, His dear Son, amen, amen.
The Holy Three King's Day; Matth. 2, 1-12
On the Colonel's Day or Feast of the Apparition.
Matth. 2, 1-12.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in the land of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, the wise men came from the east to Jerusalem, saying: Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him. When Herod the king heard this, he was afraid, and all Jerusalem with him; and he called together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, and inquired of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem, in the land of Judaea. For thus it is written by the prophet: And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art by no means the least of the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come to me the duke that shall be lord over my people Israel. Then Herod called the wise men secretly, and learned diligently of them when the star appeared, and directed them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye find him, tell me again, that I also may come and worship him. When they had heard the king, they went. And, behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they were greatly rejoiced, and went into the house, and found the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him, and opened their treasures, and gave him gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And God commanded them in a dream that they should not turn again to Herod. And they went again by another way into their own land.
On the holy day of Christ, your beloved heard from the prophet Isaiah about the infant Jesus, who he was and what his own ministry was, for which he came to earth; that he would bear his reign himself, that he would counsel and save us against sin, death and the devil, that he would be our eternal Father and Prince of Peace; as he began this ministry on the eighth day, when he was circumcised. For for his person he needed circumcision no more than he needed the incarnation; both were done for our sake. For since God had so decreed with the patriarch Abraham, and made a covenant with him, that he would be his and his descendants' God, and commanded circumcision as a sign and signet of such a covenant, the infant Jesus also had to be circumcised. For we do not have to follow the Lord JEsum.
to what he is to himself. For he is God, and does not need to make a covenant with himself; but we must look upon him according to his office. According to the same he is the greatest sinner. For if other Jews, each for his own sins, needed to enter into such a covenant and God to be satisfied with him, the infant Jesus needed it even more, since he alone had taken upon himself the sins of the whole world. In such a hideous and unpleasant garment, the infant Jesus came before God on the eighth day, and requested the sign of the covenant, the circumcision, so that God would take him into his covenant of grace. There we see that God does not throw him away because of this hideous garment. He accepts him and attaches his covenant sign to him, so that we may learn that God will forgive our sins.
1084 D. 3, 292-294. on the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. XIII, 2508-2510. 1085
He wants to be satisfied with us, because he is satisfied with the infant Jesus, who put on all our sins like a garment and wore them before God. Your love has heard these things from the Child Jesus during these holidays.
But on today's feast we hear about the discipleship of this child and how we should behave towards him, since we enjoy him so highly that we should be free from sins and have a gracious God. Lucas in his history indicates how the angel was the first preacher who made this child known to the shepherds in the field. These were good, bad people who had no special office or name, like King Herod, the chief priests, Levites and scribes. When these shepherds heard such a message, they did not delay, but set out, went to Bethlehem, looked for the child in the stable in Bethlehem, in the crib, worshiped him, and announced to everyone what had been announced to them by the angel and then by the hosts of angels. Then they go back to their herds and to their work.
3 This is the right service, so that one should and can serve this child: that one first believes the revelation of what is preached in the holy gospel of this child, seeks it and believes in it; and then brings others to faith through public confession. In this way this child is properly served. After this, let every man be diligent in his office and station. For this is not why this child came, that he should make a change in his outward, civil nature. He leaves all ranks and offices (for his kingdom is not a world empire), and commands that one should keep himself in good conscience and in the fear of God, so that God will also put up with such an outward, civil life and accept it for a service and obedience; as the fourth commandment testifies.
(4) Thus it is seen in part what kind of people this little child is: among the Jews the poor shepherds, and beside them some other pious people, Zachariam, Elisabeth, old Simeon, old Hannah: they are almost a small, poor crowd.
The child is little, since it is not accompanied by worldly splendor or glory. For as we shall hear hereafter, what is glorious in the sight of the world, this little child will not accept. As the Lord also says in the Gospel, that those who have fields, oxen, and a ready-made household will not come to the wedding; therefore the Lord commands the poor beggars, the lame, the blind, and the crippled to be invited. These are the people of our Lord God, the infant Jesus, who are glad and glad to come to him.
But in today's Gospel we hear that this child is also made known among the Gentiles and very much by a miraculous means. For God has made a new and unusual star appear in the sky to them, and because they were people who were unfamiliar with the course of the sky and the stars, the Holy Spirit enlightens their hearts through this star, so that they recognize that a child has been born among the Jews, who is the king of the Jews, and yet a lord of the whole world, through whom alone forgiveness of sins and eternal life can be granted to us. For this reason they set out, and since they had not previously inquired about the kings of the Jews or other nations, they took the child, sought it in Jerusalem, and found it in Bethlehem; there they worshiped it, and were only dear and pleasant guests of the Lord Christ.
(6) We should let such history be dear to us. For there we see the great consolation that God takes care of the Gentiles, the poor sinners, and also wants to have them with this child, through whom he forgives sin and wants to make them blessed. So the work is very finely and actually in harmony with the word and promise of God. For although God had ordained that Christ should be born among the Jews, and that a Jew should be born, yet such a child did not belong to the Jews alone, they were not to enjoy him alone; the Gentiles also had to be in this company. For thus the words to Adam and Eve in paradise are: "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head." This could by no means have been fully accomplished if God had not also helped the Gentiles from sin, death and the tyranny of the devil through this seed. So
1086 k- 3.294-296. on the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. XIII, 2SIV-25I3. 1087
God says to Abraham: "Through your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Here the Gentiles are also included: through Abraham's seed, the Lord Christ, they shall not be forced to circumcision and the law, but shall be blessed, that is, come from the curse to the grace of God and become blessed.
(7) We see this promise at work here, since God made this child, His dear Son, known to the Gentiles through a miraculous means, and drives them through the Holy Spirit to seek, worship and honor this child. For if God had not decreed nor granted this treasure to the poor sinners, the Gentiles, he would have them sit and know nothing of this child. But he will not do so, and rather a new, wonderful preacher, a star in the sky, must appear and make this child known to the Gentiles, and also show them the house in Bethlehem where the child was; as Matthew especially reports. God in heaven does this to the Gentiles. The child on earth, our dear Lord Christ, does the same. When these Gentiles, who were poor sinners, and until now had known nothing right from God, had not served Him properly, and otherwise had lived in all kinds of sins, come to the infant Jesus, and worship Him and sacrifice to Him, the infant gladly lets this happen, does not reject them from Himself, and allows Himself to be honored by them, as if He were their King and Lord, and they His people and His subjects. Let us take note of this and learn that this child accepts the poor sinners and wants to be merciful to them, if they only seek him and find themselves in right trust with him. This is the first and most important part of this history: the glorious, rich comfort that this child accepts the Gentiles and sinners.
(8) The other is a lesson on how we should behave toward this child and follow the example of the wise men. For we also have this blessed star, the holy gospel; we should not despise it, nor let it shine for us in vain, but accept it with faith, and seek the infant Jesus and worship him. That is, we should know that he is our God and Lord,
and ask and hope for forgiveness of sins, the Holy Spirit and eternal life from him. This is the first and highest service which this child wants to have, that we should cling to him with all our heart, seek forgiveness of sins and eternal life from him.
The other ministry is, as we heard above from the shepherds, not to be silent, but to preach about this child. No doubt these Gentiles also did this, and were the first evangelists or preachers among the Gentiles, who taught others about this child, taught them and comforted them.
The third service is that they open their treasures and worship the poor child Jesus. So we (who are able) should spend money and goods so that the kingdom of our dear Lord Christ may be preserved and increased and this child may have its nourishment in misery. That is, we are to help with money and goods to have fine church ministers and schoolmasters; that the poor, who cannot provide their food because of illness or other hardship, are preserved; and especially that young boys, who are capable of learning, are raised up, so that our descendants can also have righteous preachers and church ministers. In such a case, we should act like a prudent, careful gardener who always produces young trees, so that if an old tree dies in the course of a year or two, another one will soon be planted in its place and bear fruit.
(11) He who so invests his money and goods gives and sacrifices to the dear child Jesus, as do the wise. For there we have first the testimony of Christ himself, that he saith, Inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these that are mine, ye have done it unto me. It must be especially pleasing to him, however, when people gladly help to see that the churches are well provided for and ordered. For with the same work, first of all, God's honor is promoted and His name is praised. Secondly, the people are helped by it, so that they can be saved from the tyranny of the devil. But how could one invest the money wisely and create more benefit with it?
(12) Therefore, they must be wretched, blind people whom God has made into a great food and a great blessing.
1088 L. 3, 296-298. on the colonel's day or feast of the apparition. W. xm, 2513-2516. 1089
The money that has come from the people's wealth, and yet does not help in such Christian work, so that young boys who are capable of studying, but cannot continue because of poverty, are kept in proper discipline and brought up in learning, so that in time they may also serve other people, teach them, comfort them, strengthen them, and guide and raise them up in all kinds of hardship and challenge. It must also be an unholy, cursed money, because there will be little luck, which one does not want to use gladly and willingly for such blessed work.
(13) Thus your beloved see what kind of people the dear little child Jesus has and how he is served. Among the Jews, it is the poor shepherds to whom God sends an angel from heaven to preach about this little child and to direct them to this little child; they are glad of this message and praise God because of it, while in Jerusalem Herod, the high priests, and the Christian scholars are concerned about other things and do not ask anything about this little child because it is so poor and miserable. The Gentiles are much less than the Jews, but God still calls them to this child, even though through a lesser messenger. For though some teachers say that this star was not a star, but an angel, yet the Gentiles have seen only a star, and have mistaken such a vision for a star. Now this is this little child's people: poor, despised, wicked people among the Jews, and then the great sinners, the Gentiles; they accept such a revelation, look for the little child, find him and preach about him. But the preaching of the shepherds is despised, for they have no standing before the people; so the Gentiles are sometimes thought to know nothing of Christ; if there were anything to it, the chief priests and scribes should know it much better and sooner. So it is still going on today. Popes and bishops have the name and the prestige; but those who have the gospel right and preach it are silly, bad, even infirm people and poor sinners; therefore the world does not want to believe them. But what does it do? Then hear further of.
14 When the wise men come to Jerusalem and speak of the star and ask about the newborn king of the Jews, Herod is frightened.
and all Jerusalem with him. These are especially perverse hearts and disciples, that they are afraid of the little child, who came on earth for this reason and was promised to them so long ago, that they should be delivered from sin, death and the devil through him. They should be the first to take care of this child, become happy with him, help him, yes, serve him with whatever they can and want. So they turn it all around: they do not want it, they are afraid of it, they think about how to bring it from life to death. And even if they are not able to do so, they chase it out to the country and push it among the strangers, and hinder its kingdom with whatever they can. This is what Herod, the chief priests and scribes did, as we see here.
(15) What then is the cause? Nothing else, but that they are worried: if this child is to rule, they must become beggars; if this child is to be held high, they must come down. Therefore Herod rages, wants to know nothing of this child. The chief priests and scribes also do the same. So it stands together through and through: This child is the Son of God, and brings with him forgiveness of sins, the Holy Spirit and eternal life; but at the same time he is poor and miserable before the world. The world does not like this about this child, and therefore becomes hostile to it, and thinks that this child will stay where it wants, if only it can stay with its glory, splendor and power.
(16) The world began such a thing with this child when he was still in the cradle and not yet two years old; therefore it does so with him and his word. For who are they who today are so bitterly hostile to the gospel and neither know nor want to hear it? Are they not the great lords of the world? and after that, those who have the name and want to be praised for the Christian church? As there are pope, cardinals, bishops, monks, priests, and the same swarm? These are not happy about the Gospel; they are afraid of it and are worried: If it is to come among the people, their splendor and power must come to an end; so they help and incite the herodem, that is, secular authorities, so that they may
1090 On the day of the conversion of St. Paul. W. xm, 2516-2519. 1091
should persecute the dear word and eradicate it as a heresy.
(17) The evangelist has indicated this for our comfort and for our learning. For consolation, that we should not be frightened when this happens, but know that with this child and the holy gospel it will not be any different on earth. And for a lesson, that we should not allow ourselves to be seduced by such trouble, and that we should not follow great lords, especially those who have the name of being the Christian church, nor believe as they believe.
18 For here you see both parts. On the one hand, the poor shepherds and the sinful Gentiles, both of whom have no standing before the world; the former because of their lowly nature, and the latter because they were Gentiles and poor sinners. On the other hand, the king Herod, in a high and great office and position, and the chief priests and scribes, since it should be presumed that they should know about Christ, hope in him, be glad of him and find their way to him. But you see the contradiction before your eyes: those whom no one considers to be God's people, they are; and those who are considered to be the noblest and the head of the church, they are not only not, but are also the worst enemies and persecutors of the church. Who then would have looked upon Herod and the chief priests and scribes, where would he have gone and what would he have believed? To
He would have gone to the devil and persecuted Christ.
(19) On the other hand, the shepherds, and after them the wise men, do not let the blessed revelation of the infant talk them out of it; they hold fast to it, seek the infant, and worship it; Herod and the chief priests believe it, and do what they will. We must do the same: we must not believe what the pope or worldly rulers believe, but what the Word tells us, we should believe and keep, and not let other people's unbelief hinder us, yes, we should also gladly suffer what God sends us to suffer. For in the world it will never be any different: Herod, the high priests and the scholars of Christ cannot stand Christ, but persecute him and inflict all kinds of misfortune on Christians for the sake of the Gospel. But God will not sleep, nor will He hang everything on His enemies. Since Herod had in mind to perhaps also kill the wise men when they returned, God warned them through an angel that they should travel another way and no longer come to Jerusalem. Thus God will be with those who seek and confess the infant Jesus, and though they have much trouble, fear and distress, yet He will save them, and at last make them blessed, and thus make all misfortunes sufficiently happy. May our dear Lord Christ grant this to us all, amen.
January 25; Apost. 9, 1-22
*On the day of the conversion of St. Paul. )
Apost. 9, 1-22.
And Saul, while he yet spake evil against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and besought him to send letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that, if he found any that went that way, both men and women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he went on his way, and came nigh unto Damascus, suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Lord, who art thou? And the LORD said: I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest. It shall be hard for thee to lick the sting. And he said with fear and trembling, Lord, what wilt thou that I should do? The
*) Held in the house, 1534.
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And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and they shall tell thee what thou shalt do. And the men which were his companions stood still, and were troubled: for they heard a voice, and saw no man. But Saul arose from the earth, and when he opened his eyes, he saw no one. And they took him by the hand, and led him to Damascus. He did not see or eat or drink for three days. Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias, to whom the Lord said in a vision, Anania. And he said, Here am I, O Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called the right way, and enquire of the house of Judah for Saulo, whose name is Tarsen: for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in unto him, and lay his hand upon him, that he may receive his sight. And Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard of many concerning this man, how much evil he hath done unto thy saints at Jerusalem; and he hath power here of the chief priests to bind all them that call upon thy name. And the LORD said unto him, Go thy way: for this man is a chosen armor unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and before kings, and before the children of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went and entered into the house, and laid his hands upon him, and said, Brother Saul, the Lord hath sent me (who appeared unto thee by the way thou camest), that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately the scales fell from his eyes, and he recovered his sight, and arose, and was baptized, and took meat, and strengthened himself. Saul was with the disciples at Damascus for several days. And immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he was the Son of God. But all who heard it were astonished, saying: Is not this he that hath cast out at Jerusalem all them that call upon this name, and therefore is it not customary for him to bring them bound unto the chief priests? Saul, however, became more and more powerful, and drove in the Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Christian.
- the story of the conversion of St. Paul should be kept in the church as a special miracle of grace of our dear Lord God and preached about it, both for the sake of the great comfort and useful teaching that is presented in such a miracle. The miraculous work is held up to us. For this reason, we will first look at the history and then report a little about what it is useful for us.
2 Lucas reports above in the beginning of the 8th chapter that Paul, who was still called Saul, was pleased with the death of Stephen. For he thought that if only all Christians were treated in this way, it would be well done. But now we see here what a sin it is to shed Christian blood. For the blood of St. Stephen presses Paul so hard that he cannot rest, and would have gladly exterminated and killed all Christians in one day if he could and God had not granted him. As can be seen in all tyrants: once they have tasted Christian blood, the devil does not let them celebrate, always hounds and drives them on to more murder, like a hunting dog that sees the game before it and has come to the jump. Since Paul was so angry, Lucas writes how it happened when he was converted, and says thus:
Saul was still snorting with threats and murders against the disciples of the Lord, and went to the high priest and asked him for letters to Damascus, to the schools (that is, to the churches), so that if he found some of them that way, men and women, he would lead them bound to Jerusalem.
This is the first part of the legend of St. Paul, which should be preached among Christians at least once a year, even if the day is not celebrated. Not that we should worship St. Paul and make a god out of him, as the papists do, but that we should hear and learn about God's miraculous work and improve ourselves from it. For here we see a miracle above all miracles, that Christ so graciously converts his greatest enemy. For as Lucas testifies here in clear words, he was a murderer and a bloodhound and betrayer of all Christians, who blasphemed Christ and defiled him to the highest degree. In sum, Paul is such a man, as can be seen from his deeds, who would have gladly destroyed Christ and all of Christendom in one day, if he could have done so. But what cause had he for this? No other, because he heard that the Christians preached that one could be saved by the gift of God.
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If one wanted to be saved, it would have to be through Jesus crucified; apart from him, one could neither come to the forgiveness of sins nor to eternal life. When he heard that Moses was not to help, and that all the prophets had not had enough of Moses, he became mad and foolish.
4 Just like our papists: when they hear that their orders, prayers, fasts, and masses before God do not help, they want to burst with malice, because they cannot stand it at all. The same was true of the wretched Paulo, but he had no better cause than our papists. For he had God's law and word before him, so he thought about keeping the law, the sacrifices, the temple, and whatever else God had ordained, not to reject it, but to let it stand. Then (he thought) I will leave life and limb above; for how can it be wrong? Our papists do not have God's word. For this very reason we challenge their observance of masses, ordinances, prayers, and fasts, saying that they are unjust and cannot do anything in the sight of God, since God has not commanded them, but they have undertaken them out of their own choice and devotion, apart from God's command; and yet we see what they presume to do in order to maintain their idolatry.
If we now look at Paul's heart, what moves him to become so hostile to the Christians and the executioner of all Jews against the Christians, he has a far better cause than the papists, who persecute the gospel because of money, good, their status and dignity. Paul has no such opinion; his only concern is that the law and the worship in the temple, which God Himself had ordered and commanded, should not be diminished or reduced. Therefore, he does not think otherwise, because he is right in doing so, since, on the other hand, conscience convinces our papists that it is not wrong to take the sacrament under both forms, to become married, to use food and other things freely; for they can never deny either God's word, the institution of Christ, or the custom of the first church.
6 For this reason, St. Paul is a sacred
The Christians' followers against the papists, who let the black and recognizable devil lead them and ride them. For Paul seeks nothing in this, but to defend God's word and honor, and to dare and suffer what he can dare and suffer; as he himself says in 1 Tim. 1, 13: "Mercy has been shown to me, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief. No pope of today can boast of such a thing, for God's word pushes them to their eyes and to their heads, so that they must confess that it is the truth. And yet they will not tolerate it nor suffer it. Therefore, it is to be feared that whoever persecutes Christians with knowledge, such persecution will be different from that of St. Paul, who did it completely ignorantly.
7th Now when Paul was so earnest about the matter, and thought to resist the new sect in other places besides Jerusalem, our Lord Jesus also had his thoughts, saying, Hold still, he shall do well: for what he doeth, that doeth he earnestly. The same earnestness which he now has in an evil thing, I will strengthen with my spirit, and use it for a good cause, and set it against the Jews, that he may preach of me among the Gentiles, and make the Jews, as they deserve, even foolish and foolish, as he himself hath been hitherto. How then Paul became a very excellent preacher, and especially among the Gentiles, of whom he boasts himself a teacher, and we have undoubtedly also enjoyed his teaching, has done much. This is a great miracle, because Christ kept all the other apostles and disciples with him for a long time, but he immediately sent Paul among the Gentiles and had him preach.
This is the great and comforting miracle that our Lord God converted the man who was so wicked and had persecuted Christ and his Christianity so earnestly. But such things happened, as you have heard, that he took letters and thought, "Now I will master them properly. He quickly set out for Damascus, where some of the Jews had accepted the Christian faith; they were his blood friends, and yet he intended to inflict all kinds of suffering on them.
1096 L- 3' 303-305. on the day of the conversion of St. Paul. W. XIII, 2525-2527. 1097
Now when he came near Damasco, suddenly a light shone around him, and he fell to the earth.
The right hour has come when he suddenly sees such a glorious light in the field. For there is no heart so strong, even if it were pebble or diamond, that could hold and not break. Therefore Paul falls to the earth and is blinded in terror, because he undoubtedly did not think otherwise than: Now it is over, you must die. The painters do not paint this story correctly, because they paint how a thunderclap struck Paul to the earth. But as it is written here and in other places, it was not lightning nor thunder, but a sudden light in which he saw the Lord Jesus. As Ananias says soon after, and Paul tells King Agrippa himself in the 26th chapter. Now as he lies in great fear and terror, he hears a voice speaking to him:
Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?
No doubt he will have been even more shocked and thought to himself: Does this mean persecution? Do I think I am doing God the highest and best service? And he said:
HErr, who are you? The Lord said: I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.
(11) This is what is said: Whatever you do to my Christians, you do to me. So take hold of his conscience with sin, and put on him all the blood that has been shed; so that it would not be a miracle if Paul had been dead in a moment. For if it strikes the heart and the eyes that one has persecuted God, there will be little consolation. Our papists will fare the same way. Either when they die, or on the last day, their conscience will accuse them and beat them to the ground, so that neither heart nor breath will be left.
12 Paul hears such words alone, but he does not see the light alone. For in chapter 26 he says that his companions also saw it and fell to the ground in terror. But Paul hears them alone
and yet see no one with whom he speaks, as it says here. But the Lord Christ continues to speak and says:
It will be difficult for you to lick against the sting.
(13) This is a sound warning, which all who think to follow this teaching should take to heart, but they do not have the grace to believe it. Therefore they are not converted, as Paul was, but continue in sins until they die and perish here temporally and there eternally. It is a wonderful thing, says Christ, that you are raging like this; what are you doing? Nothing else, but that you run into my spear. But is not this a ridiculous, and even a harmful war, that thou shouldest be very angry, and in wrath shouldest thou lick thy foot against a goad, and thus vent thy wrath with hurt?
(14) Therefore this is a very significant and comforting saying for the poor persecuted Christians, that whoever persecutes Christ is considered to be licking against a sharp thorn. For there the foot shall either be paralyzed, or otherwise not be very lucky. So it shall come to pass whoever rages against Christ. Many great rulers, and especially the pope and his godless crowd, think they want to tear Christ down from heaven, that is, to dampen his teaching and word. So they confidently attack it, persecute and strangle the poor Christians, ban and burn our books, and do all kinds of things that can be detrimental to the Word. But we shall soon see how they will fare; for the spear is not made to be used, but to stab and resist. So the blind people want to jump up with their feet against it. Paul has had enough of this warning and soon surrenders, speaking with trembling and fear:
Lord, what do you want me to do?
(15) From whence came the trembling and fearing, it must not be asked; for he should have despaired and died of sorrow, if the Lord Christ had not comforted him and lifted him up; for the Lord said unto him:
1098 8.3, 305-308. On the day of St. Paul's conversion. W. XIII, 2528-2530. 1099
Get up and go to the city, and they will tell you what to do.
16 Here it should be especially noted that although God speaks to Paul from heaven, he does not want to abolish the preaching ministry, nor does he want anyone to do anything special; rather, he wants him to go to the city to the preaching chair or pastor. There he shall hear and learn what is to be learned. For our Lord God does not want anyone to do anything special, but gives his baptism and gospel to the whole world, to one and to another. There we may learn how to be saved, and not wait to see if God will make something new for us or send an angel from heaven. For he wants us to go and hear the gospel from those who preach it; there it will be found, and nowhere else.
(17) The spirits of the mob leave the preaching, sit down in a corner and wait there for the Holy Spirit. But they arrive and find a black raven, the devil himself, instead of the blessed dove. For why do they want to force our Lord God to let them see something special? Paul himself, who hears the bodily voice and word of the Lord Christ and is to become the highest preacher, must go into the city and hear Ananiam. There, saith Christ, go; I will not make any special thing for him, nor teach and baptize him further in the field; but direct him to Anania into the city, where is his word and baptism. And Paul gladly follows, though he does not yet know where he is to go or who is to tell him.
18 Then our Lord God sends Ananiam, as history reports, who preaches to him, baptizes him and lays his hands on him. That alfo Paul comes to the knowledge of Christ and the Word through Ananiam. He must receive his light from the same little sulfur wood, which was not a finger against Paul and not a candle against the sun.
19 This is to be noted especially here in this history, that one should learn to hold the preaching ministry in high esteem. For here it is written loud and clear that Paul, the great doctor, through the
The little doctor, Ananiam, comes to his senses, and as soon as he appears, he becomes another man, who makes many thousand times more Christians than he had shed blood before, so that the disciples themselves cannot be sufficiently astonished that the man should now preach like this. But the Jews are enraged at this, and become mad and foolish. For no one else has caused them so much pain and made such a great rift with the doctrine as Paul.
(20) This is the story, a very beautiful legend; therefore it should be diligently learned and remembered, for the sake of this great miracle, that the great persecutor of Christ and His church is thus converted, and a wolf becomes a gentle, harmless little lamb. This should first of all serve us for consolation, and then also for teaching and instruction.
21 The consolation is indicated by St. Paul himself, 1 Tim. 1, 12-17, with very beautiful words, which every Christian should know by heart. "I", he says, "give thanks to our Lord Christ JEsu, who has made me strong and faithful, and has placed me in office, who before was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and a reviler. But mercy was shown me, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. But the grace of our Lord was the more abundant, through faith and the love that is in Christ Jesus. For this is certainly true, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief. But for this reason mercy was shown to me, so that in me first of all Jesus Christ showed all patience, as an example to those who should believe in him for eternal life. But to GOD, the eternal King, the incorruptible and invisible and only wise, be glory and honor forever and ever, Amen."
22 Here thou shalt hear what thou shalt comfort thyself with this example, namely, that thou shalt learn that God is gracious, and will gladly forgive our sin, and make us blessed for Christ's sake. For if he would not bear with sinners and forgive sin, where would Paul have remained? or what would he have deserved? who would not have been able to cope with small, minor sins (I have to say it like this).
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(call them mortal sins) of the other table, but with the highest and greatest of the first table?
(23) But Paul himself testified that grace had befallen him, so that God might see an example in him, so that the poor sinners would not despair, but would also believe in Christ and learn to take comfort in his goodness. For with our works it is lost; we ourselves will never be able to help. But this is the only help, that we hold on to Christ and through him believe in the forgiveness of sins. This comfort should now shine before all those who are burdened with sins and have an evil conscience.
(24) Besides such consolation, there is also a good lesson here on how sinners should conduct themselves if they want to come to grace. For it is a fine example of right Christian repentance. This is the first thing, not to continue in sins, but to cease from them, and to be heartily sorry for them. As can be seen in Paul, as soon as he is struck with the light, he begins to tremble and shake, and wishes he had never gone out against the Christians. This is called a true repentance, because the heart becomes different, and a displeasure follows against sin and wrongdoing, since one had a liking for it before. Therefore, whoever comes to God's grace and desires to be freed from sins, let him start here, recognize his sin, do not deny it, do not gloss over it or excuse it, but have a right, heartfelt displeasure about it: this is what God wants. Or if one wants to continue in sins without repentance, one must await the punishment and His wrath.
(25) But through such repentance and sorrow one is not yet delivered from sin, but
It is necessary to believe the gospel and to be comforted by what is promised to us in the gospel and in baptism. For the forgiveness of sins is based on Christ alone. Thus St. Paul himself says, Apost. 26, that he did not disbelieve the heavenly manifestation, and that he preached afterwards among Jews and Gentiles that they should repent, turn to God, and do righteous works of repentance. "Repentance" means to leave evil behind, to repent and grieve over it; "turn to God" means to believe in Christ, that he is our mediator and that through him we have eternal life.
26 To this should be added another part, that one should do right fruits, or works of repentance, so that every man may be diligent in obedience to God and remain in his profession. This is also seen in St. Paul, that he wants to do it with all his heart, and therefore asks and says: "Lord, what do you want me to do?
(27) In this way we should also learn to be right, confessing our sin and forsaking it, believing in Christ and taking comfort in His suffering, and finally giving ourselves to right obedience to God, so that we do not again fall away from the great grace through disobedience and fall into the wrath of God through unrepentant living. This means to follow the example of Paul, which is prescribed for our consolation and instruction. Let us therefore thank God that He has given us such an excellent master, and pray that He will preserve us in His teachings, and also accept us and make us blessed by grace. May our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, grant us this, Amen.
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On the day of Mattia; Matth. 11, 25-30
On the day of Mattiä
Matth. 11, 25-30.
At that time Jesus answered and said: I praise you, Father and Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes. Yes, Father, for it has been well pleasing in your sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father. And no one knows the Son but the Father; and no one knows the Father but the Son, and to whom the Son wills to reveal it. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Today's gospel is a wonderful, beautiful comfort and necessary teaching for the poor Christians, who are not only despised in the world and suffer much, but they must also bear the name and suffer the shame as if they were not God's people, but heretics and cut off members of the church. How Christians should comfort themselves in such disgrace and suffering is what the Lord wants to teach us here.
But that we may understand such comfort the better, we must show how the Lord came by such thanksgiving. Soon in the beginning of this chapter, the evangelist tells us how John sent his disciples to Christ and told them to ask whether he was Christ or not. John does not do this as if he did not know that he was the true Christ, for he had previously publicly testified to him in his sermon and pointed out to him with his finger that he was the Christ and the little lamb of God, but so that his disciples would also learn this from the Lord Christ's sermon and miraculous signs, and would recognize him as the true Christ and adhere to him as their savior. This pleases the Lord Christ very much about John, that he fulfills his ministry so diligently, and even then does not cease to lead others to the Lord Christ, since he is already in prison and can no longer preach publicly. For this reason, he praises him highly for carrying out his ministry so faithfully.
3 Again, he also severely rebukes the Jews for their unbelief, that there is no
Preaching to them will help, and they will blaspheme John as well as Christ and believe no one. In particular, he reported the three cities, Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, where he had preached first and performed miraculous signs, but they had changed least of all. This is a very great trouble, which we also have to bear today, not only because our doctrine has so many powerful opponents, who neither want to see nor hear the gospel, but also because there is still so much trouble and little improvement in our part. This is the reason why the holy gospel is so often criticized by worldly people, who say that if it were a holy and blessed doctrine, people would improve and become more devout. Therefore it grieves the Lord Christ very much that the world is so evil and wicked, and does not want to become more pious according to the great grace of the gospel; and first of all he threatens such impenitent disciples that they will have to bear a heavier judgment on the last day than Sodom and Gomorrah, Tyre and Sidon. Then he consoles himself and says:
I praise you, Father and Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and have revealed them to babes.
4 Such words must not be understood as if God were lacking and did not want everyone to have the knowledge of the gospel. For he is a God who wants everyone to be saved. For this reason, he does not give his Son to anyone in particular,
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but to the whole world; John on the third v. 16: "Thus God loved the world" 2c.; and has the sermon of his Son preached not only in this or that place, in the corner, but publicly and in all the world, so that one must see that he would like everyone to accept it and believe, and become blessed. But on the other hand, what is wise and understanding, great and powerful in the world, is seen to despise the gospel, and is thought to have no need of it; but especially what are holy people, who cannot tolerate that their works and merits should be despised, and only the grace that comes through Christ should be praised. God cannot tolerate such unbelief, ingratitude and stubborn wickedness; for this reason he does not want to drag anyone by the hair. Whoever does not want to accept it, but wants to be wiser and wiser than the word of God, he lets him go and tries what he can do with his wisdom. And so it happens that the more such people follow their wisdom, the further they get from the gospel.
5 This, saith Christ, is right and well done. Father, I praise thee, it is done for them: if they be not saved by thy name and grace, let them go to hell in the name of the devil with their wisdom and prudence. Here no one holds the other. But those who are poor, miserable, afflicted people, and thank God from the bottom of their hearts, because otherwise they find no comfort in the world, that they nevertheless have and can hear God's word: for their sake, says Christ, I also praise you, dear Father, that you let them grow in faith from day to day, and become firmer and more certain in the knowledge of your grace, and more ardent and cheerful in love and in all good.
(6) So this thanksgiving teaches us this much: Whoever trusts in his own wisdom, piety, power, or anything else, and despises God's word, should get further and further away from God and His word from day to day. Again, whoever hears it, accepts it with his heart, and asks for it to bear fruit in his life, God wants to give him more and more blessings and spiritual gifts from day to day. This is what God does, and it is right and well done; therefore
Let no one be offended by it, but praise and thank God for it, as Christ does here.
(7) It is pitiful and very annoying to see that today popes, cardinals, bishops and others, who have the name and are called spiritual, thus hold the word in contempt, thus blaspheme and revile it. But do not be offended by this, but learn God's judgment and sentence, that he resists the trustworthy, and can put up with nothing less than that one despises his word and wants to revile it. Therefore he withdraws his hand and lets them become more and more hardened day by day. This is their right reward, so that we may stumble against it and not fall into such contempt of the word and trust in our own power, wisdom and holiness; but in all humility hold on to the dear gospel, hear it gladly, and learn to improve ourselves from it. This is a good, necessary and useful lesson that we should take from these words of Christ.
(8) Now the world itself divides Christ in such a way that the wise and understanding do not accept the word. But those accept it who are underage children, or despised and wretched people. But it is impossible that such two parts could get along with each other. For wise, sensible people do not want to be of the devil; therefore they cannot suffer that the underage should consider themselves God's people and church and boast. Therefore, they use their wisdom and understanding to restrain and exorcise the word and the underage people who have the word. In the face of such hardships and trials, which Christians must endure in the world, there is the consolation that Christ says:
All things have been given to me by the Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and to whom the Son wills to reveal it.
(9) Let this be a great comfort, even the highest comfort, that a Christian may be able to endure all kinds of trials and sufferings. If the wise and sensible have honor, power, money, and goods in the world, that is something; but it is all temporal, it must all be left on earth, and the danger of it is not to be taken for granted.
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If they do not exist, it is not necessary that so much the more a severe judgment and condemnation will follow. But Christians have another treasure, the Son of God, in whom they can take more and higher comfort than all that the world is, has and is able to do. For as he says here, "All things have been given to him by the Father; therefore neither the devil, sin, death, nor anything else will be able to dampen him and take him away from us.
(10) Therefore let us take comfort in the power that he has, and be joyful and of good cheer. For though the world take away all things from us, yet against its will it must leave us all things; because we keep him to whom all things have been delivered by his Father which is in heaven.
(11) Yea, saith thou, how then do I enjoy his? I feel that I have to pay for it here on earth. If I were not a Christian and did not publicly confess the gospel, the world would let me stay and not persecute me. Well, here learn how you should enjoy the Lord Christ here on earth. He says, "No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son, and to whom the Son wills to reveal it." This is what is said: Whoever accepts me and believes my word, I will teach him to know my Father. If then he know the Father, he knoweth me also, and hath all things.
How does this work? Thus: The world does not know God; for although it already knows that God created heaven and earth, gave us body and life alone, and revealed the law from heaven, this does not yet mean that it knows God correctly. For we must always be afraid of such God, because we see in ourselves such manifold sin and such horrible disobedience. For the more glorious God is in His creatures and the more good He does for us, the more we must fear and be terrified of Him, since we have not fully obeyed such a gracious, benevolent God, but have sinned so often and so much against His will. Reason can never do otherwise. But where one knows and believes that Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, is the Son of God, and
When we see how God did not let him become a man for our sake alone, but showed us all good things through him, and let him be crucified for our sake, so that he would pay for our sin, and through his death overcome our death, and through his resurrection open the way to eternal life for us, then we learn what God is, that he is not hostile to us, who are still poor sinners, but loves us, as St. John says on the 3rd verse. It says that He will not condemn us for our sins, but will help us out of them and make us righteous, and will not strangle us, but will give us eternal life.
(13) Thus one can have all joy and pleasure in God. For who would not also love such a gracious God, who does not spare His only Son, but for our sake gives Him up to death and the cross! This is a thousand times and a thousand times a more certain, brighter indication that God means well with us from the heart, than that He has given us body and soul, created heaven and earth for our use, led the Jews out of Egypt, and what other such good deeds there are. But such knowledge of God we have only from our Lord Jesus, who teaches us with his own ministry and work what kind of God we have, and what we should think of him and provide for ourselves.
(14) But now see for thyself whether this is not a great and high consolation, since a Christian can hold fast in all kinds of trouble, and overcome all kinds of affliction by it? For here we must say, as Paul did, "If God is for us, who can be against us? Who also spared not His only Son, but gave Him up for us all: how shall He not with Him give us all things? Who will accuse the elect of God? God is here who makes righteous. Who wants to condemn? Christ is here, who died; even more, who was also raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, representing us. Therefore nothing can separate us from the love of God, neither tribulation nor fear, neither persecution nor hunger, nakedness, peril nor sword" 2c.
- such comfort comes alone
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through the Lord Christ, as he says: "No one knows the Father except the Son, and to whom the Son wills to reveal it. But he who does not learn to know the Lord Christ from the Gospel, who speaks or knows whatever he wants about God (as pagans, Turks and Jews want to know much about Him), is nothing. He does not really know God, and for this reason he must be without consolation and fall into despair in all his temptations and troubles. For it is impossible for a heart to be satisfied apart from this consolation, which is called the right knowledge of God; especially when the great temptations come, that one must leave life and limb, struggle with sins and conscience, and wait for the future, partly in another world. This is the comfort that the Lord Christ wanted us to have, so that we would fast for it and build it up in us; therefore he says:
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
(16) The wise, the prudent, are therefore most certain: they are not afraid of their sins, for they consider themselves holy and pious; nor are they afraid of the devil, for he leaves them well satisfied and unchallenged. Thus they can practice and exercise their will to wealth and violence with the Christians as they wish. Christians, on the other hand, are always biting themselves with their sins and consciences, they have to defend themselves against the devil, and they have to bear and suffer everything from the world; the Lord gives them the name of truth and calls them troublesome and burdened people, who have enough to do with themselves, and yet they cannot remain unchallenged by the devil or the world.
(17) Now where shall they go to find rest, or refreshment, or refreshment? Come to me, says Christ, and I will teach you, because you have experienced and know what distress and sorrow you have in the world, that you may also know what comfort, joy and glory you shall have in God. So your hearts will not complain about suffering, but also rejoice in it.
So that these words are primarily intended to teach us what we have in Christ when we find ourselves weary and burdened. Namely, such a Lord, who does not want to make more trouble and burden us more, or condemn us because of sin; but he wants to help us carry the trouble and burden, and with his comfort and strength, through the Holy Spirit, so intercede with us that we do not fall to the ground under the burden, but lift ourselves up and are able to carry it to the appointed place. Otherwise it would be impossible, if such help and refreshment were not there, that one should not fall to the ground and thus have to despair and perish in misfortune.
18 This is a different sermon, because in the papacy Christ was taught, since he was considered a severe judge, from whom, without other intercession, no mercy could be found or hoped for. Therefore, not one person in a thousand was found who did not place more trust in the Virgin Mary and other saints than in Christ. It is as if Christ, because we are weary and burdened beforehand, wanted to throw more effort and a greater burden on us. It has never been possible to have a good hearty confidence and complete trust in the Lord Christ, since Christ directs everything, both with his life and his teaching, so that we may love him, put our heart and trust in him, and have a happy conscience through him.
Therefore, where there is no other abuse in the papacy but this false, blasphemous teaching, everyone should flee from it as from the devil and guard against it with the greatest diligence. For it is Christ, as he himself testifies here, who no longer wants to weigh down weary, burdened hearts, but to comfort them, to help them carry themselves and to refresh them. Therefore, it is only up to him, when we recognize ourselves to be quite weary and burdened, that we find our way to him in such confidence, and seek refreshment in him, and not in the world or in ourselves. But there are two excellent arts involved, as the Lord further reports and says:
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Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
The yoke of Christ is called suffering for his sake and for his word. Such a yoke will never remain outside. Therefore it is not necessary for you, like the monks and hermits, to make and load your own cross. You must not go into the wilderness and run away from the people; stay with and among the people, in your profession, and do only this, that you take the word of God seriously and confess it freely: then the devil and the world will have cause enough to lay more on you than you would like to bear. For so Paul says: "All who want to live godly in Christ JEsu will have to suffer persecution." And even if the devil and the world were dead and left you satisfied (which is impossible), your flesh and sinful nature will give you enough to deal with. So that the yoke of Christ and the burden find themselves fine. Now if any man will bear it aright, and so bear it that he shall not fall under it, but shall have comfort and joy under the cross, let him learn these two things of the Lord Christ, as the best instructor and doctor.
The first, that he be meek; the second, that he be humble in heart. These are short words, but it will take a very long time before we can learn them, or even spell them. For there are two shameful doctors or schoolmasters in our way, who will not let us come to such an art. The first, our flesh and reason; the other, the world with its annoying example. For flesh and reason are unpleasant and vengeful, grumbling and thinking that they want to remedy their own suffering. As can be seen from the example of the whole world. To such a schoolmaster and angry doctor, says Christ, do not follow, but follow me. I am meek, I do not seek revenge; I put God's revenge at home, and let what God wills go over me, but trust Him, He will not leave me, but will graciously help me out. This is what makes me meek and patient in overcoming everything. Learn this for the first.
Secondly, we see how the flesh and reason, according to the example of the world, always wants to be above itself and higher, cannot let itself be restrained, but thinks it must help itself. The same angry doctor, says Christ, do not let yourselves be deceived either, but follow my example. I am humble of heart, I do not desire to be in front, but I follow behind, let myself be kicked and pushed until God lifts me above Himself and does not want me to be kicked and pushed anymore. If you also follow me in this, you will certainly find rest for your soul. For the body was created to carry like an unruly donkey; otherwise it would become too horny and insolent. Therefore it is enough for us that our consciences are not weighed down by Christ and his merit; let the body have its way.
(23) This makes Christ's yoke gentle and his burden light. For let suffering be what it may, we know that it is only a temporal suffering. On the other hand, we have the comfort of eternal life, and we know that if we bear it with meekness and humility, it will bring us eternal glory; as Christ comforted His disciples, John 16:22."Your sorrow shall be turned into joy: for I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you"; and Paul, Rom. 8:18: "It is certain that the suffering of this present time is not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed in us."
- Therefore this is a comforting, beautiful gospel, which every Christian should know by heart, so that he might not only defend himself against the annoyance that the gospel is despised and persecuted by wise men; but also to comfort himself in all kinds of crosses and temptations with the fact that we have such a Lord who teaches us to know God rightly; through which knowledge, if we are otherwise meek and humble, we may overcome all kinds of misfortune and pass through the pit of this life to eternal bliss. May our dear Lord God grant this to us all, through Jesus Christ, His Son and our Redeemer, amen, amen.
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*On the day of the Annunciation. )
Luc. 1, 26-38.
And in the sixth moon the angel Gabriel was sent by God into a city of Galilee, which is called Nazareth, unto a virgin, which was trusted unto a man, whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, blessed art thou: the Lord is with thee, thou that givest gifts among women. When she saw him, she was frightened by his words and thought: What greeting is this? And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be called great, and the Son of the Highest: and God the Lord shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall be king over the house of Jacob for ever: and his kingdom shall have no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be? for I know of no man. The angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, thy friend, is also with child with a son, in her old age, and now goeth in the sixth moon, which is in cry, that she is barren. For with God no thing is impossible. And Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaid of the LORD: let it be done unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
1 This feast is celebrated in faith for the sake of the article, because we say: I believe in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of Mary of virgins. For this is an excellent, high article, which reason could not dream of, if the Scriptures did not tell us so powerfully about it. For who would believe that (because otherwise all women, as it is created and ordered by God, become pregnant in the same way, by the presence of the man), that God should bring forth this certain virgin and start a special thing with her, which never before was heard of in the world, and for which shall never happen as long as the world stands: that she becomes pregnant and a mother, not by a man, but by the Holy Spirit alone? It is impossible, I say, that reason can know or believe such things. For it abides by the common saying, "If I do and believe as other men do, I am not deceived.
- but a Christian must put the proverb here in a corner, and speak:
*From a sermon preached publicly in the afternoon in 1532.
If I want to be a Christian, I must believe and do what other people do not believe or do. For God's works seem foolish and impossible; but yet they are great works and are exceedingly fine. So it is here also that Mary, the pure virgin, becomes a mother, and yet no man on earth knows it but she alone. Foolish and impossible it is. For if such a thing had happened before, it would have a semblance and could be believed; but that God chooses this virgin alone out of all women and performs such a miraculous work with her, such a thing makes the deal unbelievable.
(3) For this reason Christians are a peculiar people, called to believe and preach the articles that are foolish and unbelievable in the eyes of the world. But for this very reason they should hear the sermon and learn the word all the more diligently. For he that will think of such things apart from the word is easily overthrown.
4 So that this article of the conception of our Lord Jesus Christ may remain firm and certain in the hearts of Christians, this feast is celebrated. Therefore let us take such an article before us, as the evangelist writes of it, and learn how such miraculous
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This work has been accomplished. We will divide this sermon into three parts: the first, about the person of the virgins of Mary, that she is of the house of David; the second, about the angel's sermon, in which he teaches about the Lord Christ and his ministry; the third, about the faith of the virgins of Mary.
5 The evangelist deals briefly with the history concerning the person of the virgins of Mary. For he reports nothing about her state and nature, what she did when the angel came to her, or in what form the angel appeared to her. But whoever thinks of such things and would like to know something, let him stick to the worst and most simple thoughts that rhyme with history and the prophets. For that she was not of great fortune, there is much evidence in history. So it is easy to assume what kind of status and character such a virgin had, that she had served a friend and done the common housework, like another maiden who is bad, pious and righteous. And it is possible that just as she was doing such housework, the angel came to her and brought her this message. For thus it is seen in many histories that angels came to men as they were going about their business and waiting for their office. Thus the angel appeared to the shepherds in the field as they tended their flocks. He appeared to Gideon as he threshed the grain. He appeared to Samson's mother as she sat in the field. Or she, the Virgin Mary, like a pious child, would have been alone in a corner, praying for the salvation of Israel; for angels are particularly fond of prayer.
Now the evangelist does not report a word about who the virgin was because of her arrival or her tribe. But of Joseph, to whom she was entrusted, he says that he was of the house of David; yet we are not concerned about him. But it is because of him that it is known that the Virgin Mary was of the house of David. But the evangelist considers it unnecessary to indicate this, since it had been sufficiently indicated before in the prophets that Christ was to be of the house of David.
The son of David will come from the house of David and will be called David's son; like this prophecy, Isa. 11, 1: "A rod will come up from the tribe of Jesse, and a branch from its root. Here the prophet clearly states that the tribe of Jesse must remain until Christ is born from it. Since this child has no father on earth, but only a mother, this mother must be of the tribe and blood of David; otherwise her child could not be called a son or descendant and heir of David.
(7) This saying is also a good description of the time, as is the promise in Genesis 49, for it compares the Lord Christ to a branch that grows from an old trunk and from the root. For the lineage of David had almost departed, so that not only was it no longer in dignity, but its people were also few. Therefore, this glorious, royal lineage looked like a tree that had not only lost its branches and leaves, but had withered to the trunk. For this is the way God works, when everyone despairs and says, "Nothing can be done;" then He first starts and does many glorious and great things that no man could have imagined. This is how it happened here: since, as Jacob says, the scepter of the house of Judah has completely fallen and this family has come into the highest decline, God takes this poor little servant, the Virgin Mary, and accomplishes the glorious work through her, since all the prophets and patriarchs had preached about it and put the whole world off.
8 Lucas continues to write how this work took place: The angel came to the maiden, greeted her and told her that she had a gracious God. "Hail," he says, "Blessed art thou, or blessed art thou, the Lord is with thee, thou most blessed of women." These are high and great words, since the pious child was shocked and thought what kind of message this might be. For whether she knew at first sight that it was an angel who was speaking to her, we cannot know, although the words of Luke almost sound as if she had not known him. For
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He says that she was not frightened by him, but by his speech and greeting. For it is an unusual greeting; afterwards she also had to think that it is an unusual messenger that he starts as soon as: O Mary, blessed art thou, how hast thou such a gracious God, no woman has ever come on earth to whom God has shown such grace: thou art the crown among them all 2c. Such words caused the pious child distress and fright, so that she did not know where she stood. Therefore, the angel comforted her and said what God wanted to do with her and what he wanted to use her for, and said:
Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found grace with God.
(9) Mark this word well. For it did not only serve to comfort the little girl, but also to increase the abominable idolatry that was subsequently found among Christians by the pope and his monks, and still exists among the papists, who make a god out of the virgin Mary, ascribing to her all power in heaven and earth, as if she had it from herself.
(10) But although the Virgin Mary is blessed above all women, because no woman has ever received such grace and honor, yet with this word the angel brings her down and makes her equal to all the other saints, saying clearly: What she is, that is grace, and not merit. Now there must always remain a difference between him who gives grace and him who receives grace. He who gives grace is the one from whom grace is to be sought, and not he who has himself received grace. This was not done in the papacy. For everyone ran to the Virgin Mary and sought and hoped for more grace and help there than in the Lord Christ. To counteract this error, notice this little word here: "Mary, you have found grace with God. Then learn to take her for a person who has come to grace, and not for one who is to bestow grace. For her child, our dear Lord Jesus, is ordained for this purpose, that we should seek grace from him and through him come to God.
As John the Baptist says: "We have taken all of His fullness, grace for grace" (John 1:16). Now let us hear further the angel's message. For thus he says:
Behold, thou shalt conceive in the flesh, and bear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
(11) This is the first part of the heavenly preaching and the first revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, both of which are written inside. First, that he is the true natural son of the virgin Mary, borne in her womb, and born into the world, as all other children are borne and born. But how he was conceived, that will follow hereafter. And secondly, that he is the true natural Son of God, born of God for eternity. For there the words are written loud and clear: "You will conceive in the flesh, or in the womb, and bear a son.
(12) Therefore this child is a true man, having body and soul like another man, and having been formed, nourished, and grown in the womb like another child. Therefore it is a seductive heresy that some in former times thought that Christ did not have a true natural body. But some in our time, and especially among the Anabaptists, hold that he took neither flesh nor blood from the Virgin Mary. For if this were so, he could not be a son of David, and the evangelist would not diligently put his words thus, "Thou shalt conceive bodily, or in the body." Against such and other errors, these words of the angel should be well remembered; for whoever would deny them should be dismissed as a mad man, and have nothing further to do with him.
13 Therefore, it is also a powerful testimony against Arium and other heretics, who did not want Christ to be the eternal, almighty God, that the angel speaks here: "He will be called a son of the Most High", that is, so they will preach about him and believe that he is the Son of God. But now we know,
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which means "son", namely something born. Now if this Jesus, born of the virgin Mary in the flesh, is the Son of God, it must follow that he is also God. For what God gives birth to must be of His essence, nature and quality, which is eternal, almighty, just and living. No matter how you look at it, whoever does not like to deceive himself and to err, will not be able to pass by these words; he must let this child, born of the virgin Mary, be the true, eternal, almighty God. As the angel further indicates, and says:
And God the Lord will give him the throne of David his father, and he will be king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.
(14) This can ever be said of our Lord Jesus, that he is both an eternal God and a true natural man. For behold, what kind of a throne, regiment or kingdom did David have? Was it not the people of Israel who dwelt here below on earth and in the land of Canaan? Now if this child of his father David is to have a chair, he must also be a man, like his father David; otherwise neither David would be called his father, nor he David's heir. But here afterwards a very great inequality is found. David dies, and leaves his seat and rule to his son Solomon, who also dies, and so on one after the other dies, except for this little child Jesus. He takes David's throne and possesses it, not as David and other heirs of his body for a time, but forever, so that there will be no end to his kingdom.
(15) Now learn to rhyme the two together. This child is born of the virgin Mary, lives, eats, drinks, sleeps, wakes, like another human being; it must follow that he must also die like another human being, as we confess that Christ died and was buried on the cross. Such is the nature and characteristic of this temporal life. And yet the angel says of such a child, that the Virgin Mary should conceive in the flesh and give birth to it, that it should be
shall sit forever on the throne of his father David. Now dying and reigning forever are two disgusting things, which do not suffer with each other; and yet they shall be here with this person with each other. She dies, and yet cannot die; but reigns forever, as the angel says. Then I would like to know who would or could rhyme it together, apart from this one article, that this person, born of the virgin Mary, is not only a man, but also God? Therefore he must die as a man: again, as a true natural God, he cannot die; but he is a Lord of death, whom death cannot hold.
(16) If therefore death shall not strangle him, neither can it, neither shall sin have any power over him. For life and sin do not suffer one another: where sin is, there cannot be life, but death must be there. Therefore, where there is life, there can be no sin, but there must be perfect righteousness and complete fulfillment of the law. Where then does death come to the man Christ, if he is not a sinner, but righteous and without all sin? Here we find the great consolation that we should regard the death and dying of our dear Lord Christ as an innocent death, which was not imposed on him by his own debts but by those of others, for the sake of our sins, so that we, having been purged of sins by his death, may also live with him eternally.
(17) Thus the angel's words are short, but they are far-reaching, and teach us that this man, born of the virgin Mary, actually and rightly recognizes that he is a true, natural God: but that he became man so that he might die, when he could not die as God and without all sin, but should possess and reign forever the kingdom that was inherited from his father David. Thus man and God are here one person, who dies, and yet lives eternally. Death comes to him from foreign debts, but life he has in himself from his own righteousness and innocence; therefore we should accept it, and know that it was for our sake that we were given it through this means.
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from sins and death and also become eternally blessed.
(18) This is the sermon the angel preaches to the pious virgin, that she may rejoice in this child and let go of all fear and sadness. But she should not accept this sermon alone; we also belong to it. Therefore, although this pious virgin alone is the mother of this child, we also belong to this child's regiment and kingdom. Otherwise we would be in a very bad position. All that we are and have is temporal and lasts a very short time. For what are forty, fifty, or even a hundred years? But he who is in such a kingdom, which is an eternal kingdom, would stand well and have cause to walk always in leaps and bounds, even if he were the most miserable man here on earth. Now the angel's sermon goes to remind us with these words of this temporal life, in which there is so much driving, sin and death, and wants to make it unpleasant for us at once, because he says of a kingdom, the like of which has never come on earth, which is an eternal kingdom and has no end.
- in such a kingdom there shall be no death; neither shall there be sin therein, for sin and death are together; neither shall there be any wrath of God, but only mercy and grace. For life is the highest treasure, which God gives us after His Son. Who would not want to be in such a kingdom with all his heart, and no longer worry about remaining on earth for a long time, where there is nothing but sin, death, sorrow, fear and misery, and to enter that kingdom? So the angel would gladly make this life, all kingdoms, power and splendor, and all that the world has, unpalatable and displeasing to us, since it is all temporal and transitory, and nothing but a kingdom of sin and death; and point us to this king, which kingdom shall have no end, like other kingdoms.
(20) How then to come to this king and eternal kingdom, hear your love throughout the year, that we should accept the gospel and firmly believe what Christ promises us, and put all our heart and confidence in him who by his death and resurrection has given us the kingdom of heaven.
He has prepared such a kingdom for himself, that is, he has helped us from sins and eternal death to eternal life. For if his kingdom is to remain forever, he must also have people who live forever. For he shall be king over the house of Jacob; which are ever men, and not angels, nor unreasoning beasts. Now if men are to live forever, sin and death must be gone. We should strive for such a life and despise the temporal here; so we commonly turn it around, and so place ourselves that it is well seen that if we had enough of the temporal, we would even forget the eternal.
(21) This is the first part of the angel's sermon, which is mainly to teach the virgins Mary and all of us what kind of child she will bear, not a common child like other children. In this it will be like other children, having flesh and blood, limbs and other things, as other children have; it will need washing and wiping, eating and drinking, sleeping and waking. But in this it shall be unequal to all the children of men, that it is the Son of God and shall reign forever, that is, that not only shall it live forever for itself, but also in its kingdom it shall establish an everlasting life, so that those who are in it shall live forever, and neither sin nor death can harm them.
(22) Therefore the angel preaches further, and shows how this child, because it will be unequal to other children in so many ways, will also be conceived unequally. For when Mary heard the message that she was to conceive with such a son, who is called the Son of God, she wondered, and asked the angel how it was to be, since she knew of no man; and the angel answered her, saying:
The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the holy one who is born of you will be called the Son of God.
(23) As the common course of nature and the order of God otherwise go, everyone knows that a woman cannot become pregnant by herself alone; without the Turks being such gross fools, and allowing themselves to be bere-
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that their virgins can bear children and still remain virgins. Now it is so here that Mary also cannot become pregnant of herself; and nevertheless she shall become pregnant and know of no man. How is this to happen?
(24) Now this is the special work, since the angel says here, and no man can ever grasp with his reason, that this virgin is not to become pregnant by a man, but by the Holy Spirit; in such a way, which the angel himself cannot indicate with a better nor clearer word, than that the divine power will overshadow her. We must leave it at that and not worry about it any further. For we will not be able to think it out; it is a divine power that cannot be grasped by our thoughts.
(25) But this we can understand, if this virgin conceives by the Holy Spirit alone, that first her flesh is sanctified, and that which is born in her must also be holy and without all sin. For this reason the angel gives the child Christ, while it is still in the womb, the name and calls it holy. "The holy one," he says, "that is born of you will be called the Son of God." With this word the angel makes as great a distinction between this child and all other children, as with the manner of conception, since he spoke of it above. For although John the Baptist and others were sanctified in the womb, they were conceived unholy and only became holy after the conception, which was a sinful conception. But this child is a holy child, in whom no sin has ever been, and therefore has not been sanctified, but sanctifies everything itself.
26 This is so that we may not only learn to recognize that we are unholy and sinful by nature, and in such a case are not at all like this child; but if we want to be free from such unholiness and sin, we must know where to look for it. A beggar, if he wants money, must not go to another beggar, who also has nothing; he must go to
to find a rich man who is not stingy and who is happy to spend. So here also: if we want to be freed from sins and become holy, we must not go to those who are also sinners, that is, who are also men like us, and need grace; but here we should keep to this child, who is holy. There we will find the ability to be helped, and nowhere else.
Why do the blind papists go to the Virgin Mary, St. Peter, St. Paul and other saints, and ask God to let them enjoy their intercession and merits? They are holy and God loves them, it is true. But they do not have such holiness from themselves, but it is a given holiness, to which they have come by grace. There one does not find the fountain of graces, it is not the source, but only drawn water. But it is this child who is born of God in eternity, and is therefore called the Son of God, and is conceived of the Virgin Mary through the Holy Spirit. So that even though it has flesh and blood, such flesh and blood is absolutely holy flesh and blood, in which there is no sin. This is the true fountain and source of grace, where we should go if we want to be holy and without sin. For this is also the reason why this holy child is born, that we unholy, sinful people lay under the wrath of God and in death and could not help ourselves from such misery. But if we were to be helped, it had to be by one who was without sin and could also help others from sins. This is our dear Lord Christ, eternal God and yet true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the pure and holy virgins of Mary, and born into the world, so that we might find our way to Him, cling to Him, and take comfort in His holiness.
If the holiness of Christ had been preached to the people in the papacy as the angel preaches here, the idolatry that was practiced with the dead saints would have remained behind. But there one has the words
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and yet no one has been directed to the Lord Christ, who alone is holy and alone can make holy, but all such trust has been placed in the saints. May God forgive them!
This is the sermon of the dear angel Gabriel about the infant Jesus, to which he attaches the new newspaper about the old Elizabeth, how she also became pregnant with a son in her old days. And adds the beautiful, comforting saying that with God no thing is impossible. But we will leave such history until its time, and now conclude with the third piece.
(30) When the tender virgin has enough report from the angel what God wants to do with her, she answers and says:
Behold, I am the handmaid of the LORD; let it be done to me according to your word.
(31) This is a very fine answer, because not only is there great humility, but also great faith and heartfelt love toward all people. For first of all she gives herself in all humility and full obedience: "I am the Lord's handmaid. As if she wanted to say: Here I am; my God and Father in heaven make of me what he wants, so I am willing to do it. And even though I am far too unworthy for this work, since you tell me about it, I still accept such grace and good deed of God with joy and gratitude.
For when she says: "Be it done to me as you have said," these are words that she desires with all her heart, that she is happy and of good cheer that the blessed time has come, that the devil's head shall be crushed and the poor, wretched sinners shall be helped. She desires this from the bottom of her heart, and is glad that God wants to use her for this; not for her person and honor, but that she knows that through this child she and all the world shall be saved from sins and death. For she believes both, first, that God will accomplish such a work with her, as the angel says; and second, that this child will have an eternal kingdom, will redeem her and all the world from the devil's kingdom and death.
- and by such faith alone is it
blessed and freed from sins, and not by the work of bringing the Son of God into the world. This was indeed a special grace and glory, as she herself confesses in the Magnificat: "All the children's child will call me blessed"; but only by this she becomes God's child and comes to eternal life, because she considers this her child, as the angel preached about him that he would sanctify her and give her eternal life by grace.
- but just as she alone has the glory of becoming the mother of God and giving birth to the Son of God in the world, so we are to believe with her that this child is holy and will have an eternal kingdom, that is, that he will also give us eternal life and sanctify us.
- This is the history that is to be preached at today's feast, so that the article among us may remain firm and certain that our dear Lord Jesus Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit, is both true God and true man in one person. This shall be our hope against the devil and all other creatures, that we are set in the glory that God Himself shall be and be called my flesh and my blood. He has not attached himself so closely to any creature as to man, that he does not want to dwell in man alone and be around him; which should be enough for a special great joy: but he himself has become what we are, and has made himself so close to us that he has such a nature, such a body and soul, as I and you have, outside of the one piece, that everything in him is holy, but in us it is sinful.
Such honor, which the Son of God has bestowed upon us poor human beings, greatly displeases the devil, and does not grant us the glory of being able to say: My flesh and my blood is God, and sits above in majesty, ruling heaven and earth.
Therefore, we owe it to God to thank Him from the bottom of our hearts for this grace and gift, that He has placed us in such great and high honor and has allowed His Son to become man. For otherwise it seems as if God is hostile to the world. But here we see that it is not
*) From a sermon of the year 1832.
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is true; because he has befriended and acted so closely to us human beings that he not only wants to dwell in us, but has himself personally wanted to become a human being. Such grace is committed today, that we thank God for having cancelled our impure, unholy birth through his holy birth, and for having given the soul of our Lord to us.
He has brought salvation upon us all, that through him we may be holy and blessed. For this is the purpose of his dear word, holy baptism and the reverend sacrament. May God, our gracious Father, send His Holy Spirit into our hearts, so that we may believe this and thereby become eternally blessed, Amen.
On the day of Philippi and Jacobi.
John 14:1-14.
And he said to his disciples, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. If you believe in God, you also believe in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would say unto you, I go to prepare a place for you. And though I go to prepare a place for you, yet will I come again, and receive you unto myself, that ye may be where I am. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know also. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye knew me, ye knew my Father also. And from henceforth ye have known him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it shall be sufficient for us. Jesus saith unto him, How long am I with you, and thou knowest me not? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father. How sayest thou then: Show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself. But the Father who dwells in me does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; if not, believe me because of the works. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do: for I go unto the Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be honored in the Son. Whatever you ask in my name, that I will do.
The first part of this sermon.
- Your dear ones have now heard some sermons which the Lord Christ preached to his disciples at the last supper over the table. The Lord begins these last sermons with today's Gospel, and it is easy to notice (as reported in other sermons) that the Lord's main concern is how to prepare his disciples against future troubles, and how to instruct them so that they will not be frightened by his death, but will have joy and comfort because of it; because he will not remain in such death, but will come to them again, give them the Holy Spirit, and take away their sins and all sorrow.
(2) But just as the disciples could not grasp such consolation and understand such clear words; they looked only at the shameful death of their Master, and could neither provide themselves with life nor help after such death, nor console themselves: so it is with us even today. As soon as the cross comes down and we feel it, terror and fear, impatience and despair immediately follow; and no one can persuade us that a consolation should follow and that sadness should become joy. This is why this sermon serves us, because Christ teaches us what he will accomplish through his death and dying, so that we may take comfort in this and remember it when we are in trouble. For it is certain that when we do not remember such consolation
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Otherwise we will not find comfort in heaven or on earth, especially if it is to do with how we can be freed from the great burden of sin and death. Now the beginning of such preaching is that he speaks:
Do not frighten your heart.
(3) For this is the first misfortune that is found in the cross, that it not only hurts the body, but also frightens and anguishes the heart. Since it is impossible for flesh and blood to be made any other way, for it writhes and writhes in days of trouble, the Lord would like the heart to remain free and unburdened, even though the flesh is pressed and hurt. It is natural that sickness and death are painful. Such pain cannot be torn out of the flesh; it remains in it as long as the illness remains. But whoever has a good conscience and a cheerful heart in such distress, more than half of the pain is already taken away; because it is in the flesh alone, and not also in the heart. It was the same with the disciples. It was impossible that they should not grieve and be sorry that they should see their Lord and Master die so shamefully and lose him. But Christ says: Beware, let such sorrow remain only in the flesh, and let it not enter into the heart. But how shall ye ward it off? Thus:
If you believe in God, believe also in me.
4 We want to interpret such words in the most simple way and have this opinion as if Christ wanted to speak: You are concerned about my death. For just as you are accustomed to other people, so you also think of me. What a man is and has, when he is dead, all is finished; he keeps neither penny nor nickel, even if he had all the world's goods. All power and authority is also gone. For where before all the world feared and was terrified of emperor and king, as soon as he is dead, not a fly is afraid of him, nor can a fly resist him. So it happens with people when they die that everything they had and lost falls away and remains behind.
like to have. You know and experience this, and you think that I will have the same opinion.
5 But I say to you, "If you believe in God, believe also in me," that is, what you believe about God, you shall also believe about me. Your none fears that GOD will die. None of you fear that the world, be it ever so wicked, will do harm to God and throw him down from his throne: why then will you fear on my account? why will you be concerned about me dying? Let death and the world and the devil be as wicked as they will; they will gain nothing for me. For I am God, and what you believe of God, believe also of me: so your hearts can be satisfied, and will not only not be frightened when I die, but will also draw comfort from it. For if I and death come together, death will have to succumb; you can also enjoy it. For then hear and learn further what I intend to accomplish by this bodily death.
In my Father's house are many mansions. But where these are not, I say to you that I am going to prepare a place for you.
The first consolation is that death shall not prevail against the Lord Christ. For he does not find in him a true man, even though he is a true, natural man; but also a true, natural, eternal Son of God. Though he strangles Christ as a man and the son of the virgin Mary, he cannot strangle the Son of God; as Peter also says, "It was impossible that death should hold him." Apost. 2, 24. And the Lord John in the 16th chapter says v. 16: It is only for a little thing, so he wants to see her again. This is a great comfort and would have been strong enough for the disciples to take hold of him and hold on to him.
7 But this is a great thing, that Christ here saith, When he therefore shall pass through bodily death into another and eternal life, then shall he find many mansions, not only for himself, but also for his disciples. And where such dwellings have not been found before
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he would prepare it for them. This is what is said: Do not be dismayed that tomorrow I will die on the cross; for such death does not harm me, but benefits you; and benefits you, when you are taken from this life, that you may find good lodging and housing in that life. These have already been prepared, but if they had not been prepared, I would have ordered and prepared them for you.
8 In sum, Christ wants to comfort us all with these words, that his death should help us to eternal life and acquire eternal blessedness; as Paul says, Rom. 4, 25: "Christ died for our sins and raised us up again to righteousness. Who would now be frightened at this death, and not rather rejoice and thank God for such mercy and gracious help? since otherwise we would have had to remain eternally in death and condemnation, that through the death of Christ we should be freed from it and be made partakers of eternal life. But that such is the right and proper understanding, the Lord explains himself and continues:
And though I go to prepare the place for you, yet will I come again, and receive you unto myself, that ye may be where I am.
The going is decided that he will no longer stay here in this temporal, miserable life. Again, it is also decided that there is no other cause for his death and dying than that he wants to prepare the place for his disciples. Therefore it may ever be called a happy and blessed death to us, that we may be provided with a dwelling place in eternal life; as the following words clearly show, that he says: "And I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that ye may be where I am."
10 Oh God, that we could believe such words and include them in our hearts! Then it would certainly follow that our hearts would not only not be frightened, but would always soar, leap and rejoice in joy. For you calculate what these words entail, that we should be where Christ is. He is not in sins, in hell, in death; but in righteousness, in salvation, and in the life of the Lord.
and eternal life. And is so in that he can never get out. That is also where we are to go. For this, he says, he has purchased for us with his death or death.
41 For we must beware lest we think that such words and consolations are spoken only to the young. He speaks verbally to them alone, but he does not mean them alone. Otherwise it would have to follow that he died only for them. But we know that he died for us and for the whole world. Since his death, as he says here, was ordered to prepare the place, it follows that he prepared the place for all men.
(12) But since all men are not saved and do not come to such a place as Christ has prepared, this is the reason why they do not accept such a death and do not ask that Christ prepare the place as he wishes, if only they had a home here; they would be satisfied with the same. These are called unbelievers, because they have no faith. But the Christians who recognize the Lord Christ as the Son of God, and therefore crucified and died, so that through his death he opened the entrance to eternal life for us: these are the ones who enjoy such readiness and comfort themselves with it in all adversity. For they think: Even though I am poor and miserable on earth, it does no harm; after all, I have no home here, Christ has not prepared a place for me here. I must make do for this little while, as in an evil inn, since it is only for one night. When I come home, to the right Heimbde (home) and fatherland, then it will be better. For this temporal life is far too small for Christ to have suffered for the sake of such a life; it is for the sake of eternity that I must suffer, so that death may not harm me in eternity, sin may not condemn me, and I may live with my Lord Christ Jesus forever.
(13) Such thoughts make light of all the misfortunes we suffer here on earth, and keep the heart from being frightened. For what is it that Lazarus is a poor, miserable man, full of poxes and sores, and not enough for that?
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has dry bread to eat? Is it not true that he is richly pleased in that he is and lives with God in eternity, and does not wish that it had been better for him on earth? Since the concern must be that, as Abraham says, whoever receives good here in his life, must be tormented there. So it seems to be a miserable business, since Christ sends his apostles into all the world to preach the gospel, that the world keeps them so badly, chasing them from one city to the next, not wanting to let them sit quietly anywhere, but adding all plagues to them. But they care little, and are still cheerful and of good cheer, that, as Apost. 5:41, they are worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. So that the cross lies only on the flesh and old Adam, and does not touch the heart in the least.
014 Whence then cometh this? Only from the fact that they have firmly imagined in their hearts the comfort that Christ here speaks of: if the world will not suffer them, if it will chase them away and put them to all kinds of trouble, they know that there is another and better inn prepared for them by their Lord Christ through his death, and that it is certain. Since they cannot lack the same dwelling place, they are content to live in the world as in an unfaithful, troubled inn, as they please. For they do not intend to stay in it any longer, and would like to suffer well, that they may only depart soon and come to their custody and right home and fatherland.
15 We should learn such comfort. For if we want to be Christians, and especially lead, keep and confess God's word, we will not be lacking, we will have enough temptation and adversity. Whoever does not want to have peace here, and does not want to be comforted by such a future and eternal dwelling, sits down between two chairs, and it is not possible for him to be satisfied. But this will satisfy our hearts when we see where our Lord Christ has gone, and what he has accomplished by such a journey, that he has made a dwelling place for us, and will not let us always remain here in the evil, unfaithful world; he will come and fetch us, so that, where he has made a dwelling place for us, we may have peace.
we are and will remain. Whoever does not have a desire for such joy and does not want to comfort himself with it in all kinds of distress and challenge, can neither be advised nor helped.
16 Therefore it is a great pity that we poor people, who have nothing more certain before us than that we must pass away one day and let everything go, are still so drowned in temporal things and only think about how we have enough here. This eternal dwelling, which Christ has prepared for us through his death, we either think about nothing at all, or rarely, and especially sleepily and industriously. Since, on the other hand, everyone turns all his diligence here, how he can manage his business, how he can provide for himself, his wife, his children and his friends here. But would it not be better to seek the eternal dwelling and eternal goods and riches, which, as Christ says, no thief can steal, and the devil himself cannot take; who uses all his power to remove such eternal dwelling and treasures from our sight, and to load our hearts with other thoughts, because he is deprived of such blessedness, that we should be damned with him, and not come to it.
17 This is the comforting sermon the Lord preached to his disciples at the last supper, concluding, "Now you know both where I am going, and you know the way, so that you may come afterward; for I am going to the Father to prepare a place for you, and I will take you and receive you to myself. But the disciples do not understand. Therefore Thomas comes forth subtly simple-minded. Verily, dear Lord, saith he, we know not whither thou goest; how can we know the way? That is to say, we do not understand a word you say. To such a question the Lord continues to answer and does not allow himself to be mistaken, they understand it or not. For he knows that when the Holy Spirit comes, they will understand it first, and he says:
I am the way, the truth and the life.
18 This is an excellent, beautiful saying, which we cannot act upon now due to its length; nevertheless, we want to say a little about it.
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The other part of this sermon.
I am the way, the truth and the life.
(19) Although most of the people go in unbelief and do not think anything of the future life, because otherwise they should never think about the future half as much as they think about the temporal half: nevertheless, such an article does not want to be despised at all; sometimes a thought must come: Dear, how will it have an opinion, if today or tomorrow God also demands you from this world? Here you had to eat and to drink, had money, honor, property and power enough: what will you have or find there? Such a thought cannot always remain outside; it will sometimes stir the heart and make it restless. And no doubt, out of such thoughts and concerns, many a worship service has been wrought among the heathen. Thus it can be seen that many of them have led an honorable, chaste, refined life, hoping that our Lord God will let them enjoy it after this life.
(20) The Jews, in particular, were completely drowned in such thoughts, for they had the advantage of knowing what they should do if they wanted to please God. For God Himself had provided them with all kinds of services in the Law, so they thought, "If we are obedient and keep these things, we will not be in trouble when we die; God, to whom we live in obedience, will be pleased with us. Just as the papists do: what they think is good and holy, when they do it, they make themselves believe that God cannot deny them heaven. Thus, people make their own way to God and eternal life, either through the law or through such works as they choose to be holy and pleasing to God.
(21) Therefore our dear Lord Christ warns and teaches us: If we take the right way to the Father and do not want to err, then neither the law nor this nor that good work will be done. For there is only one way, and that is he himself; he that goeth unto the Father by him, the Lord Christ, shall go unto the Father.
come. Whoever does not walk on it, neither law, nor holy life, nor anything in heaven and on earth shall help him. For just as there is only one true Christ, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, so there is only one way. But whoever makes another way, makes also another Christ, there is no doubt about it. And it must further follow that such a Christ is false and the way erroneous and leads into the abyss of hell and not to eternal life.
(22) Now this is the doctrine which has always caused trouble and all kinds of misfortune in the world. For Cain also thought to make a way for himself to the Father in heaven by his sacrifice; but he lacked it, and slew his brother Abel to death over it. He also sacrificed, but he had another way to the Father than his sacrifice, namely, the seed of the woman, from which the promise had been made to his parents. So the Jews also did not like it when the prophets punished their sacrifice and worship, and would not let it be the right way to heaven. Shall it not please God, they said, if we sacrifice and keep the commandment of the Lord? Our papists of today cannot stand it either. No monk will allow himself to be persuaded that it is not a way to eternal life if he keeps his rule rigidly with praying, fasting and other things. In sum, as the Pharisee Luc. did on the 18th, who let himself believe that he had kept the commandments of God, because he had not outwardly sinned against them: so, of course, do all men, and let themselves believe that their holy life is the way to the Father in heaven. But when they say, "No, if you want to be saved, you must go another way; this way will lead you into the abyss of hell," then it burns in all the gates; everyone scolds such teaching, calling it heresy, forbidding good works and deceiving people. As you can see, it is the same for us today.
Now, how shall we do it? If you look at what Christ says here, you can be sure of the matter. He speaks of the way to the Father, where one is to find the eternal dwellings, and speaks with round words: "I am the way, the truth, and the
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Life." Now, as said above, there is only One Christ, and it is not possible to say of this or any other work, even of the Law of Moses itself, that it is Christ. If Christ alone is the way, the truth and the life, and no work, be it ever so holy, great and delicious, can be said to be Christ Himself: Then it must follow that the law, sacrifice, all good works, the ten commandments of God Himself, all chastity, discipline, respectability, and whatever else may be called, are not the way to salvation and the Father; and whoever has no more than such works, that he is and must remain in error, in falsehood, and in death, until he comes to this way, he is called Christ Jesus.
024 Yea, sayest thou, are the commandments of the toes evil? Is it wrong to live modestly and honorably and to be pious? Is it not pleasing to God? or is it pleasing to Him to live in fornication and do no good? No, by all means; we say that it is right, good and pleasing to God to do God's will, to be pious. But it does not follow that this is the way to eternal life or to the Father. Therefore, one should keep the Ten Commandments in obedience, because God has commanded them and without sin we cannot obey such a command. But to come to the Father there is only one way; it is not called good works nor God's commandment, but Christ Jesus. This one way is the truth and does not deceive us; and is the life that preserves us from death, since otherwise, with all good works and holy living, we must remain in death, and cannot work our way out.
25, And this is also the cause that the Lord makes Himself a new name, saying, "I am the way." For where there is no way nor path, there is no way to come. Since no one can come to God apart from Christ, nor can anyone know God apart from Christ, He says: I am the way to the Father. Not such a way as one should walk on with feet, but with the heart, that is, one should trust in Him and place all confidence in Him. Whoever does this is on the right path to the Father and to eternal life, and is not able to trust in him.
that he could err. For he has Christ, who is not only the way, but he is the truth, who cannot deceive nor fail us, and is also the life. Therefore, whoever has this way before him must not fear sin and the death that comes from sin.
26 Therefore, the question must be distinguished here. It is twofold when I ask: What shall I do if I want to live as a Christian? and: What should I do if I want to go to the Father or to eternal life? The Ten Commandments belong to the Christian life: they are the way. For there is God's command that demands such obedience. But whoever does not want to obey, must wait for the punishment and damnation that is laid upon disobedience. But such toe commandments are not the right way to the Father. For there it is said, as Christ says here, "I am the way." Just as one should not make much Christ, so one should not make much way. But if a man makes any other way to the Father besides Christ, it is an erroneous way.
(27) Therefore, the judgment of all faiths and religions can be made. The Turk, the Jews and the pagans also have a hope that they will be saved, and they boast that they know God, and serve God, and worship God. But if Christ alone is to be the way and they do not believe in Christ, how is it possible that they can come to God? Then even their best life and their most holy works, their prayer and all worship must be nothing but error, lies and death. For apart from Christ there is no way, no truth, no life.
028 So it is with the pope also, and with his multitude; he goeth much way to the father. One monk has run away to a monastery for this reason; one priest says mass for this reason; another serves the saints for this reason and worships them; the third buys indulgences or offers mass, so that he thinks he is making a way or bridge to heaven. But do what you will; even the most holy works commanded in the Ten Commandments will not bring you to the Father. Cause, Christ alone is the way, he alone is the truth and the life. If thou believest not in Christ, and art not comforted in his going to the Father, and thy
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If you do not satisfy your heart with the fact that he has prepared the dwelling for you through his death, it is of no use; indeed, everything you do apart from him is error, lies and death, no matter how much the world may praise it. Faith in Christ alone must do it, and no work; for apart from Christ there is no way.
(29) Now a distinction must be made here between the works, lest we fall into the raptures in which the Anabaptists and the Sacramentarians are. For this is not unjustly spoken, and takes nothing away from the glory of Christ, when I say, If thou wilt come to the Father and be saved, be baptized; as Peter saith to the Jews, Acts 2:38. 2:38; item, if thou wilt be saved and come to the Father, hear the word of God; item, if thou wilt come to the Father and be saved, go to the reverend Sacrament. For baptism, sacrament and word are not only commanded by Christ, but are nothing without Christ. Therefore such works require faith, and without faith they are of no use; just as Christ himself is of no use to those who do not believe in him. Whoever then would say, Christ alone is the way; what need have I of baptism, word, or sacrament? would dishonor Christ, not only because Christ commanded and instituted baptism, word, and sacrament; but because Christ himself is in baptism, word, and sacrament, and in such passages becomes our way. For he is gone to the Father, and we see him not, saith he, Joh. 16. How then shall we walk in him, or how is he our way? There is no other way, because in baptism, in word and sacrament he lets himself be presented to us, that he died for us, shed his blood for us and reconciled us to the Father. Whoever would not accept such words and sacraments would reject Christ, the Way, and would not want to accept Him.
(30) Therefore, since Christ himself is in and with us, such works are different from the works we do. I give alms, I serve my neighbor, I preach, I let myself be tortured to death over the word: such works, although the holy
I cannot boast that they are so much more than Christ, than his suffering and death. Therefore, we cannot and should not boast of any way that we would come to the Father and eternal life by it.
(31) But it is useless to speak further of this matter. For the Lord declares himself, and shows cause why he says he is the way. "No one," he says, "comes to the Father except through me." "Coming to the Father" can ever mean nothing else than having a gracious God, being without sin and in eternal life. There, he says, you will never come to it by your works or holiness; by me alone you must come to it, that is, by me alone going to the Father, suffering and dying. In this way the Lord beautifully summarizes the article of our faith, which says: "Through faith alone in Christ alone one becomes righteous and blessed.
032 Now it is still more grievous that he saith, "No man cometh unto the Father, but by me." For this is still more, that he says further, "If ye know me, ye know the Father." For with these words he wants to indicate that where one does not have or know Christ, it is impossible that one can have or know God. What is it then that all the heathen boast and speak of God? That the Turks and Jews, even the Papists, say much about God? The words may guide them, but here is the verdict: If you know Christ, you know God; if you do not know Christ, you do not know God.
(33) Yes, you say, is this not knowing God, when a Turk and a Jew say how God created heaven and earth from nothing, made His covenant with Adam and Eve in Paradise, brought the children of Israel out of Egypt? Is all this true, that God did it: not such a God as the pagans have, but the true and eternal God? But do it as you will, here it is: If you know Christ, you know God; but if you do not know Christ, you do not know God; you deny God and do not believe in God. And this is why the Lord soon after says to Philip, "Do you not believe, Philip, that the Father is in me, and I in the Father?"
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34 Thus the Lord goes back to the reason which he indicates above, when he says: "If you believe in God, believe also in me. For there is no other way out, the man Jesus Christ is God; and God is Jesus Christ. Whoever then does not know the Son, nor suppose that he boasts, says, or knows whatever he wants about God, this is not true knowledge. Therefore he speaks further to Philip: "So long have you been with me, and do you not yet know me? Philip, he who sees the Father sees me." You hear me speak, and I do not speak, but the Father does, and the works that I do, the Father does. All of this is to the end that we should recognize and accept Christ as a true, eternal God, and take comfort in His suffering and death as the perfect payment and propitiation to God. Whoever does this knows God, honors God, and believes in God.
For to know God is not only to know that he created heaven and earth, that he gave us life and limb, and that he is omnipotent. Such is only one piece, and the least of the knowledge of God. For where one does not get any further, we must only fear such God all the sooner and more, since we have the conscience constantly with us that we are disobedient to such God, who created everything for our good.
sam. But whoever knows Christ sees in Christ that God is a gracious, merciful God who does not want to condemn us because of our sin and disobedience, but wants to be merciful to us and help us out of our sins. For there stands His Son, whom He gives as a sacrifice for us, that through Him we may have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. This then means to recognize God rightly, to know that he is so merciful to sinners.
But there is no other way to learn this, except from His Son Christ Jesus. Therefore Christ says: "If you know me, you know the Father: He is not only an almighty and eternal God, but also a gracious and merciful God. His omnipotence and eternity can be felt and learned from the creature of the whole world; but His grace and mercy can only be learned from Christ JEsu, from His suffering and death, that He goes and prepares for us the dwelling place, which we on our part would have had to be deprived of forever.
(37) Thus your love sees how the Lord comforts his disciples and directs them to know him rightly, so that their hearts will not be troubled. May God grant us His grace that we may also learn this, and in all distress remember such comfort, amen.
*On the day of St. John the Baptist. )
Luc. 1, 57-80.
And Elizabeth's time came for her to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. And her neighbors and friends heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the young child, and called his name Zacharias, after his father. But his mother answered and said, Not at all; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her: Surely there is no man of thy friendship so called. And they beckoned unto his father what he would have him called. And he called for a piece of paper, and wrote, and said, His name is John. And they were all amazed. Immediately his mouth and tongue were opened, and he spoke and praised God. And fear came upon all the neighbors, and this story became known throughout all the mountains of Judah. And all who heard it took it to heart and said: What do you think will become of the child? For the hand of the Lord was
*) Held in the house, 1532.
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with him. And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel: for he hath visited and redeemed his people. And hath raised up for us a horn of salvation in the house of his servant David. When he spake in time past by the mouth of his holy prophets, that he would deliver us from our enemies, and from the hand of all them that hate us, and shew mercy to our fathers, and remember his holy covenant, and the oath which he sware unto Abraham our father to give us, that, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without fear all the days of our life, in holiness and righteousness that is pleasing in his sight. And thou child shalt be called a prophet of the Most High; thou shalt go before the Lord, to prepare his way, and to give knowledge of salvation unto his people, who are in remission of their sins; through the tender mercies of our God, whereby the going forth from on high hath visited us, that he may appear unto them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and direct our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the wilderness, until he should stand forth before the people of Israel.
Every Christian should know the right reason for celebrating this day, so that we do not have such a foolish joy, as the world tends to do, as if our Lord God had let St. John be born only for the sake of eating, drinking, dancing, and other such things. It is true that the angel proclaims to old Zacharias that many will rejoice at this birth; but this is not a joy, as we Germans, according to our bad habits, have, that we fill our belly and take care of our well-being; but a spiritual joy, that John should be the first preacher, who should point with his finger to the seed given, and show us salvation and forgiveness of sins, that God will be gracious to us for Christ's sake and grant us all mercy.
(2) This is a joy that does not last for one day alone, and after that the head is sore from it; but that remains for eternity and brings blessedness with it. For the sake of such joy, this day has been celebrated among Christians, so that they may also receive a taste of it and thank God for His good deeds. Therefore, let us now take the history before us.
This is the very first thing that God does with this birth, a particularly great miraculous sign. For there we hear that father and mother had been married for so long, and yet had not conceived a child, and are now at the age that they no longer have any hope of having a child. For Elizabeth was not only out of age, but also, as the angel reports in regard to the virgin Mary, she was in a state of crying, that she was not at all able to bear a child.
would be fruitful. Then God did a great miracle and gave her such a great son that Christ himself said: "Among the sons of women, no greater arose than John. This is what every Christian should know and learn today about this child, how he was miraculously conceived and born, and how other miracles took place: that the angel from heaven brings the first message about such a son; the father Zacharias is mute from that day on until the child is eight days old; but the mother gives him the name and says: "He shall be called John", which name she had not heard from any man. After that, the father began to speak again and preached a beautiful sermon about this child out of the Holy Spirit.
From all this, one must conclude that God has something special in mind for this child, as the whole friendship and neighborhood is amazed at such a wonderful being, and concludes that God will do something special through this child. But it makes us think twice to hear how the angel of God preached about such a child before it was conceived in its mother's womb. For God is not frivolous; neither does He send His angels for the sake of small things: it must always mean something especially great when He speaks and sends His angels. But the angel, as soon as he tells Zacharias that he will have a son, also says what kind of man he will become and what special things he will do in the world, and says: "You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
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rejoice." This is said so much that this birth will bring a special benefit to the people; for he reports two kinds of joy.
One is the parents. It was a natural joy for them to have a son in their old age. But especially the barren Elizabeth will have rejoiced, who for so long had to bear the curse and disgrace of being barren, and because of that had to flee other women like the owl flees the birds. This is a joy that father and mother had over this child.
6 But the other joy is greater still, that others also, and not his father and mother only, should take the wife of this child; not because of his birth only, but because of his ministry, that he should thus have a joyful and comforting ministry. For thus the angel prophesieth, He shall be great in the sight of the Lord." And Zacharias, his father, interpreted this in a fine way, saying, "You will be called a prophet of the Most High; you will go before the Lord to prepare His way and to give the knowledge of salvation to His people, who are in the remission of their sins. As if he wanted to say: "We have had Moses and the prophets until now, but they have left us all in sins and with an evil conscience; we have not been able to escape death, there has been no help, no counsel. Just as it happened to us under the papacy, when he ran to St. James, the other to Rome; when he flagellated himself there, and another fasted himself there. When one had tried and done everything, the conscience was still not helped. The poor, miserable, sorrowful people knew not where to turn, could have no comfort nor rest against sin and death. But now, says Zacharias, it will be different. For God has given us a child who will show the way to forgiveness of sins.
7 The angel says that you, Zechariah, will not only rejoice, but also other people who were not present at such a miraculous birth and did not see it; they will rejoice with all their hearts, thanking and praising God that he has made such a comforting preacher appear, with his
Finger pointing to the Son of God, and forgiveness of sins through him promised to all who accept him and believe in him. O how blessed ears, he will say, will these be who will hear the voice, "Behold the Lamb of GOD who bears the sin of the world." How blessed shall be the eyes that shall see the blessed finger, that it may point to the sacrifice that is to be offered for the sin of the world. Thus his father Zacharias wants to make all people's hearts sugar-coated and joyful with the word that he remembers the forgiveness of sins, that now the time is present when we will be able to know how we may be freed from sins and become eternally blessed.
8 For it is in truth a great and excellent thing that John is the first to come into the world with this preaching, saying, "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." For there each heart must confess for itself: I also belong to the world. If then this little lamb bears the sin of all the world, it will also bear my sin. For there is no one excluded. This is the true joy and glad tidings, that sin shall no more lie in the world, it shall no more terrify us, condemn us, strangle us; but shall be taken away from us and laid upon this little lamb of God. John first brings this message into the world by pointing to Christ with his fingers, exhorting and urging everyone to cling to Christ and wait for such grace from him.
(9) Other prophets also prophesied of Christ, how he would come and make the world free from sins; but there is neither Isaias nor Jeremiah, who could have said, This is he whom ye shall receive, who shall do and execute it. John is the only one who let the first voice go and showed the person with fingers, where forgiveness of sins is actually to be found.
(10) This then is the proper cause of this feast, that St. John's day should be celebrated: not for his stern life, nor for his miraculous birth; but for his dear finger and for his word.
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and ministry. For such ministry and preaching was never heard before in the world. No man has ever had such fingers, nor seen such fingers as John's, to show the lamb of God. Therefore, whoever is oppressed by sin, whoever is frightened by the devil and death, let him look at this preacher's mouth and fingers, and he will teach and instruct him rightly, so that he may receive forgiveness of sins and be satisfied with God. This is the joy that all the world, and not only Zacharias and Elisabeth, shall have in Johanne.
Interpretation of the Canticle of Zachariah.
(11) But that we may have cause to speak of it a little longer, let us take before us the praises of Zacharias the father, to whom the evangelist bears witness, that he was full of the Holy Ghost, and prophesied of his Son, and of the special ministry which he should have in the world. For thus says the evangelist:
And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel: for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up for us a horn of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he spake of old by the mouth of his holy prophets. That he might deliver us from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.
(12) Then you hear how happy the pious old Zacharias is about his son: not only because of his person, but that this is now happening, which God promised so long ago through his prophets: how he would give David a son who would save us from all enemies, that is, from the devil, sin, death and hell, who want to devour and condemn us. This, he says, is now coming, since all the prophets have written and cried out about it, that it will happen one day. Now it is here, praise be to God forever and ever. It has been promised, and all the prophets have promised it; but they have not been able to bring it to pass, nor to preach it, as my Son will preach it, who will point with his fingers to such salvation and point men to it.
(13) But here we must be accustomed to the Scripture that Zacharias does not say badly, "God has raised up for us a salvation or help against our enemies," but he says, "a horn of salvation. This is said in German as a kingdom of grace, to which all those who are in sin, fear and distress should find their way; they should find help in such a kingdom, so that sin will not harm them and death will not choke them; For David's true Son, who shall begin an everlasting kingdom of grace, is now conceived in his mother's womb and shall soon be born; he shall rise up against our enemies, sin, the devil and death, and shall prevail against them, and deliver us from them, that they shall not hurt us for ever. Such a kingdom of grace is now at the door, and this little child, the dear little goose, will bring the first message of it to his people. But the pious Zacharias cannot speak enough of such grace and mercy for joy, and continues to speak:
And that he might shew mercy unto our fathers, and remember the ancient holy covenant, and the oath which he sware unto Abraham our father to give us; that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear all the days of our life, in holiness and righteousness that is pleasing in his sight.
(14) This is a very beautiful text, which well and truly informs us of the kingdom of our Lord Christ. Your loved ones have often heard how there was a terrible misunderstanding of Christ's kingdom among the Jews: that they thought he would begin a temporal reign and lead a splendor like other kings, and help his people to honor and great things. But Zacharias tells us differently: that this kingdom will be a kingdom where mercy will prevail. With this he wants to throw back Moses and the whole law. For there they preach that God will be merciful to those who keep his commandments and are righteous. But where mercy is to go, there even those who have not kept the law and are sinners will have hope and should not despair.
(15) Now Zechariah interprets this mercy here in such a way that it also applies to the deceased.
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The fathers of the deceased should benefit from it. Therefore, it cannot be a mercy that affects the temporal, since the deceased can no longer have a part in it. What would it help Abraham, Jacob and other fathers, if Christ should set up a worldly regime, give great money and goods to his people? But they enjoy the mercy that God, through Christ, forgives sin and gives eternal life. They also need such mercy if they are to be saved from eternal death. What else could Abraham and the other fathers gain from the promise of Christ, which they did not experience and only believed?
16 Therefore Zacharias said, "God has made a holy covenant, the covenant of forgiveness of sins through Christ, and swore an oath to Abraham that he would keep it. Now what is this covenant and oath? Nothing else, but that through Christ, the blessed Seed, we should be delivered out of the hand of our enemies. These are not temporal enemies, although God also wants to help against them and keep them over his Christians. But the covenant is not based on such temporal help. It is set against sin, eternal death and the whole kingdom of the devil. Such a covenant, says Zechariah, is made by God; and my son shall bring the first message of such an achievement into the world.
(17) Now it should be especially noted here that he calls it a holy covenant or testament. For with this he looks again to Moses, through whom God had also made a covenant with His people before at Mount Sina, when He gave the Law; but it was a covenant that they could not keep. For flesh and blood is so corrupted by sin that it cannot obey the will of God, but always desires, does and wants something other than God through His word. Therefore, although the same covenant and the law were holy and good, they became unholy because of the people who could not keep them; therefore, they had to have an evil conscience and remain under sin and death. Therefore, God, out of His Fatherly mercy, was moved to make another covenant through the blood of Christ,
of his Son with us. This is a holy covenant, by which we are freed from sins and become holy. For in this holy covenant we are promised forgiveness of sins, not through the blood of oxen or calves, but through the blood of the Son of God. By this this covenant is made, established and confirmed; therefore we can certainly take comfort in it.
(18) Then, says Zechariah, a new and holy life will follow. Namely, those who accept such a covenant will serve God all their lives, not the devil, as the world is wont to do, but God, without fear, in a good and happy conscience. For whoever may not be afraid of sin, death and the devil, what else would such a person be concerned about, what would he be afraid of? This is the first and highest service of God, that one has a right trust in God through Christ without fear, that he is our Father, that he means well with us, that he does not want to condemn us, but through Christ, for the sake of his death and resurrection, makes us eternally blessed and protects us from sin, hell and the devil for eternity.
- after such worship follows the other; which is not that one (as the papists teach) dresses himself specially, keeps himself specially with eating and drinking, sleeping, watching 2c.; there God will grant the people to do it with according to their need and opportunity, with measure and thanksgiving, as they will: but in holiness and righteousness.
20 The word "holiness" means nothing else, except that one should be pious and holy for the sake of the outward life, and keep himself in a good conscience, that one should not be attached to sin and the flesh, but should subdue them, and should set his heart on the right obedience, which God demands in His Word and the Holy Spirit brings about in the believers. For the Christians will not fail, both their own flesh and afterwards the devil, the evil spirit, will not celebrate, and will provoke, drive and persuade them to fall into sin. Then it shall be, as Zacharias says here, that the Christians cheer up and think of their profession and service, and serve God in holiness.
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That is, to beware of such sins and to be pious. And it will be found that the Holy Spirit will then come upon them and help them overcome flesh and blood, even the devil himself. So that Christians should serve God their Father in heaven in holiness all their lives.
21 But here we find that we stumble very often in such service. For it is exceedingly soon that a man falls into this or that sin. The flesh is too strong, the evil spirit too clinging; and the Holy Spirit is still very weak in us, so that we cannot fully perform such holiness. For here on earth we receive only the firstfruits, as Paul calls it, to the Romans, in 8 Cap. V. 23, and not the tithe nor the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Now how should a Christian do this, if he is either fallen, or does not feel perfect, nor without sin? St. Zacharias teaches us further, saying that God still has a ministry called "righteousness"; so that, if we still feel sin in us, we may recognize such sin, refrain from it, and consider God righteous, who, for the sake of Christ His Son, will remit and give us all our unrighteousness. This is called "serving God in righteousness," not despairing in sins, but refraining from them and certainly believing and hoping for forgiveness of sins through Christ. Such service in righteousness helps the service in holiness to become perfect, since what is still lacking in holiness is made up for through faith and the forgiveness of sins.
This is Christ's kingdom, and such treasure shall his people, the faithful, have of it, that they may be justified by the forgiveness of sins, and sanctified by the Holy Ghost, and fear neither death nor the devil. This is what Christ will tell, says Zechariah; and my Son shall be the first messenger to make it loud and clear in the world, as follows:
And you child will be called a prophet of the Most High.
- He is silent, the dear Father, of the holy, austere life that his Son leads.
shall. For of this he had heard the angel himself speak, that he should drink neither wine nor strong drink; and boasts only of the ministry of preaching. "Thou shalt," saith he, "be called a prophet"; not badly a prophet, as other prophets, but he that goeth hard before the LORD. For he himself, the Lord, will come and preach himself. But before he does, you will appear and say, "This is the man through whom all the world will be saved. He who has this man, who has a gracious God, shall be fearless and without fear. No other prophet has done this.
You will go before the Lord to prepare His way.
(24) A prince does not go first, but lets his courtiers go before him, and his most trusted servant goes first before him; when he is seen, all give way, and everyone gives way. So shall my son be also: he shall go before, crying out to be given place; he, the prince of life, follow hard after him. For John preached of Christ, how he was present, and how soon after him he would enter the preaching ministry, that every man should remember and receive him.
(25) This is the joy that we are to experience today: that whoever is afraid of his sins, whoever is afraid of death, may look here at this blessed finger and listen to the voice that says, "Behold, this is the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world. This finger we should praise today, and give thanks to God for the sake of dear John's ministry and his comforting word. For he is the paragon above all prophets and preachers.
(26) Here consider, and tell me if we have not been great fools in the papacy? For all the praise in the pulpit and all the joy have been interpreted to mean that John led such an austere life, drank neither wine nor strong drink, ate locusts and wild honey, and clothed himself with camel skin. But what good is this to you and me? What is the use and service of it for us? Is it not true that whoever wants to consider John only for his own person will not be able to draw comfort from it? For although God therefore gives such a hard life to the
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The reason for this is that he was not a bad man, but led a special way of life above all others, in honor of and for the advancement of the Gospel: yet this does not help us today, it does not give us any special joy. But this comforts and rejoices all believing hearts, that John comes with such a finger and sermon and points to the one who is all joy and comfort, namely, to the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world. He shows such a little lamb with his finger, not to geese, cows, stones or wood, but to us men, who are poor afflicted sinners, that we should accept it and take comfort in it, as follows:
And that thou mayest give knowledge of salvation unto his people, which are in remission of their sins, through the tender mercies of our God, whereby he hath visited us from on high.
(27) This is an excellent, beautiful, rich and comforting saying, which was very proper, concerning the new preaching that John was to bring into the world. The Jews had the law before, and such teaching and preaching that they knew what they should do if they wanted to do God's will. This is also a wonderful, great knowledge and excellent teaching, but it is very bad for us because we cannot follow it. For since we know that God lays out His Ten Commandments for us and wants us to keep them, but must confess that we do not keep them, it follows that such knowledge of the law has no more effect on man than that he must fear God and await His wrath and deserved punishment. That is why Paul says that the law causes wrath, the law kills and accuses us, and is like a handwriting on our own neck.
028 Now therefore John shall come and give a different knowledge unto his people, which is not a knowledge of death, and of sin, and of wrath; but a knowledge of salvation; that is, such a preaching as teacheth how to be saved, and to be delivered from evil.
Death and sin may be saved. This is an art of which the world knows not a word. In the papacy, people came so far that they felt they needed help against sin and death, but no one knew where to find such help. Therefore, the one called on the Virgin Mary, the other on St. Anne; the one did this, the other another: but it was not only in vain, but also a criminal, abominable idolatry. Now John is to be a master of this art, and give people the knowledge of salvation, that is, he is to bring such a sermon into the world, so that people may learn how to be saved, and be delivered from sin and death.
But how will this happen? What kind of teaching will it be? Such a doctrine, saith Zacharias, when men hear that sin is forgiven them, that whosoever would know how he shall be saved, must know that it is by grace alone, and by nothing else. The Jews preached, as can be seen in the prophets: Whoever wants to have forgiveness of sins and a merciful God must sacrifice much, or (if they did it best) keep the Ten Commandments. The pope preaches the same way. One must do good works, give alms, fast, pray, hear mass, etc., that is the way to salvation. No, says John, this is not the way. I have also fasted and lived strictly; if then works should help, mine should also help.
(30) For John, in outward appearance, lived a holier life than Christ Himself, who lay on beds, stayed with the people, drank wine, and ate flesh; for John made his most meager living with water, honey, and locusts in the wilderness. And yet, saith John, such a hard life doth not, that I should not enter into heaven: but forgiveness of sins doth; as he saith John 1:16, "We have all received of his fulness, grace for grace"; item, "This is the Lamb of God, which bareth the sin of the world." This is St. John's preaching, that he always points to Christ, that we should hope and have forgiveness of sins through him alone. We are to be pious and live holy lives.
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It is true, but salvation comes to us only through the forgiveness of sins, so that each one may know God in such a way that he will be merciful and forgive sin, and say, "Lord, do not reckon with me, for I do not know how to stand by my works. I would gladly guard against sins and be pious, but that does not help me. This alone helps me, which you preached through St. John, that we should be saved through the forgiveness of sins.
31 But mark this with diligence: If the world is to be saved through the forgiveness of sins, then it must follow that the world is full of sin. For where there is no sin, there is no need of the forgiveness of sin. Again, where there is need of forgiveness of sins (as Zacharias says here: Whoever wants to come to the knowledge of salvation must have it), there must be sin. So it follows that all men are sinners, and as much as there is in them, they are damned. But if they are to be saved, this is the only way, that sin must be forgiven them. But this happens, as John teaches, only through the Son of God, who is the little lamb, where all our sins lie, which must help us. For if sins should lie upon us, that we should bear them, we should be lost for eternity.
This is called St. John's sermon, by which one learns how to be saved, namely, by the forgiveness of sins alone. The pope and his crowd do not want to suffer this: they sing the Benedictus every day at Mass, but do not understand it; instead, they oppose and persecute it as the highest heresy when we teach that one can be saved only through the forgiveness of sins and not through good works.
But where does forgiveness of sins actually come from? Who does it? Zacharias answers very finely: "The heartfelt mercy of God does it. That means, I think, that all merit and good works are exactly cut off from the forgiveness of sins, so that one cannot say: one deserves it; the sins of the virgins Mary, St. Peter, St. Paul are forgiven, because they have been so holy and pious.
are. No, says Zacharias, forgiveness of sins comes only from the fact that God is merciful, and out of such mercy sent and gave His Son to us, that He paid for us, and through Him we should be saved. This does not mean merit, nor our good works; but his heartfelt mercy, that he loved us, who, because of our sins, deserved nothing but hellish fire. But there is the causeless mercy, which hath brought such things to naught; wherewith the exit on high hath afflicted us.
34 This is a great sermon about our dear Lord Christ, to whom Zechariah gives a special name, calling Him the Exit on high, that is, above all creatures in heaven, who rises from the Father like the brightness of the sun. So Christ speaks of Himself Joh. 3, 13: "No one leads to heaven except the one who has descended. For his being does not first arise here on earth, when he is conceived and born: he comes down to earth from on high from heaven. He, he says, has visited us, he has come to us on earth, and has given forgiveness of sins to us poor lost sinners, who otherwise would have been eternally condemned. This is true grace and mercy.
35 Therefore we cannot boast that we have done words or works, for no one has known of such things. But John is the first to point to him with his finger, and to lead us to him; otherwise, like the Jews, we would have seen Christ and thought him to be a man like others. For he did not keep himself like the monks in a but life, and in addition was poor and miserable. Who would have considered him to be the coming forth from on high and the Lamb of God, if John had not shown him and made him known to us? Therefore, no one can boast of anything here; it is pure grace and heartfelt mercy.
That he might appear to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and direct our feet into the way of peace.
1156 L. 3, 365-367. on the day of St. John the Baptist. W. XIII, 2661-2665. 1157
Here Zacharias concludes his thanksgiving and joyful song, and includes not only his people, the Jews, but also the Gentiles, and says that all the world is in death and darkness. For even if we live as long as we do, the last hour will not be absent; our eyes will finally be closed. So that everything is under death and must die, no man is exempt or exempted. Now those who are to go under the earth and sit in darkness, to them, says Zechariah, God has kindled a light to illuminate the dead under the earth and in death. If they have believed in this little lamb of God and have been baptized, they shall have a light, and a light of life, which shall shine unto them in death, and keep them so that the devil cannot hurt them.
(37) Now this is the joy: not a foolish joy of the world, with dancing and jumping, with eating and drinking, or which is made up of great money and good things; it is to do with something greater and higher, namely: how we remain alive when we are dead and rotten in the earth; how we become godly when we are in sins; how we come out of hell into heaven, out of damnation into blessedness. For we must finally go down and see and hear the devil; this usually happens at the last hour, when one wrestles with death: then every Christian must come to feel sin and death rightly. There is then no other help nor counsel, but to follow the finger of John, and to look upon the little lamb that bareth the sin of the world, and comforteth us, saying, He that believeth on me shall never see death; and though he die, yet shall he live again." From such great things, from sin and eternal death, from righteousness and eternal life, comes this joy, as we are to walk around on St. John's Day, thanking God for having given us such a prophet, seeing his fingers and hearing his preaching.
- the devil and pope have other fingers pointing to plates and caps and commandments of men; but it is the infernal
Fire with it. For if such a thing should help, it would also have helped John, and he would have comforted himself. But then he is silent about all his good works and hard life, and says to Christ, "I need to be baptized by you," and seeks and desires nothing else, except that God may be gracious to him through Christ. Thus the Virgin Mary and all the saints were also saved by grace and not by merit.
39 This is St. John's sermon on the knowledge of salvation in the forgiveness of sins; such an art and wisdom that every Christian should know that the forgiveness of sins is the only way to salvation. John was the first to preach this message to the world, pointing out the Lord Jesus Christ with his finger; therefore it is worthy to love him and rejoice in him, as his name implies. For "John" is the name of one who is in favor, a charming, kind, friendly man to whom everyone is favorable. John should have such a name because of his office, and not because of his life or his person; otherwise he should be called Sauermann or Hartmann. But his life is of little use to us; therefore it gives us no joy: but his teaching brings comfort and joy, that through him we may see and know Christ our Savior, and so be saved.
(40) Therefore, let the young people know that this day is celebrated, not for the sake of dancing, eating, and drinking, but so that John may teach how to be saved; so that everyone may give thanks and praise to God for having given us the dear John, and through him the joyful word and the blessed finger, so that we may know where to find salvation and eternal life. So the feast is to praise God and His mercy, and not St. John's person: so that God may receive thanks from us that He has given us His Son and such a comforting sermon that we may fear neither sin nor death, but that God's goodness and grace may comfort us for eternity. May God grant this to us all, amen.
1158 L 3, 367.368. On the feast of the beheading of John. W. XIII, 2668-2671. 1159
*On the feast of the beheading of John the Baptist. )
Marc. 6, 17-29.
And Herod sent and took John, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philippi's wife: for he had espoused her. And John said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. And Herodias pursued after him, and would have killed him, but could not. But Herod feared John, for he knew that he was a pious and holy man: and he kept him, and obeyed him in many things, and heard him gladly. And it came to pass on a convenient day, that Herod gave a supper in his yearly feast unto the rulers and captains and nobles of Galilee. And the daughter of Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat at meat. Then said the king unto the damsel, Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he swore an oath to her: What thou shalt ask of me, I will give thee, even to the half of my kingdom. And she went out, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. And she went in quickly with haste unto the king, and besought, saying: I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a dish as soon as possible. The king was grieved, but for the sake of the oath and those who were at the table, he would not let her make a false request. Soon the king sent for the executioner and ordered his head to be brought here. He went and beheaded him in prison. And he carried his head on a dish, and gave it to the maid, and the maid gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Your beloved ones have heard about his birth and ministry on the day of John, how it was such a glorious and great thing. Therefore, it is necessary to know the end of what he deserved, and how the world rewarded him for having begun the blessed preaching of the forgiveness of sins, and for having pointed with his finger to the Lord Christ. The first thing to be surprised about is that in the 3rd chapter Lucas indicates how John began to preach and baptize at the Jordan in the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberii. Now it is also certain that Christ was crucified in the eighteenth year of Tiberius; that there is therefore the account, because John was killed a good time before Christ, that he did not lead his preaching ministry for one and a half or two years.
(2) This is a short time, and it rhymes very badly with the great prophecy that the angel makes of his ministry before his birth, how many will rejoice at his birth and he will go before the Lord and prepare the way for him. For such a great cry is followed by the small work, that the dear
*) From sermons of 1331 and 1534.
John preaches barely two years, and still does no miraculous signs; only he baptizes and preaches repentance, until he comes over such preaching for life and limb. How your love will hear in history that he has to lose his head so viciously for the sake of the whore that he is not beheaded in public but in prison, and the young hurdle with his head is paraded in front of the guests. It is a miserable bargain that the good man should lose his life so shamefully.
(3) And that it is still more to be wondered at, the evangelist says that Christ was not particularly angry about it; only, as he hears, he says to his disciples, "Let us go especially into a wilderness"; that he does no more to it than that he departs and will no longer trust. Who then will serve such a lord, who so shamefully executes his dearest friend? Does this mean that the holy great man, the like of which has never come on earth after Christ, is honored that he should preach for such a short time, do no miraculous work, and finally perish so miserably?
(4) Therefore, whoever wants to be a Christian, and especially a preacher, may learn here how God deals with His children and the
1160 L. 3. 368-371. On the feast of the beheading of John. W. xm. 2671-2674. 1161
The saints are the most beloved saints. For Christ, the Son of God, did not fare any better, he did not preach much longer than three years and was then crucified. This did not harm St. John, because he was promoted to blessedness and freed from all misery. But it was also a sign of a terrible wrath against the Jews; God wanted to show them, because he took this excellent preacher from them so soon, that he had nothing good in mind for them, but wanted to punish and punish them for their sins. And this is what happened. For after forty years Judaism has come to an end, and the priesthood, the temple, the worship, the government, the land and the people, everything has fallen to the ground. They deserved this because they strangled the prophets, persecuted God's word and persisted in all their sins without amendment.
(5) So John, the highest preacher after Christ, conducted his ministry very briefly, so that no such thing is read of any prophet or martyr. But, as reported, it was a sign of a great wrath against the Jews. As Isaiah very finely reports, Cap. 57, 1: "The righteous," he says, "perishes; and there is none that takes it to heart. Holy people are taken up, and no one pays attention. For the righteous are snatched away from calamity, and come to peace, and rest in their chambers; for they have walked rightly before them. "2c. There it says both: when GOD takes away pious people, that it means no good to the rest of the multitude which they leave behind them; for it is a calamity from it: but it does them no harm; for they come out of trouble into rest, that when the world is all calamity with murders and bloodshed, they lie in peace and have rest. As the Lord also says to the pious king Josiah, 2 Kings 22:20, "I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil that I will bring upon this city." Therefore, the pious have no harm when they worship God.
by death from this evil world. But the world should be terrified of it, because it is an indication that it is going to be evil.
(6) For this reason, St. John will not have been greatly distressed because of his death, but because he sees that God has so decreed it with him, he will have said: Well, dear world, you did not ask about it when I preached to you about repentance and the kingdom of God; you would not even have said: Oh God, be merciful and help us to mend our ways! You laughed and made a mockery of it. Well, I am going there; but now we will turn back: I have had trouble and work until now, now I will go to my grave and rest there; you have had happiness and all your will until now, and have not asked for God's word, now you will find misfortune and trouble enough 2c.
For our Lord God seldom lets his prophets see the calamity of which they preach and warn the people. Jeremiah is almost the only one who had to see and experience his prophecy himself, with the prison and the destruction of Jerusalem. The others, like John, God took away beforehand so that they would not see the misfortune.
Therefore, we should not be offended by the fact that God deals with His saints as if He does not know them, as if He does not ask anything about them, and lets the world do its will as if it were right in all things. This does not harm the saints, for they are promoted to their peace. The world, however, promotes its own destruction and gathers the wrath of God; for this reason, it must finally fall to the ground. Now let us take the history before us and see how it happened.
9 Your dear ones know what kind of calling St. John had, that he should preach repentance and prepare the way for the Lord Christ. Now those who recognized themselves as sinners and believed in God's grace and forgiveness of sins through Christ, who was soon to be revealed, he baptized at the Jordan, as a sign that Christ was already at hand and that their sins were to be forgiven through him. Therefore the
11622.3. 371-373. On the feast of the beheading of John. W. xm, 2674-2676. 1163
The evangelists named the baptism of John as a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. But how he preached repentance is seen in Luc. 3, that he punished everyone for what was wrong and admonished the people to desist and send themselves to grace, otherwise God's wrath and judgment would overtake them.
010 Now it came to pass, that Herod the king lived in public, confessedly vexed. For he had his brother Philippi's wife, who was still alive, with him as his wife. This was an unpleasant thing for John to do, because he was supposed to punish all the trouble by his preaching and to turn people away from it, because he was called to do this. Therefore he did as a pious preacher should do, not allowing himself to be challenged that Herod was a great king, but just as he punished other people for their sin and admonished them to desist, so he also punished and admonished Herod, saying, "It would not be right for him to have his brother's wife. This displeased Herod; it displeased the harlot even more, who feared that such a sermon would go out over her. She therefore chased after John and would have liked to kill him, but she could not. Herod would also have liked to do it, but he was afraid, because he saw and knew what a testimony and praise John had with everyone. Therefore, because John would not cease his punishment and admonition, he had him seized and imprisoned, so that he would no longer be publicly proclaimed.
011 And when the devil had brought Herodem and his harlot so far that they were hostile to John, and laid hands on him for the word's sake, he drove them to depart, and made such an accusation, saying, Because they had no right to be a pious man, this was the nearest and best way: Herod should hold a great banquet on his birthday. Then, when the guests are at their happiest, Herodias' daughter should dance before the king and the guests and entertain them. There will be no lack of entertainment; everyone will take a liking to the maiden and praise her. Then the king shall promise the maiden with an oath that what she asks he will give her.
ben. If the maiden asks for John's head, then she has it already. For it behooves a king to keep what he promises (especially in front of many people). This is the cart that Herod, his whore and the whore child make and put together over the pious John. That their main concern is that they kill John, and then that they do it with a good appearance and that everyone gives them justice.
(12) For this is a peculiar thing that attaches to all Christians, but especially to the death of preachers, that they are still wronged, and blasphemed as heretics and children of devils, to whom be justice. Their enemies, however, are glorified and called pious people and the Christian church, who cannot err or do wrong. Herod's oath here also serves this purpose, so that everyone may say: "He did not like to do it to John, he would have liked to grant him his life longer; but because he had sworn, he had to leave; otherwise he would have lost many thousand guilders sooner. 2c. O holy St. Herod, what a great service you are doing, that you are so stubborn about your oath.
No doubt the Pharisees will have faithfully advised and pushed the cart, so that he would not go behind the oath, saying, "It would be better to kill ten Johns than to swear a false oath. So it shall be: Christ himself, and after that all his saints, are slain in the name of God, and in honor of God; as Christ says, John 16:2: "He that killeth you shall think that he doeth God service thereby." We must learn this and become accustomed to it, since we see here that the greatest saints have done so.
14 Now the bell is cast, and such a cart is made over St. John that no man shall be able to wrong Herod by killing John. Now as they made the plot with each other, so it goes. When the king is at his happiest with his guests, the whore child comes in and makes a court order in front of the guests, and pleases everyone. Then the king wipes out, swears to the maiden-
1164 L. 3, 373-375. on the feast of the beheading of John. W. XIII, 2676-2679. 1165
The child takes an oath that if she asks him for half the kingdom, she will have it. The little whore runs to her mother out of sheer simplicity and asks what she should ask for. The mother tells her to ask for John's head. Soon she runs to the king again and says: "I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a bowl as soon as possible. The little whore is afraid that the king will regret it or that other people will talk him out of it; therefore she wants to have it on a bowl in her own hand as soon as possible. So dear John comes for his head, without all preceding judgment and sentence, butcherly in prison, for the sake of a wicked, evil, desperate whore.
This is the history, as much as Marcus and Matthew report of it. The most important thing is that we should learn two things from our dear John. The first is for the preachers, that he who is in the office of preaching should not hold his life in high esteem, but should fulfill his office, and should freely and unhesitatingly punish everything that is offensive. God is pleased with this, and as it is written in the prophet Ezekiel, everyone saves his soul; otherwise he must give account for their sin, which he does not punish, as he should do in office.
Now everyone sees how the world does not like to be punished, and how it does not like to be justified in everything. And especially those who are special because of their office, money or fortune do not like it; they think that because they do what they like, other people, especially preachers, should also speak what they like. But where a preacher wants to look more to God's will and office than to the favor of men, then (as Aristotle has a fine fable) it is like the hares, who undertook to preach to the lions and to make them devout; but before they opened their mouths properly, they were torn apart by the lions. As we also see here with Johanne. Herod would have asked nothing of John for baptizing and preaching repentance to everyone, but when he attacked him and chastised him for adultery, saying, "It is wrong for you to have your brother's wife," Herod could not stand it, but
wanted to be unpunished because of his power and glory. So John could not let it go unpunished because of his command and office. Above him the poor little hare and the fierce lion come in multitudes, and the little hare must remain above them. This is the lesson, that one should be accustomed to such things and not be frightened.
The other lesson is not only for the preachers, but for all Christians, that we can learn especially from this example that God does not mean us harm, even if he persecutes us, puts us under the cross and makes us suffer all miseries. For John is a true friend of God and a dear child. That God is now justified in strangling him so shamefully, this is not done in bad faith, as reason would judge; it is done for his own good, so that Christ can grant the kingdom to his servants, as it was granted to him by the Father. Whoever wants to be in the kingdom of Christ must not shy away from the cross and death. For this is the testament of the Lord Christ, and he, Christ himself, has thus entered the kingdom.
18 Therefore it is a fine word that the church sings today in the sequence: Vicinus dignitate Christo fit et morte; nam morte turpissima damnatur sponsus, et sponsi amicum damnant recte morte turpissima: John is after Christ the greatest of those born of women: even so, as he is next to Christ according to the worthiness of his office, so he is also most like him in death. Because Christ, the bridegroom, dies an ignominious death, John, the bridegroom's friend, also dies an ignominious death.
Nineteen Therefore let no man be afraid of such things; but where they are so, let it be known that they are right, and that to do otherwise would be an evil sign. For there are the excellent examples of our Lord Christ Himself, then of Saint John the Baptist, and before them of the holy prophets, and after them of the holy apostles, all of whom were most faithfully waiting for their office, and were dear children of our Lord God; and yet at last they were so rewarded that the world made them shameful.
1166 L. 3, 375-377. On the day of Peter and Paul. W. XIII, 2679-2681.2700. 1167
has directed to it. You should also learn to wait for this reward, if you are otherwise a true preacher; or be content with the preaching ministry. For the kingdom is not given to us apart from our Head Christ Jesus, who himself had to die on the cross. John had to lose his head so shamefully for the sake of a whore; meanwhile Herod sat at the table, banqueting and in good spirits, as if he had only been well prepared.
- But God is long-suffering, and forgives the punishment, even if he does not remain outside. This Herod's father, who is called Ascalonitam Herodem, persecuted Christ while he was still in the cradle and strangled the innocent children. God watched until his time, when he punished him with a severe and horrible disease, so that worms grew in his body, and no man could remain around him for lack of breath. But such temporal punishment is nothing compared to the eternal punishment. His son Herod Antipas, as we hear about today, strangled John for the sake of the whore he had with him, thinking that when John was gone, no one would be able to deceive him. But what happened? Emperor Tiberius deposed him and sent him to the misery in France to Lyon, where he died miserably. This Herod had a brother's son, named Herod Agrippa, who followed his ancestor and cousin's example and strangled the apostle Jacob. But as such tyranny had befallen the ancestor and cousin, so it had befallen him. For the angel of the
The Lord smote him so that he, like his ancestor, was eaten by worms, Acts 12. 12 So shall it be with tyrants.
21 Therefore one should look at the end. At first sight, it seems as if St. John is doing very badly, but Herod is doing as he wishes. But just as the love of God is hidden in St. John, so the wrath of God is hidden in Herod. But both are revealed afterwards, that the love remains in eternity with John and the wrath in eternity with Herod. So the tyrant wanted it.
(22) Therefore let no one be astonished at the suffering and the cross. Let no one envy the persecutors of the gospel, that they sit in honor, great and mighty. For the cross and suffering is the only way by which you may come to the inheritance and kingdom of Christ; and all the saints, Christ himself, have gone this way. Who then would be dismayed by it or complain about it? So you see how soon it turns with the tyrants, that their suffering is found here in its time, and lasts afterwards for eternity. May God graciously protect us from this, and rather let us suffer all kinds of shame, disgrace and sorrow here on earth with the holy Baptist John, so that we may come to the kingdom of God; as our Lord Christ says that it is granted to us, as it was to him, through the cross and suffering. May our Father in heaven, through his Holy Spirit, grant us this for Christ's sake, amen.
On the day of Peter and Paul.
Matth. 16, 13-19.
Then came JEsus into the region of the city Caesarea Philippi, and asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that the Son of man is? They said: Some say that thou art John the Baptist; others, that thou art Elias; others, that thou art Jeremiah, or the prophet ?iner. He said to them: Who do you say that I am? Then Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And JEsus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon the son of Jonas: for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
1168 L. 3, 377-379. On the day of Peter and Paul. W. xm, 2709-2704. 1169
This is one of the excellent high gospels, for it contains exceedingly high and excellent articles, for which we Christians are especially concerned. Namely, to learn what Christ is, what his church or people are, what enemies the same church has, and then also what excellent gifts and goods no one else has in the whole world, so that it may stand firm and be preserved against the devil and all his power.
Now it is a wonder beyond all wonders that through this very gospel, which is so comforting and the highest treasure of Christians, the devil has caused all misfortune and the highest abomination and has done the greatest harm to the church. For on this text the Antichrist, the pope, has placed all his power, that he is the head of all churches, that he alone, as the supreme head, has the keys. Which they point to such power that he may conclude, set and do among the Christians, also in worldly matters, what and how he wants. In sum, by this text he has made himself Lord in heaven, on earth and in hell. For these are the two things on which the papacy is built and on which it stands: the first, that the Lord builds his church here on Peter, and gives the keys to him alone, and not to other apostles; the other, that he, the pope, is a successor, and that such power as the Lord gave to Peter is inherited by him alone, and belongs to him alone. For this reason, he excluded from the church all those who did not want to recognize him as the supreme head, who alone had the keys to heaven, and condemned them as heretics and gave them to the devil.
For this reason it is necessary that we act diligently on this text, not only for the sake of the excellent doctrine and great consolation which is held out to us in it by our dear Lord Christ, but also so that such misunderstanding of the papacy may be eradicated and the right understanding may be maintained.
The first thing we are to learn and remember here is what Christ is, what we are to believe him to be, and what we are to believe about him. For this is why the Lord asks his disciples first of all what other people say about him, and then especially what they say about him.
so that, if they are under a false delusion like other people, he may instruct them correctly and help them. For as has often been said, it all depends on knowing Christ rightly. He who knows him rightly has eternal life. But he who does not know him rightly must remain in his sins and be eternally condemned; there is no other way out. As we also heard on the day of John.
(5) There are many thoughts. Some take him for John the Baptist, some for Elijah, some for Jeremiah. Not that he is the same person (that would be too foolish to believe), but that he comes with such a command, office and spirit as John, Elijah and Jeremiah. But these are still pious people. For the Pharisees and chief priests thought him not a prophet, but a deceiver, having not the Holy Ghost, but the devil; as is more than seen in one place in the gospel'. The disciples do not speak of them here, but of the pious, who thought highly of Christ. But Christ makes it sufficiently clear that he is not satisfied with such things. He who knows him well must hold him higher than John, Eliam or Jeremiah. Therefore ask his disciples in particular, and say:
Who do you say that I am?
6 First of all, notice that he does not ask Peter alone, but all the disciples together. For from this it is evident that Peter's answer, and after that Christ's answer, is not to be drawn from Peter's one person alone, but from all the other apostles who confessed with Peter. Mark this well, for this is the first thing that can be done to catch and drive in the papists. As the holy teachers, and especially Augustine, clearly testify, the Lord does not speak to Petro alone, but to all.
7 Peter is soon ready for this question, answers for himself and the others, and freely says publicly: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. This is a short confession, but the right core of the whole holy scripture. For the word "Christ"
1170 2.3, 379-381. On the Day of Peter and Paul. W. XIII, 2704-2706. 1171
was a well-known word among the Jews, that it was called the Seed of the woman, who crushed the head of the serpent and through whom all generations were to be blessed; who was to establish an eternal kingdom on earth, save people from sin and death, and bring them to eternal life. He, says Peter, of whom Moses and all the prophets testified, is you; and through you such grace shall be given to all the world. This is what we, your disciples, believe and think of you.
(8) Now it seems as if it were enough of such a confession that he says, "Thou art Christ. But he adds another excellent piece, since few Jews knew of it, and all the world does not yet want to believe it today, and says: "You are the Son of the living God. This is a new and previously unheard of word, that God has a Son. Now God cannot give birth to anything out of His being or nature; God must also be eternal and omnipotent. That therefore Father and Son, because of their essence, are two different persons, must be one being. Even today the Jews do not want to believe this; the Turks do not believe it either. But whoever looks with Petro rightly at the office which Christ is to lead in the world and carry out with us, must conclude with Petro that Christ must be God in equal omnipotence. For overcoming sin, death and the devil, and giving eternal life, no man, as we see, can do; sin and death hold them all captive. Therefore, if this man Peter is talking to is the true Christ, who is to help us from the curse, from sin, from death and from the devil's kingdom, then he must also be the Son of God, who has life in himself and is omnipotent like God. With men it is lost.
9th Now this is to know and confess Christ, not only to say the words, Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, but to believe in one's heart that this Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, is the Son of God, who therefore came to earth and was made man, that he might tread on the devil's head, remove the curse, since all men are under sin.
and on the other hand will bring us to grace. If the heart firmly believes this, and is not afraid of sin and death, because he has Christ, that is to confess and believe rightly.
(10) But one does not find much of such Peter; most of the people still consider Christ to be John, Eliam or Jeremiah, even though they profess with their mouths that he is Christ, the Son of God. For if the pope and his crowd considered him to be the Christ and the true Son of God, they would rely on his works, on his suffering and death, as the only atonement for their sin, and would not dare to atone for their sin and do enough. But because they still subject themselves and think that they must save themselves from sins by their own works and piety, this is a certain testimony that they think no more of Christ than of John, Elijah, Jeremiah. They have long passed away and died; therefore they dare not enjoy them. They hold Christ in the same way, and nothing else, even though they may not confess it with their mouths. They are good Turks. They also consider Christ a pious man and a great prophet, but they do not dare to enjoy him for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. All papists have such a Turkish faith.
- Therefore, let us keep this confession in mind and learn it correctly, so that we not only repeat it with our mouths, but also firmly and surely believe in our hearts that this Jesus is the true Christ, the Son of the living God, who alone has done enough for sin, has strangled death, captured the devil and torn hell asunder; that we may take comfort in him and hope for certain help against sin and death through him, and not be frightened, but keep the hope of God's grace and eternal life firmly in our hearts. This is the first thing we are to learn today.
The other is from the holy Christian church, in which such a confession alone goes and remains. To the Lord Christ
1172 L. 3, 381-383. On the day of Peter and Paul. W. XIII, 2706-2709. 1173
He likes such faith and confession very much, praises Peter for it, and comforts him: because he believes such things, there is no need for him, and says:
Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
(13) An excellent word is this, that he saith, Blessed art thou. For by this the Lord means that he who has this confession and knowledge has everything that leads to salvation. Again, he who does not have it has nothing that leads to salvation. But such a word would not have remained unchallenged if the unbelieving Jews had been there and heard it. Just as the papists of today do not leave it unchallenged when we speak as it says here: Faith in Christ alone makes blessed. They would have said: How can Moses, the Ten Commandments, worship and sacrifice be nothing or help? As our papists also say, "Shall good works be nothing?
014 Well then, it is written, Blessed art thou, Simon the son of Jonas. Now Peter did nothing but confess with his mouth what he believed about Christ in his heart. Christ says that he is blessed because he believes this and not because he does this or that. For although God demands and wants good works, this alone shall serve and help to salvation, if one believes and confesses Christ, for which Peter believed and confessed Him. As St. Paul also says, putting the two together very finely, Rom. 10:10, 11: "If a man believe with all his heart, he shall be saved." For the scripture saith, He that believeth on him shall not be put to shame.
(15) The pope and his crowd vehemently oppose this article of faith, and cannot mock enough that we say, "Faith alone makes you blessed; good works do not make you blessed. For they consider faith to be a bad art, thinking that whoever can say the words of Peter according to them, believes. But hear thou what Christ saith and holdeth: for thus saith he:
Flesh and blood has not revealed these things to you, but my Father in heaven.
(16) Now if any man would learn what faith is, and whence it cometh, let him hear the Lord Christ. "Flesh and blood," he says, "has not revealed it to you." That is to say, such faith is not a human thought that a person could create and make for himself; the Father in heaven must give it and kindle such light in the heart. But by what does the Father do it? By nothing, but by the Word and His Holy Spirit. This is the only way to come to the knowledge of Christ and to faith. But where the Word and the Holy Spirit are not, it is easy to learn and repeat the words. As the pope and his crowd often do in all churches today. But there is no faith there, no heartfelt trust, that they should set their heart on Christ alone, and nothing else in all the world should comfort them before God and His judgment.
(17) Therefore flesh and blood, that is, our reason, knows nothing of such things, but is even as a light which is lighted by night, and shineth fair: but when the bright day cometh, and the sun shineth over all, then such light is lost, and shineth and shineth no more: for the sun is too bright and fair. It is the same with faith. It is a bright, great, beautiful light, since our reason is black and dark against it. Whoever wants to say that such a light, which is above all human reason and can be kindled in our hearts by God alone, is a bad, small thing, may do so. But we must regard it as the highest and greatest work of God, whereas all human work, reason and ability are nothing.
18 But this is also so that we should not be sure or presumptuous, as if we already had such grace completely. For we must ask God daily to kindle and sustain such light in us through His Holy Spirit. For the devil does not celebrate, he is very hostile to such light, raining and shuddering, blowing and blowing on all sides, if he could dim and extinguish such light. Therefore, we have good and great reasons to ask God to keep us in such a heart and trust in our dear Lord Christ,
1174 L. 3, 383-385. On the Day of Peter and Paul. W. XIII, 2709-2711. 1175
and graciously guard them from all other thoughts.
19 For there is a fine example before our eyes. Soon after such a confession, the devil sets upon Peter, that he forgets such faith and confession, and thinks no more of the Lord than of another man, and warns him to take heed and not to be carried away. Therefore, just as the Lord says here, while he still believes, "Blessed art thou"; so he says afterwards, "Get thee, Satan, out of my sight; thou art vexatious to me, for thou meanest not what is divine, but what is human." That it is therefore highly necessary for both parts of prayer: first, that God through His Holy Spirit may reveal the Lord Christ to us and kindle the right faith in our hearts; and second, that He may graciously preserve us in such faith and confession to the end.
20 This is the doctrine of Christ and the right faith. Now follows the text about the Christian church, who it is, what enemies it has, and what its comfort should be.
You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church (or congregation), and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
In the first verse of John 21, when the Lord first saw Peter, he said to him (v. 42), "You are Simon son of Jonah, you shall be called Cephas," which is interpreted as "a rock," and is called Peter or Petra in Greek. Because Peter says and confesses here in such a fine and round way what he believes and holds about Christ, Christ answers him: "You are Peter"; as if he wanted to say: "You have such a name, it is not without reason that you are called Peter (a rock); because your faith and confession is rock-solid, firm and certain, it stands right and firm, as on a strong rock; and in spite of the devil, if you only remain so that he does you harm. Upon this rock I will build my church or community. Upon this rock (understand), not that thou art; for thy person would be too weak for such a foundation: but upon the confession and faith that made thee the rock.
I will build my church on it. The foundation can hold and is strong enough; the devil will not be able to overturn it or tear it down.
22 This is the text, which is very comforting; but as reported above, it has been most shamefully misused by the pope. For this reason, it would be necessary to report all such abuses and refute them; but, since this has been done enough elsewhere, we want to stay with the right understanding alone, and see the comfort and teaching that is held out to us here.
(23) There has always been the greatest controversy in the world about who is the true church, as we learn even today. For there one is sure that one stands on the rock and may not fall in eternity, as Christ teaches here. Now if anyone wants to make a right judgment and not fall short, let him learn here from Christ that the church is nowhere else, for where this rock is, there is the confession and faith that Peter has and the other disciples have. If you find such faith and confession or doctrine, do not doubt that the church is there, whether such people have standing before the world or not. Again, if you find this doctrine, faith and confession of Christ either not at all, as among Turks and Jews, or not pure, as with the pope, do not doubt that the church is not there. For just as building and foundation must be together, so, says Christ here, this confession, doctrine or faith will be in the church, and nowhere else. You cannot divide one from the other. Where the foundation is, there is the building, and where the building is, there is the foundation.
(24) He who follows and accepts such a judgment cannot be deceived. For he will not look to see whether the pope wears a triple crown, carries the keys in his coat of arms, and emperors and kings kiss his feet and worship him as the highest bishop; but he will see whether the doctrine, so that the pope rules, rhymes with this confession, whether he considers Jesus to be the Christ and the Son of the living God, and comforts himself with all his heart for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and teaches others that they too may be like him.
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comfort. If he does not find this, he immediately judges, "Pure, you are not the church that is ruled by God's Spirit, but the church of the devil. Cause, the triple crown, the keys in the coat of arms, the name pope does not make the church, but the confession of Christ and the faith in him. Again, if he finds such a confession and doctrine among those who have no special standing, indeed, who must also bear the name that they are heretics and cut-off members of the church, he is not mistaken: let the world judge what it will, so he knows that they are true Christians and the true church.
(25) Whoever, then, had looked at the confession, and not at the splendor, the great name, and the great power, would have considered the pope a great lord; but he would not have considered him the head of the church, or, if I may say so, the least member of the Christian church. For this reason, he would have given nothing to his commandment, nor would he have accepted his worship, since the whole world alone has allowed itself to be deceived with pretense and false words.
26 Thus we have who the Christian church is, that it is bound neither to place, time, person, nor anything else, but only to this confession of Christ. This is the rock and foundation on which Christ himself builds it, through his Holy Spirit and the preaching of the Gospel.
Now this church, which is built on this rock, has its enemies: not only the world, but also, as Christ calls it here, the gates of hell, that is, the devil with all his power; he cannot stand such a confession, for it breaks his kingdom and power. Therefore he tries it and confidently storms against it: first in the hearts of Christians, that he wants to take away the comfort they have in Christ, as if God did not want them, as if he had forgotten them, as if he did not want to forgive sin but to condemn it; then he sets up mobs and heresies, by which the ministry of preaching is miserably corrupted and distorted; and yet there is no end to it. He also stirs up worldly authorities to go against the Word,
persecute Christians and even eradicate the preaching ministry.
Therefore there is no creature on earth more afflicted or miserable than a Christian, as St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 15:19. If it were not for the consolation we have of the life to come, we would be the most miserable people on earth. We must be accustomed to this, and see what Christ says about it, and how he comforts us. For this he confesses plainly, that Christians who are built on such a foundation will have the gates of hell for enemies, as well as the world, which is bitterly hostile to them. But this is the consolation, although the devil is evil and tries Christians everywhere, that he will not prevail, but the victory will remain with the Christians. As we finely see in experience. He who can hold fast to the Word and this reason finds comfort even in the greatest troubles and temptations, since otherwise all the world despairs. The devil, as we partly see in the histories and partly experience ourselves, has done very great harm, and still does, through heresy and tyrants; but still the church has remained: they have perished, died shamefully, and become corrupt in body and soul.
29 Therefore, even if it happens to us this very day that we feel the gates of hell pressing on us and pressing on us in all places, let us only hold fast to these rocks, and we will retain the victory. Again, the world and the devil must leave off with shame and suffer for eternity; since the suffering of Christians is only a temporal and small suffering, which nevertheless shall finally be paid for with eternal joy. Therefore, although the world and the devil with their power bring things to such an extent that the Christians have to go down and leave life and limb; nevertheless, the gates of hell do not yet have the victory, but the victory shall finally remain with the Christians. Cause: they have forgiveness of sins; therefore death cannot harm them, they will remain heirs through Christ to eternal life. What, then, is evil or terrible about such death and decease, and who would not a thousand times rather give up life and limb than live there in eternity?
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die? This is what the devil and the world do when they are at their wickedest, so that the poor Christians here are also taken away from temporal sorrow and misery and promoted to eternal joy.
30 Therefore this consolation is certain: If you are a Christian, built on this foundation by the Lord Christ, so that you recognize him as the one who overcame sin, death and the devil, who acquired eternal life through his death, then there is no need to let the devil be angry, the world rage and rage, you will remain safe, not because of temporal life, which you must let go without, but so that you will remain in eternity in peace and quiet, and the devil will no longer drive you or torment you.
In addition to such victory and comfort, which shall be found in that life and remain forever, Christians also have a great treasure here on earth. For thus the Lord speaks further:
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
32 Here the pope and the gates of hell have proved themselves worthy of having so miserably mangled this comforting saying. First of all, the pope said that he alone, as the head of the church, has the keys; whoever wants to have or use them must take the power from him. Secondly, he did not mean such keys only for forgiveness of sins and excommunication, but that he might make statutes and command whatever he wanted, even in temporal matters, although the Lord clearly says that they are the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And since the Lord gives such power, John 20:23, after his resurrection, to bind or loose sin, he does not give it to Petro alone, but to all the apostles at the same time, one as much as the other, as the words there clearly imply.
33 Therefore it is a gross lie, so that the devil has done much damage to Christianity through the pope, that he may say that the
The keys are given to Petro alone. But enough of that now; let us take the right opinion and the consolation that is in these words before us now.
(34) The keys of the kingdom of heaven are nothing else, but that those who believe in Christ and accept the gospel and desire forgiveness of sins should have their sins forgiven, and thus heaven opened to them, which is otherwise closed, where sins are not forgiven. But again, those who do not believe in Christ and do not accept the gospel, but continue in sins without repentance, their sins shall not be forgiven, but heaven shall be closed to them. This is the treasure of the church, that is, the group or assembly that confesses with Peter that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the living God.
35 The Christian church distributes this treasure, not only in the Word, through absolution and public preaching, but also through baptism and the Lord's Supper. For "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved". So if you believe that Christ's body was given for you and his blood poured out for your sins, and in such faith receive the reverend sacrament, the body and blood of Christ, you also have forgiveness of sins.
(36) Since the church is commanded to distribute forgiveness of sins in this way, let no one despise such means of grace, but use them gladly and often. For it is not without cause that Christ has appointed them. He knew very well that we need such remedies, for it may soon happen that the devil and our flesh hurry us and throw us into sin. Where will we go then? For we know well the wages of sin, and must therefore fear it. There is nowhere else to go but to the church, to which Christ has given this command to forgive sin through Word, baptism and sacrament. Baptism is an eternal covenant, in which we are to remember God's grace and mercy, and it is not necessary to be baptized again; indeed, it is a grave sin. For to be baptized again
1180 L. 3, 389-391. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W.XIH, 2717-2719. 1181
It is just as much as accusing God of not keeping the promise He once made to us in the first true baptism. At such baptism, our dear Lord Christ has arranged both the Word and His Testament, so that we may always remember this covenant and the forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ. This is to remind and assure us of this covenant and the forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ.
Therefore, it is not enough for you to find yourself in absolution and the sacrament once or twice a year. Whenever your heart becomes dumb and fearful for the sake of sins, take before you the covenant that God made with you in baptism at the beginning, and adhere to the Word and reverend Sacrament by which God has assured you of such a covenant that you should not doubt the promise of forgiveness of sins. There you will find a certain righteous comfort. For the Holy Spirit wants to be with such work and word, so that it shall not depart without fruit.
(38) Now this is the treasure of Christians, that no one, not even their own sin, should bar them from heaven. For though they have sin like other people, yet they have the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that through the forgiveness of sins, which is promised and given to them in many ways, heaven may be opened to them again. Such grace is found not only in those whom Christ has ordained to preside over His church, but also in the case of need in every Christian man. For where forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in the name of Jesus, there
they should be believed and accepted. For the church, that is, all Christians have such power and command that they should not let any sinner despair in sins, but should comfort him and promise forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus.
(39) The ministers of the church are also commanded to proclaim the forgiveness of sins to anyone who desires it, to communicate holy baptism and the testament of our Lord Christ. We should be more comforted by such grace than by the daily approach of the gates of hell. For if there is forgiveness of sins, there is no need; heaven shall remain open to us, and if the devil should be sorry. So we should not let the world frighten us either. For the more it rages against Christ and his word, the further it is from God's wrath and forgiveness of sins. And we know that it cannot come to forgiveness of sins except through our gospel. For she does not have the keys to heaven; the church alone has them. Because she rages against the church and the word, her sins are retained. It is impossible for her to come out of it, unless she converts, accepts the Word, and is thus freed from sins through Word and Sacrament. Thus our dear Lord Christ comforts His Church, since the confession and knowledge of Christ is within. May God grant us His grace that we may be preserved in such confession until the end and be eternally saved, through Christ, our dear Lord, amen.
On the day of the Visitation of Mary.
You will find the Gospel on the day of the Visitation of Mary on the feast of the Assumption of Mary.
1182L. 3, 391.392. On the day of Magdalene. W. XIII, 2778-2781. 1183
On the day of Magdalene.
Luc. 7, 36-50.
But one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner. When she heard that he was sitting at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought a jar of ointments, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wet his feet with tears, and to dry them with the hair of her head, and to kiss his feet, and to anoint them with ointments. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he spoke to himself and said, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Simon, I have a word to say unto thee. And he said, Master, tell. A usurer had two debtors. One owed five hundred pennies, the other fifty. Since they did not have to pay, he gave to both of them. Tell me, which of them will love him the most? Simon answered and said: I will give the one to whom he has given the most. And he said unto him, Thou hast judged rightly. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I came into thy house, and thou gavest me no water at my feet: but this woman hath wetted my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, after she came in, did not stop kissing my feet. Thou hast not anointed my head with oil; but she hath anointed my feet with ointments. Therefore I say unto thee: Her sins are forgiven much, because she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, he loves little. And he said unto her, Thy sins be forgiven thee. Then they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves: Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee: go in peace.
This is an excellent history, which should be preached in the church on a special day every year. For it sets before us the two most noble pieces of Christian doctrine, what is right repentance and how one should come to the forgiveness of sins.
(2) But anyone who would only look at such history with carnal eyes and judge it by outward appearances would not only see nothing special here, but would also have good reason to be annoyed by it, like the Pharisees here, and to dislike the whole business. For it is very bad for a woman to run into other people's houses, and especially to run over honest, brave people. That is why the Pharisee here was offended by this woman, and is so offended because, since he had previously considered Christ a prophet, he now thinks that he is not as good as a prophet. For if he were a prophet, he would know the infamous woman, reject her, and not suffer that she approached him without shyness and touched him in front of brave, honest people in a strange house. But
Whoever wants to judge this story rightly and know this woman well, should not only look at her outward actions, but should also look into her heart, where she will take on a far different form with her conduct.
But how can we see into her heart? She is silent as a stone. If she said something, it would be safe to take so much from the words that one would know what she had in mind. But trade does not need many words, just look diligently at her works. These are not silent works, but they speak and show very finely what kind of heart she has. For the fact that she steps behind the Lord, lies down at his feet, and weeps so bitterly is an indication that she is not safe nor careless, but is most grieved in her heart. For such hot weeping does not come from forwardness and a cheerful heart. Anger, sorrow, anxiety, fear, terror and heavy concerns are the right well from which to draw such water of the heart. This is the first thing we should see, that she weeps so bitterly.
1184 L. 3, 392-398. On the day of Magdalene. W. XIII, 2781-2783. 1185
4 She does not say what the cause of this sorrowful heart is. But the Lord Christ understands it very well, and says it finely with round words twice: first, when he says to Simon, "Many sins are forgiven her"; and then, when he says to her, "Your sins are forgiven you. Now this is the request that she does not leave at home, but it drives her out among the people, knowing that she will find Christ. She does not ask anything about it, other people judge and think what they want about it; everything is important to her that she can come to Christ and hear this gracious word from him: "Your sins are forgiven. This is the first thing that pleases the Lord Christ about the woman, that she is not safe like the Pharisees; she recognizes her sin and desires to be freed from it with all her heart. This is not spoken in words, but her weeping shows it, as Christ himself understands and interprets it.
5 The other part is that she does not know how to be friendly enough to the Lord Christ, and how to discover and reveal her love for him. For the fact that she lies at his feet, wets his feet with her spikes, dries them with her hair, kisses them, and pours delicious water over them; all this is an indication that she is not hostile to the Lord Christ. This is the other virtue that pleases the Lord Christ; for this reason, he wants the woman to be unpunished and unblamed by her host, and he approaches him over the table in front of everyone, reads him a chapter, and teaches him how he should have kept such a guest.
(6) I, saith he, am come in unto thee; yea, that thou hadst given me bad water to wash my feet (for this was the custom of the Jews, as is seen in the Histories, Gen. 18:19). But what does this woman do? She washes my feet with the water of her heart. You have not given me a kiss (for this is how the Jews used to kiss one friend another, the host his guests, as a sign of a friendly heart and that they were welcome); but this woman cannot refrain from kissing my feet. You have not anointed my head with. Oil; but this female
has anointed my feet with delicious water. In sum, the Lord will not and cannot suffer the Pharisee to punish and wrong this woman. For he, our dear Lord Christ, looked at the heart; because it was so righteous and noble, he could not dislike the work. Again, the Pharisee looked only at the outward appearance and knew nothing of the heart; therefore he could not let himself like it.
(7) This is the history which the evangelist has prescribed for us, that we should learn from this woman, and that we should also be so disposed: that we should first weep with her, that is, do righteous repentance; then put our trust in the Lord Christ, that through Him we may have forgiveness of sins. In the papacy, they also preached and taught about repentance: that repentance is to think about the sins one has committed, and with such thoughts to repent of them and to feel sorrow; then to confess them; and finally to do enough for them by one's own works. But such a doctrine is basically wrong and a pure poison of the souls. Therefore we may learn here from this example what true repentance is; then we know that we cannot fail. For what pleases Christ our dear Lord must be righteous.
The evangelist does not mention this poor woman by name, although some think she is Mary Magdalene, since the evangelist reports in the following chapter that the Lord cast out seven devils from her and that she followed the Lord wherever he preached. But whatever her name is, it is true that she was a poor sinner and let the devil lead her into fornication, adultery and other sins. For what such a few sins have caused to the soul, body and property is unnecessary to tell here; it is seen every day. She got into such mischief, and perhaps lay in it for many years. Since our dear Lord Christ allows himself to be seen with miraculous signs and heard with preaching, the poor woman also comes to the sermon, and her heart is so moved that she beats within herself, confesses herself, and says to herself, "You wretched man, what have you wronged yourself with, that you have sinned against the Lord?
1186 L. 3. 395-397. On the Day of Magdalene. W. XIII, 2783-2786. 1187
Have you lived by God's commandment, fornicating, dragging others with you into your body and soul? If God now came with His judgment, how would your fornication turn out? Instead of shameful joy and pleasure, eternal suffering and damnation would come. O God, be merciful, forgive me my sin, do not condemn me, I want to repent, let go of my shameful debauchery, and improve my life 2c.
(9) This is a true repentance, that first the heart is frightened by God's wrath because of its sin, and desires from the heart to be rid of it, and to begin to desist from it; then another life will finally have to follow. For it is impossible, if repentance is right in your heart, and you are sorry that you have sinned against God so far, that you should willingly give yourself up to such sin again.
(10) Such repentance a man will not be able to make for himself when he wants; it is the work of the Holy Spirit, which he does in us through the word of God, which first reveals sin, and then also shows the punishment of sins, eternal death. This is such a punishment, which cannot be despised, but penetrates and drives the heart to such an extent that it does not know where to end, and can almost no longer breathe because of anguish. Hence the poor woman's heartfelt weeping and righteous change of her whole life, so that she no longer runs after the young fellows, no longer teases with her eyes as before, no longer hopes with her hair; but all this is needed so that one must see that she is heartily displeased with her former life, and now wants to improve herself and become more pious.
(11) Here also we are to begin repentance, not to be sure, but to watch diligently every man in his station; and where we have lived contrary to the word of God, that we may soon cease from it, confess our iniquity unto God, and pray that we may beware of it another time, and become more godly. This is the first thing we should learn from this woman, if we want to begin to repent.
- but this does not complete the atonement, for it does not make your sins
forgive her, that you may be sorry for her. It is also necessary that you run with this woman to the Lord Christ and ask him for forgiveness; yes, that you have the heart and trust in him that he will help you from sins without any merit, only by grace. This is the right thing, by which repentance becomes complete and we obtain forgiveness of sins.
(13) And this woman has no advantage over us in this respect. For though we cannot come to the Lord Christ in person, and see and hear him as she has seen and heard him, yet our Lord Christ has left his command and word here on earth, that sins should be forgiven on his account and in his name. And not only is the ministry of preaching and absolution ordained for this, but also the holy sacraments, baptism and the Lord's supper. For to this we are baptized, that through Christ we should be freed from sins and be children of God. For this reason, in such temptation and fear, we should hold on to holy baptism, so that we consider what God has promised us in it. The Lord has also instituted the Last Supper for us as an assurance that through the death and dying of the Lord Christ we shall certainly believe in the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, whoever has a troubled conscience because of his sins and desires comfort, let him come here to the Lord's supper, remembering his baptism, seeking absolution from an ecclesiastic or other Christian, and he will find the Lord Christ, who will speak to him just as he spoke to this sinner, saying, "Your sins are forgiven. As the words of the Lord Christ clearly say: "He who hears you," he says, "hears me.
14 The pope preaches nothing of such a thing, but instead of our Lord Christ and faith, he puts the merit of our own works, that we should put away sin with our works. But how does this rhyme with the example of this sinner? If she had wanted to repent after the priest's sermon, she would have had to go to the priests and confess her sin there. After that, she would have had to undertake special works and, after such obedience, first of all
1188 2.3, 397-399. On the Day of Magdalene. w. XIII, 2786-2789. 1189
If such obedience had been enough, she would have waited for forgiveness of sins, but she would have had to doubt it forever.
But this is a seductive, heretical teaching. Confessing to the priests, that is, telling the sin, as is customary in the priesthood, is not what God told you to do. And even if someone called you, do not think that you would consider such a confession as if God would forgive your sin. It is considered humility and an indication of true repentance when a person goes and tells from one thing to another what he has done wrong. But because God has not commanded or commanded it, one should not command or require such in the church. It is especially contrary to Scripture to consider such confession as serving for the forgiveness of sins. But it is Christian and useful that young people and the common people be held to it and admonished to receive absolution from an ecclesiastic if they are troubled in their consciences and desire consolation; and especially if they wish to go to the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, that they first be shown, interrogated and instructed.
(16) But such instruction may well be given and received without the recital of sins which the pope has commanded. All ranks are to help that the youth be properly instructed: the church servants, father and mother, schoolmasters, and the like. But let no one be so foolish as to place the forgiveness of sins neither on confession nor on instruction, as the pope did with his confession, since there was no proper instruction.
(17) For this reason we have been urged to reject such confession, and to instruct people, if they wish to confess properly, to lament their sin to God in heaven with all their heart, and to take comfort in the forgiveness promised by the gospel for Christ's sake, and to strengthen such faith, also to hear the verbal absolution commanded by Christ to the church; and besides, to see that they are really serious, that they will henceforth forsake sin and flee. Where there is such earnestness, there can be no lack of it.
then another life will be found. For your heart is ever so set as to be hostile to evil works, and desires not only to forbear the same, but also to practice good works, as you have hitherto practiced evil works.
18 But beware again, lest you take such a change to mean that your sins are forgiven. For forgiveness of sins comes to you only through faith in Christ, that you come to him with this woman, with heartfelt trust that he has taken your sin from you, borne it, and paid for it with his death on the trunk of the cross and done enough.
(19) These are the right things that make a difference between Christians and unbelievers. For Christians and unbelievers are alike in this, that they are both sinners, that is, they have a sinful nature and cannot keep themselves from sinning; though one more than the other follows the devil and his sinful nature and evil inclination. But after that the difference is found, it is excellent and great. A Christian does not live so rough and safe, he knows that his nature and inclination is evil; therefore he is in good guard, and where he has followed such a sinful nature and the devil's inspiration and done wrong, he is sorry, admits himself guilty before God, and desires mercy. On the other hand, he hopes for grace and does not doubt that grace will come to him through Christ. On the other hand, the unbelievers are sure as if they had not committed any sin, always follow their desire and will, and fear nothing in doing so; therefore they do not ask how they can be freed from sins.
(20) So the Pharisees sit here, and especially Simon the host, who thinks himself pious, and does not think that it requires the Lord Christ to forgive his sins. He thinks of it as the Jews and Turks still do today: if they have sinned, they want to put away that sin themselves through repentance or their own works. Therefore you do not see that they have wet eyes, like the poor woman here, or that they are very concerned about the Lord Christ. They hold him like a
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other people, and much less than themselves. For they are such saints, who would not willingly let a sinner woman deal with them before men, as the Lord Christ lets this woman deal with him.
(21) We should diligently guard against such naughtiness, for it is impossible to love God and our Lord Christ properly. But those who recognize their sin, and see what an awful burden and heavy judgment they have upon themselves, cannot refrain from it; they must love such a gracious God with all their hearts, thank Him, have His will and His word before their eyes, and follow it; as the Lord indicates in the parable of the two debtors. For this is the way of nature, that we love and value him whom we have enjoyed and who has done us good; just as we become enemies of him who has done us harm. Therefore Simon answers, "To whomsoever is most given, he shall love most." Whoever does not believe that God has forgiven all his sins by grace and has abolished the punishment of sins, eternal death, will say with his mouth that he loves God, but it is impossible for this to be true in his heart.
22 Therefore the Lord makes a very fine judgment between the poor sinner and the holy Pharisee, his host. "To whom much is given," he says, "he loves much. The Lord proves this with the parable of the two sinners; then he concludes, "This woman has loved much. He proves this with her works, that she has netted his feet with her spikes, dried them with her hair, kissed them with her mouth and anointed them with delicious water. Again he says to the host, "You do not love me, for you have not done to me what this woman has done.
(23) What then will be the conclusion of this syllogism? Nothing else, but as the Lord summarizes it very precisely and finely: "I tell you, many sins are forgiven her. This is proved by the fact that she loves much. But the sins of you and your companions are not forgiven, but you are still in it up to your ears, and will die and perish in it. For no special love is ever felt for you toward me;
What love would have to follow, where you considered yourselves sinners and believed that you should get rid of it through me.
(24) The papists make this statement against our doctrine of faith, saying that because Christ said, "She is forgiven much, because she loved much," forgiveness of sins is not obtained by faith, but by love. But that this is not the opinion is proved by the likeness, so that it clearly shows that love follows from faith. "To whom much is given," says the Lord, "he loves much." Therefore, where one has forgiveness of sins and believes, love follows; where one does not have it, there is no love. And Christ himself soon after says to the woman, "Go in peace, your faith has helped you." This is absolution and comfort, that she is assured of forgiveness, not on her worthiness, but that she seeks forgiveness from Christ, hopes and grasps it by faith, and is not deterred by her unworthiness; for she is full of sins and brings great impurity to Christ.
(25) Now with this similitude our dear Lord Christ has presented to us a common doctrine, how we must come to the forgiveness of sins. For that he says of two guilty men rhymes with all men. They are guilty before God's judgment, not only because of the sins that each one commits for himself with his works, but because of nature; for we all come from one father and are born of one mother, both of whom have had sinful flesh, have been in sins, and have been under the wrath of God because of sins.
(26) Whether there is a difference between these two debtors in that one owes five hundred pennies and the other only fifty pennies is not the issue. There is no difference, for they are the same in the main thing, that they are both debtors and cannot pay. So the difference among us remains, for the sake of the outward life; for one keeps more to the bridle than the other, we are not all thieves, adulterers, murderers according to the work. This inequality remains, as can be seen in the Pharisee and the
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of the sinner here. The Pharisee owed fifty pennies to the world, while the woman owed five hundred. For he had not lived in fornication and public scandal as the woman had. But nevertheless, let the difference of the outer life be half and among us, as it may, when we come before God's judgment, so it is said: We have not to pay, and must remain debtors, the one with the little, as well as the one with the large sum.
- Now when those who are little guilty with the Pharisee get into the bad habit of interpreting their little guilt as if they were guilty of nothing at all, and also boast of great merits, and rightly defy mercy: Then it is reversed, that the small guilt becomes a great guilt, and the greatest a small one, nay, none at all; as can be seen, the Pharisee is more pious for the life of him than the woman; but because he thinks himself as if he were guilty of nothing, and will not confess his guilt, such guilt remains upon him. Again, the woman is much more guilty, but she confesses it and asks for mercy: so she gets rid of the guilt.
(28) This is the first of these things, that no one should exaggerate discipline, respectability, or anything else, but that everyone should plead guilty before God and confess that he is in God's register and owes a great deal, but that he cannot pay or help himself out of the debt. But what does God want to do with such debtors? how will He keep account against them? The debt is there, no one can deny it. For our own conscience and God's law, the debt book, as Paul calls it, Col. 2:14, convince us. But he who would deny the debt can think how it will please his creditor. For he who does not have to pay, let him beware that he would be right and insist on his creditor, and if he demands the debt, make him a liar. This will accomplish nothing, except that he will be justly convinced and put in irons or in the debtor's prison. This is the other part of the doctrine, and the greatest consolation that we poor people can have.
here on earth, that if we freely confess the debt, and only humble ourselves against God, our creditor, and desire mercy, he has such a kind and gracious heart that he will forgive and give us all our debts; as the Lord Christ clearly and loudly testifies in the other parable, Matthew 18, of the servant who owed ten thousand pounds.
- Take heed of this comfort, and put it into your heart; for otherwise it is impossible for you to be saved and to be saved. For there will never be a lack of guilt; your own heart will convince you that you have not done the will of God, but have often sinned against it. Now we must not think that God will forget such things or not call us to account. If it does not happen sooner, it will happen at death's door. Where will you go now? You are guilty, and yet you cannot pay. It is impossible for you to run away and hide from the creditor. This is the only consolation, that you get to know this debtor properly. For it is the same with other usurers: when they lend, they at least want to have the principal sum back again, if the usury wanted to stand outside them. God does not want to be such a usurer, as Christ testifies here: he wants to leave usury and the principal sum behind, one with the other, and give it to you, if only you understand this for Christ's sake and desire it from him with an undoubted heart.
(30) He that will not learn these things, and comfort himself with them, shall find no comfort against sin in heaven or on earth. This can be done by being secure for a while, not being afraid, and going with ease, as if you had paid for everything. For our Lord God can lend you for a while, but when the hour comes that the debt book is held up to you, and you do not have this comfort, that you say: "My Lord, be merciful to me through Christ, your Son, who has paid for me, and forgive us our debt, then it is over with you, you will have to die and perish in despair.
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Now it is true, we can hardly believe that God would deal with us so graciously. We always remember: Just as we will do to others in such a case, so will God do to us; he will want to have his own, and will need the severity. But we should not give room to such thoughts, but see how we can be sure of God's grace toward us. For it is true that God is just and cannot suffer sin. How then do God and we sinners come together? Christ teaches this in another place, when he says: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." And as you will hear on St. James' Day, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life in payment for many." There you will hear what God causes to such grace, and how we can be sure that He will not reckon nor demand our debt, but will forget and forbear it. For since we poor wretches could not pay, God sent His only begotten Son, who owed nothing, but was altogether righteous and holy, that He should enter into our debt and pay for us; He suffered death for us, and thus paid what we owed to God. Therefore, it is all up to you to take comfort in this payment and to be certain in your heart; as the Lord says here, the usurer is so good-willed that what cannot be paid, he will let up and give for Christ's sake.
(32) Behold, therefore, your love, how it all depends upon this, that we may know our Lord Christ aright, and seek forgiveness of sins from him with the sinner. This means a right faith and heartfelt trust in God's goodness, that he will forgive sins and be merciful for Christ's sake. This is why our article of faith is very finely illustrated here, that one can receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life through faith in Christ alone. As the Lord concludes here, and says to the woman:
Your faith has helped you, go in peace.
What did she believe? Nothing else, because she was a poor sinner, and if she is to be freed from such sins, it must be through this Jesus. That is why she runs after him, and since she cannot get him otherwise, she runs into a strange house, among brave, respectable people, without any fear that they are sitting at the table and eating. The Lord takes such earnestness, promises her forgiveness of sins, and teaches us how she received forgiveness of sins, saying: "Your faith has helped you.
(34) But the Pharisees, sitting there, do not think that they owe anything to God; and even if they had such thoughts, they do not consider God to be so merciful that he would forgive them the debt in vain. Therefore they do not respect the Lord Christ at all. Just as they do not respect him, Christ does not respect them either and lets them sit and eat. But he deals with this woman and reads them a good chapter, that they are in sin and hostile to God, even though they make themselves believe that they are his best friends. Let us beware of such certainty and unbelief, and with this woman have a right hearty displeasure at our sins, and hope for forgiveness of them through our Lord Christ, who paid for us and redeemed us from God's debt book by his suffering and death. This is the most noble piece and main teaching of this history, and the right core of the art, which only Christians can do, and no one else can learn from it, except from the holy Gospel. It cannot be learned from the law. For it teaches absolutely how God will punish sin, and does not say a word about God forgiving sin without merit, for the sake of His Son. But for what we need such preaching of the law, you will hear elsewhere, and Paul especially deals with such a piece diligently and finely to the Galatians in the third chapter.
In addition to this doctrine, history is a very fine picture of the Christian church. The
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lies at Christ's feet, that is, she clings to his word, with which she comforts herself against sin and an evil conscience, and ventures everything she has on the word. For these feet are her highest treasure and comfort, and she lets herself be found here in this misery, as in a strange house. But Simon the host and his guests, who sit at table with Christ, that is, those who have the name, the office, and title and glory, as those who are closest to Christ and the most distinguished (such as popes, bishops, and other great people want to be considered), they judge this poor woman, consider her a damned sinner, and for her sake think nothing of the Lord Christ. But they think a great deal of themselves, they pretend to be holy, and they do not think that they need the Lord Christ. They sit upstairs, the poor lady crawls around under the table; they sit down in front of Christ.
to the side, the poor woman helps herself to his feet.
Thirty-six: But there goes the judgment, Simon, thou host of the house, thou lovest me not; little is forgiven thee. But to the woman he says, "Your sins are forgiven, your faith has helped you; go in peace. The poor Christians are content with this, and do not mind at all that they are under the table at the feet, and that the hypocrites sit at the head of the table. It is also comforting that it is so finely shown in this history, as in a painting, how the right church here on earth is miserable, but the false and unrighteous church is honored and held high. May the dear God keep us with the small group and make us eternally blessed with this pious sinner. May our dear Lord Jesus Christ grant us this through His Holy Spirit, Amen.
St. James Day.
Marc. 10, 35-45.
Then Jacob and John, the sons of Zebedee, went to him and said: Master, we would that thou wouldest do unto us whatsoever we shall ask of thee. He said to them: What would ye that I should do unto you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left, in thy glory. But JEsus said unto them: Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said unto him, Yea, we are able. But Jesus said to them: Ye shall drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, it is not for me to give you, but to whom it is prepared. And when the ten heard this, they were displeased with Jacob and John. But JEsus called them and said to them: Ye know that the worldly princes rule, and the mighty among them have power. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your servant. And whosoever will be chief among you, he shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man is not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life in payment for many.
- it is very good that in the church some histories of the saints have been preserved, which are so diligently distinguished in the holy scriptures for this reason, that we may follow such examples and improve our lives. For this cause the Holy Spirit has decreed that one should not
of their holiness, faith, and good works alone, but also of their weakness and sins: to instruct and teach us, that as their faith and good works are to shine before us, and we are to follow their example; so also their sin and weakness are to warn us, that we may
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not to be safe, but to keep ourselves in good stead. For it has happened to such great and excellent people, to whom we will not be like in our lifetime, that they have stumbled and sometimes even fallen: how much more can it happen to us, even though we are now standing, that we fall and lie down unawares! Therefore, it requires great diligence and constant prayer that God will preserve us and not let us fall into temptation.
2 So Lucas the evangelist remembers how Paul and Barnabas were at strife with one another, not because of them, who are now long dead and gone, but because of us, that we should beware of the devil, be of one mind, be diligentlyware of dissension, and of all that can occasion it. For where the devil causes preachers to be divided among themselves, it is to be feared that all evil will follow. So in the Gospel, the evangelists diligently report the case of Peter, that he so severely forgets himself, and three times denies Christ his Lord, who before was willing to go with him even unto death. For such a case serves us to pray always and not to be sure, as it has happened to them very soon, that the devil will shamefully take us.
(3) So hear your beloved in today's Gospel, how James and John are doing exceedingly badly, and want to badly urge the Lord Christ to make something special of them above all his other disciples. There is not only the shameful sin (which can suffer nowhere less than in preachers), the hope and their own honor; for whoever wants to see his honor, benefit and the like, and to direct his preaching to it, will not do much good: but they also have no understanding at all what Christ or his kingdom is. For they think that he is to establish a worldly government, like other worldly lords. That he will forgive sins and give eternal life, and that they need him for this, they cannot think of; but think that if they were great princes and lords, they would have enough already. The other ten disciples are neither much wiser nor more devout. For the sake of such things
they also raise a murmur, and did not like to give anything to the two brothers.
004 But why do the apostles write these things, and not be silent of their own shame? This is done for our sake: not only that we may beware and not be sure, but that we may pray diligently and not give way to temptation; but also that we may learn by such examples how Christ deals with such sinners and weak people.
(5) For although most people live in such a way that they do not ask much about the sermon, nor do they care much about their sin, yet we learn that the devout hearts have no greater complaint nor higher concern than sin. Cause, they see the punishment decreed for sin, eternal death. Therefore, they cannot be satisfied, they must fear and be afraid of God's judgment and sentence. These examples serve for such fear and distress, so that we should not only learn that when we are sometimes overtaken by the devil and sin and fall, such things have happened to other and greater saints, that we are not alone; but that God wants to deal with us with compassion, not to throw us away for our sins, but to accept us with grace and bring us to justice. As we see here in the case of the two brothers, they fall with great difficulty, and yet they think that they are not doing wrong, that they will succeed.
But what does Christ do about it? Does he also treat them badly, or does he no longer want to consider them his disciples, because they have been with him so long and yet have learned nothing at all? No, he deals with them in the most gentle way, gives them no evil word, but instructs them in the most kind way that they should refrain from such desires, that they should have other thoughts about his kingdom and their ministry, as a father admonishes his children in all kindness.
(7) So these examples are exceedingly comforting, and agree well with the doctrine of our dear Lord Christ. For he commands that repentance and forgiveness of sins be preached in his name. But repentance is nothing
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other than to confess that we are poor, frail sinners, and for this reason we should be careful and not indulge in sin. And after that we are to believe forgiveness of sins through Christ. So we see in this example that James and John fall into such hopefulness and foolishness. This is an indication that we are all, one and the other, frail, poor people. Therefore we should not be secure nor hopeful, but humble and godly. But that Christ should deal so kindly with such sinners, not giving them a harsh word, let alone beating them or pushing them away, is an indication that he does not want to avenge sin but to forgive it, and to deal graciously with sinners. This much we should learn today from the story that happened here with the two apostles, Jacobo and Johanne, and their mother, as Matthew reports.
(8) Besides the history, we must also look at the two sermons the Lord preaches; one to the two brothers, and the other to the other ten disciples. They, the two brothers, go about with the thought that because they have such a Lord and Master, they will yet come to great honors and become mighty lords.
(9) But what does Christ say to them? Ye, saith he, if ye would be my disciples, and partake of my kingdom, ye must drink my cup, and be baptized with my baptism: yet shall ye not sit on my right hand, nor on my left.
This is a sermon that does not rhyme at all with the disciples' thoughts. They think of great, worldly glory; so the Lord tells them of great suffering, of anguish and adversity. So that the sum of this sermon is: Whoever wants to be a Christian and confesses the Lord Christ as a disciple, let him only let go of the thoughts as if he wanted to enjoy the Lord Christ for worldly honor, power and wealth, and send himself to suffer and await all misfortune. As Paul also says: "All who want to live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution.
This is the kingdom of the Lord Christ, and he himself, the king in this kingdom, starts the round dance. He drinks the cup and is baptized, that is, he suffers, and suffers more and more severely than all his subjects, as we see in his history. Such an example must be followed by all those who recognize Christ as their Head and Lord; as Paul says to the Romans in 8 Cap. V. 17, that we must be conformed to the image of the Son of God in suffering, and afterward also in glory. And Christ, John 15:20: "The servant is not greater than his lord: if they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also." This is the color of the court that this King gives out; whoever is ashamed of it, and will not bear it, is ashamed of the Lord Christ, and does not abide with Him.
(12) As it is seen, it does great harm to the kingdom of our dear Lord Christ, as he himself testifies in Matthew 13, when he says of the seed that falls on the stony ground, that though it sprouts, it cannot remain in the heat, for it has no root, and withers. So it is with many Christians: if it were not for the temptation and the cross, they would well remain Christians; but that they should risk their life and limb, wife and child, house and farm, money and goods, honor and power, for the sake of the gospel, they will not do it. But now it is decided: If thou wilt be in the kingdom of Christ, thou must drink the cup with him and other Christians, when thou wouldst rather be thirsty; and be baptized, when thou wouldest rather be unsaved. For he will not have such a kingdom as to divide money and goods and honor and other things among men. "My kingdom," he says, "is not of this world." Therefore, what the world has, he does not care for, but goes about with other higher and greater things. Money and goods do not remain long; and even if they remain, we must still get rid of them and cannot take them away with us or enjoy them in another life.
13 Because our dear Lord Jesus Christ has not a worldly kingdom, but an eternal kingdom, it follows that we should stand in peril for the sake of the worldly, but wait for the eternal goods through him, that
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Our sins are forgiven, the Holy Spirit is given, and we are heirs of eternal life. These are the things the Lord wants us to see and wait for from Him.
(14) But there it is, as is seen here in the two apostles. If Christ were to pay a thousand, a hundred, or even less florins to every Christian who is baptized, how would there be a fuss about baptism? And there is no doubt that the Jews themselves, no matter how hostile they are to Christ, would still come for money and want to be called Christians, just as they sometimes let themselves be baptized for the sake of the baptismal penny. But because Christ not only does not give money or goods, but whoever wants to be a Christian must put money and goods on the road and risk everything for Christ's sake: this makes his kingdom thin and narrow, so that few turn to him from the heart and want to suffer and leave something for his sake, even though he promises his Christians eternal goods and eternal life instead of temporal things.
But we should learn it here, and not let our reason and the world's example deceive us. For when our dear Lord Christ offers us his cup and wants to baptize us with his baptism, that is, when he lays out his cross for us, we judge that such a cup and baptism is an indication that God is angry with us and does not mean well with us. For this is what reason holds: whoever is happy and well, has a gracious God; but whoever is unwell, has an ungracious God. But here we see that the judgment is wrong. For Christ himself drinks the cup and is baptized; and yet he is his Father's dear child, in whom the Father has the highest and greatest pleasure, and cannot be angry with him. Now Christ also means well to his Christians, and in the most kindly way; for otherwise he would not have given himself to death for their sake. Since he himself gives the cup to his Christians, it must follow that such a cup is not an indication of an ungracious will. For this reason, Christians should not be terrified under the cross, but should accept it (as it is in truth) as a certain sign that they are
are children of God and in the kingdom of Christ. For there it shall be so, and not otherwise.
16 But for what purpose such a cup and baptism serve, hear your love at other times, that our old Adam very well needs to be girded and restrained between the spurs, for otherwise he would become too brave and unruly. But when the cross weighs him down, he has cause to pray, to keep the word, and to exercise faith. For there is no other means for the flesh to be fed and sin to be subdued, except that God keeps His Christians under the rod, as a father does his children, and does not translate too much to them; otherwise they would be accustomed to disobedience and would not want to be drawn at all. Therefore the rod, as Solomon says, is nothing but an indication that God is not hostile to us (as reason judges without reason), but that we are his children and he is our father and loves us dearly. For otherwise, if he did not love us, he would leave us in our souls. But that would be our ruin in body and soul; against this the rod and the cross forbid.
17 So this is the sum of this sermon, that the kingdom of our dear Lord Christ is such a kingdom, where we have to do a little bit of hardship, so that our eyes go over, that is, we have to give ourselves up under the cross. For the devil and the world are bitter enemies to Christians. For this reason our Father in heaven must tie a shillelagh to the dog, so that we do not run out of his way and he can hold us; besides that we owe God our obedience and follow the example of our dear Lord Christ. This is what has been decided here; therefore we should learn to live by it, and with Jacobo and Johanne not look for great power, honor, goods, and the like. For here it is not called sitting on the right hand or on the left; it is called drinking the cup and being bathed.
18 According to this teaching, we must also realize that our dear Lord Christ in his kingdom and glory does not want anyone to be like him or to suffer. For he is, as it is written in the prophet Isaiah, Cap. 63,
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who alone has trodden the winepress. He alone died for us and paid for our sin with his death. He alone is the one who wants to help and save us from all our troubles. He alone wants to hear our prayer and finally make us blessed. Therefore, he can suffer no one to be placed beside him and equal to himself. Yet the pope, contrary to his command and will, places the Virgin Mary and other saints at his left and right, teaching that they should be invoked and that we may enjoy their intercession and merit. Christians should beware of such idolatry. For besides the fact that Christ forbids it, it is dishonoring Christ to the highest degree if we place our comfort and confidence in men, and in the meantime leave our Lord Christ behind, who alone through his suffering reconciled us to God, paid for our sin and overcame death.
(19) The other sermon which the Lord preached unto the ten disciples was chiefly to teach them concerning the ministry of preaching. For as the evangelist writes, when they heard that James and John would be somewhat more than they, they were displeased with them, and thought that they were as worthy to sit on high as they. The Lord sees this and admonishes them in the most friendly way, saying: "You know that the worldly rulers rule, and the mighty among them have power"; this is what God has decreed and must be, so that there may be peace, unity and good government among the people. But you shall not think according to such an example. "Among you," he says, "it shall not be so; but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your servant; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be servant of all." This means that the office of preaching has not only been stripped of its worldly power and authority, but also that it is to be nothing but an office of service, with nothing to gain but toil and labor, and after that all ingratitude, and even all misfortune.
20 This is a very necessary teaching, for we see how there are different offices in the church. The apostles have more commands than the bishops; the bishops and pastors more than other common teachers and ministers.
Preachers, or their ministers and deacons. Our dear Lord Christ wants to make all these different offices equal with this command, so that no one will use them for his own honor or benefit, but only to serve other people, and to have trouble and work from them. For, saith he, if any man should have power and great glory of it, I would ever have it right before all others, who am the Son of God, and bring this command with me, that I should direct men unto the kingdom of God. But I do not need such a command and office to become glorious, great and mighty; I serve, and serve with my body and life, so that I pay for all the sin of the world. So learn to send yourselves also into your office, let not the devil deceive you, as if my kingdom were a world kingdom. In the world there are princes and lords who must have more and be more powerful than their subjects. But in my kingdom it is different; there it is the greatest prince and most powerful lord who lowers himself the lowest and serves the people the most diligently with his office, gifts and graces that he has.
(21) The wicked pope has not done this, for because he has the office, he wants to be honored above emperors and kings and to be lord of the whole world. Thus he testifies with his own work against himself that he is not Christ's disciple, but an antichrist or a counterchrist, who does everything differently than Christ commanded and said. But we will hear more about this on St. Bartholomew's Day.
(22) But the saying here is special, that Christ says, "The Son of man is come to give his life in payment for many. For such a saying teaches, as we heard on the day of Magdalene, of the forgiveness of sins, how we can obtain the same. With our works and merit it is lost; for we owe God such a great sum that it is impossible for us to pay. How then do we get rid of the debt? Not otherwise than that our dear Lord Christ enters into our debt, and takes away our sin from us, and lays it on his back, and suffers the death which we have with our sins.
1206 s. 3, 416,417. On St. James's Day. W. XIII, 2810-2813. 1207
so that we may be delivered from death and set free.
(23) In worldly affairs also it is so. If I owe a thousand guilders and do not have to pay, but find a good friend who is indebted to me, he says to my creditor, "I will be good to you for the man; I must not worry about the debt any further. For my creditor has no more promise to me; he has accepted another, who has become good for me and pays for me. In this way the Lord also speaks here, saying: He gives his life as payment for many, so that through his death we may be set free from death. Just as when one is a prisoner and cannot be set free until a certain sum of money is laid up for him. So the devil and death held us captive because of our sins, and it was impossible for us to help ourselves and set ourselves free. But God, out of fatherly love, sends His Son, who must answer for us and pay, since we cannot pay.
(24) But how is it, because the debt of sin is paid by Christ, that not everyone is saved, but only some? As the Lord says here, "This payment was made for many," that is, even though it was made for all men (Isa. 53, Jn. 2, 1 Jn. 1), there are only some who enjoy this payment and are saved. This is because not all want to accept such payment; they do not all want to believe. Some think they want to put away sin by their own works, like the pope and his crowd; some even want to believe Christ.
They do not accept him as the one who paid for sin, like the Turks and Jews. Therefore they see for themselves, and because they do not want Christ, they have no guarantor; therefore they must remain in sins, die and perish. For apart from our Lord Christ we shall find none else to pay for us; neither can we.
(25) Some are neither like the pope nor like the Turk; they do not think to go to heaven by their works, and do not deny Christ; neither do they want to accept him with all their heart; they are too well pleased with the world, which troubles them so much that they do not think of Christ. And because they continue in sins without repentance, and still take pleasure in them, they are not really serious about seeking forgiveness of sins. These also get away, and do not enjoy our Lord Christ and his payment. But those who confess their sin enjoy it, are sorry for it, ask for mercy, desire to amend, and wholeheartedly cling to the Lord Christ, as He paid for them with His death and reconciled them to God.
That is enough of today's Gospel, in which we see how the Lord deals so kindly with Jacob and John, who have stumbled, and teaches them that if they want to remain his disciples, they must not think of great honor, power and authority, but send themselves to suffer, and use their ministry with other apostles only for service. May God grant us all His grace through Christ, that we may keep such teaching and improve ourselves from it, amen.
1208 L.3, 4i8.4is. On the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. xm, 2718.271s. 1209
On the day of the Visitation of Mary,
which feast is held on the day of the Assumption of Mary according to the Brandenburg and Nuremberg orders.
Luc. 1. 39-56.
And Mary arose in those days, and went up into the mountains to the end of the city of Jude, and came into the house of Zacharias, and greeted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, and cried with a loud voice, saying, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence cometh it unto me, that the mother of my Lord cometh unto me? Behold, when I heard the voice of thy greeting, the child leaped with joy in my womb. Blessed art thou that hast believed, for that which was spoken unto thee of the Lord shall be fulfilled. And Mary said, My soul exalteth the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaid. Behold, from henceforth all the children shall call me blessed. For he has done great things for me, who is mighty, and whose name is holy. And his mercy endureth for ever unto them that fear him. He wieldeth violence with his arm, and scattereth them that have hope in their heart. He pushes the mighty from their seats and lifts up the lowly. He fills the hungry with goods and leaves the rich empty. He remembereth mercy, and restoreth his servant Israel, as he spake unto our fathers, unto Abraham, and to his seed for ever. And Mary abode with her three months; and after that she returned again.
The first sermon.
The feast of the Assumption of Mary is thoroughly pontifical, that is, full of idolatry, and instituted without Scripture. For this reason, we have dropped it in our churches and have kept the day for it, so that one should preach the story of how Mary went over the mountains to her mother Elizabeth and what happened there. For first of all, this feast of the Assumption of Mary has no scriptural testimony; and they themselves, the papists, have a saying Hieronymi, which is supposed to say: An in corpore, an extra corpus assumpta sit, nescio: I do not know whether she was taken up in the body or out of the body, or whether she went to heaven. And who would know this, because there is no scripture about it? But this is the first and most annual thing, that they have made such an ascension a feast, that one should honor and call upon the virgins Mariam, as they sing in the responsum: Te assumptam nobis promptam fore petimus etc...: O rich Mother of GOD, we
pray that you, who have been taken up, may be gracious to us and make us citizens of heaven.
(2) But we Christians know of no ascension which we can enjoy unto eternal life, but of the one of our dear Lord Christ Jesus; who is ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, and hath received gifts for men, as the scripture hath testified. received gifts for men, and represents us. Therefore we can and should take comfort in his ascension, and know that we will enjoy the same, that we will also go to heaven, but here on earth we will be heard by him in everything we ask in his name. Therefore it is a glorious, high and comforting feast, the Ascension of Christ, which the Virgin Mary enjoyed just as much as we do. But we, even though she has already ascended to heaven in the flesh, cannot be called to her ascension; for this reason we should not call upon her, nor ask for her intercession.
1210 L. 3, 419^21. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. xm, 2719-2722. 1211
and abandon us, as the pope has taught, and thus has profaned and dishonored our dear Lord's Ascension, by wanting to make the mother equal to the Son in all things.
3 It is not only annoying in many cases, but also very ridiculous that the papists make such a big fuss with the consecration of spices from such a day, for no other reason than, as their own books testify, that they interpret the saying Ecclesiast. Chapter 22 (Sir. 24, 18.) to the Virgin Mary, and they resemble some trees and roses. If children did this and treated the Scriptures in this way, it would be crude enough. But the pope, bishops, all monks and priests do it, and scold us heretics for dropping such a habit and not wanting to fool with them. But what superstitions have followed from such spicing, and how it has given rise to sorcery and all kinds of superstitions, everyone knows well. Therefore we have very good reason to do away with such idolatrous and sorcerous feasts, by which the Ascension of Christ has been greatly deprived, as if we were not to take comfort in them alone, and the people have been led and caused to idolatry, superstition and sorcery. For this reason, we want to have buried it, and now preach about the Feast of the Visitation and the beautiful Magnificat.
- *) Such a feast is also called the Feast of Our Lady, and the pope instituted it to drive away the Turks. As you can see in the lection sung at matins, it says: "Just as the Virgin Mary walked over the mountains and trampled the hills, so you should call upon her to trample the Turks under her feet. But the longer we celebrated this feast and called upon the Virgin Mary, the more the Turk trampled us. Therefore, we cannot and will not celebrate this feast for such a loose reason.
(5) We want to celebrate it, first of all, to give thanks to God for the glorious revelation that has taken place on this day: that the pious and old matron, the beloved
*) Held in the house, 1533; after a b c: 1532.
D. Red.
Elizabeth, full of the Holy Spirit, who before knew nothing of Christ and his conception, now comes out and confesses that the virgin Mary is the true mother of her Lord and God; therefore she is glad that she has received such a great glorious guest, who is called the Son of God. And the little child in her womb, dear John, also announces such a guest, becomes joyful and leaps in his mother's womb. So both, the mother with her sermon and the child with his jumping, testify that Christ is present, through whom all the world, but first of all the Jewish people, shall be saved from sin, death and the devil. This should move us at the same time to joy and earnest thanksgiving to God. For if God had kept this treasure secret and had not wanted us to know about it and enjoy it, such a wonderful revelation would have remained behind.
(6) This revelation is followed by a special piece, namely the beautiful hymn, the Magnificat, which is also worthy of a holiday in its honor, so that it may be preached and well understood. For it is a fine song, as we shall hear.
(7) For the third, a mighty beautiful example is presented to us by the Virgin Mary, which we should diligently learn and observe. Therefore, our celebration is far different from the Pope's celebration, and goes primarily to praising God and thanking Him, as the dear virgin praised and thanked Him.
It seems as if Lucas had a special pleasure in this history, that he describes it so diligently, and presents the dear virgin so beautifully to all of us, but especially to the womenfolk, in a wreath, which is decorated with three especially beautiful and lovely roses. For there he praises three special virtues, of which we should also take care. The first is faith; the second, a very great and high humility; the third, a fine and chaste manner before men. Where such adornment is on a woman or virgin, she far surpasses all queens and empresses in all her gold, precious stone, pearl, velvet and silk.
1212 L. 3> 421-428. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2722-2725. 1213
(9) Of faith Elizabeth saith, Blessed art thou that hast believed: for that which was spoken unto thee of the Lord shall be fulfilled. For Mary is justly praised, not only on account of the common faith which all Christians have who are saved; that she believed that God would deliver her from the curse and from sin through the promised Seed, and take her to grace and make her blessed: but also on account of the special faith. For she had a special promise that applied to her person alone, since she was to give birth to Christ, the Son of God. She believed this promise and did not allow herself to be deceived, even though she could not know how it would happen. She alone had such faith, so we cannot be like her.
(10) Since faith must always have God's word for itself, we should follow their example, that we also diligently adhere to God's word. And especially the womenfolk should rather be found in church, at prayer and at the sermon, than at the dance, at the market or elsewhere. For this is true: where one has desire and love for God's word, likes to hear it, likes to deal with it, more virtues will be found from day to day. Again, where one does not like to hear it, there will not be a lack of many bad virtues. This is the first virtue.
- The other virtue is: The young maiden, though she is highly honored (for she is ever God's mother, that Elizabeth should follow her), yet because God has so ordained that one should honor old people, she follows the same teaching, does not become proud, but like a pious child she falls down, bows her heart, and humbles herself that she thus goes a long way to love her friend; and desires not only of God's great grace and miracle work to converse with her, but also to serve her. Elizabeth notices this, and thinking it is too much, says: "Where does this come from, that the mother of the Lord comes to me?
(12) This is also a very glorious ornament and great adornment on the dear virgin, that she does not become proud of the honor she has received.
that she is God's mother and should give birth to God's son. It would not be a miracle (as the people of women are inclined to hope without that) that she would have fallen into a hope deeper than Lucifer with his angels. For behold, what do we poor mudbags do? If we have a penny or a florin, no one can get along with us for court. A maid who has a beautiful ribbon; a young man who has a beautiful skirt; all together they become proud and insolent, if they have something special, be it beauty, art, money, nobility, we know neither end nor measure of arrogance: and yet all this is like dung in the street, compared to the great grace that this virgin has here, so that she honors and adorns God for and for above all women; and yet she humbles herself and desires to serve the old Elizabeth.
013 For it is not for silver and gold. If all the gold that all the world has were in one lump, it would be as fragments against this great honor, which no man on earth has ever had: that the angels in heaven themselves, and after them Elizabeth, the greatest woman, who after Christ gave birth to the greatest Son, call her the mother of God and the most blessed of all women. And yet, although she is the highest, noblest, holiest mother, she does not look upon such great gifts; but lowers herself and says to the angel, "Behold, I am the Lord's handmaid," and to Elizabeth, whom she thus drags a long way, she says, "God has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid."
Let us also learn this art and thus humble ourselves, who are moved to hope by a thousand times lesser causes. It is almost impossible that such a heart should not rise and become hopeful, as we do when we have a thaler or a beautiful skirt.
(15) Ah, how the great humility of this high person will disgrace our courtly journey on the last day, when we will see her, the dear virgin, and she will address us proudly and say: I have not been proud or proud, and I have had more than you can have as empress and queen. But what is the cause
1214 D. 3, 423-426. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2725-2728. 1215
of your court journey? Why have you been so resplendent? A golden chain, a beautiful ring, a beautiful body made you so proud? But what is this compared to the fact that I have been the Mother of God, and the angels and all the saints have praised me, that I am the most blessed and most gracious of women? and yet I have not exalted myself to this. So, you foolish saints, you heretics, you riffraff, who let yourselves think so learned that your belly wants to burst with art, what can you do that you are so puffed up, so sure and presumptuous? Do you think you can make a verse in the Magnificat with all your art? I have ever been able to speak of our Lord God, and yet I have not been worthy of hope, but have forgotten all my honor, and have gone on foot over the mountains to my mother's house, and have served her in the crib, cooked, washed diapers, and done all the other housework from the heart and with joy, like another maid, and have not taken on anything.
- disgrace yourself, you shameful hope, and only those who can be ashamed of this great humility, which is here, that this maiden, who is God's mother and the greatest woman in heaven and earth, can forget so much about all goods and have such a low, little heart that she goes and is not ashamed to wash the diapers, to wipe the little child John and to bathe 2c. Such humility is too high. For it would have been fair to have ordered a golden chariot for her, and to have led her with four thousand horses, and to have trumpeted and shouted before the chariot: Here rides the woman above all women, the princess among the whole human race. But all this is silenced. The poor maiden goes on foot such a long way, up to twenty miles; and yet she is ready to be God's mother. It is no wonder that all the mountains would have leapt and danced for joy. It is possible that she did not go alone, but that Joseph and a little child went with her; but Lucas speaks only of her alone. For it is she who is most important, and she alone who demonstrates such humility.
This is the other virtue, great humility. All men and women should take this image into their hearts and be afraid of their proud and stubborn heads. For we see and experience how naughty, proud and insolent the world is now, and especially the servants and the household are everywhere. If a man or woman in the house wants something, they may do it themselves, or it may happen that it would be better. Thus one finds proud and disobedient servants, even if they are only poor, miserable beggars; let alone what the great junk lords and wives do, since honor, power, property, art and other things are involved. Such things will not be able to endure long; thunder and lightning will have to strike in the end, so that arrogance may be increased. But if we were Christians, we would think: Dear, has this Mother of God been able to humble herself in such a way; what do I, a wretched human being, want to be so arrogant, unworthy of service and proud of? If I have yellow hair, a red skirt, a golden chain, if I am beautiful, learned, noble, rich, powerful: what is it then? On such hopes, they say, the devil wipes his ass. For in truth it is all a poor, miserable, stinking beggar's hope. Therefore I will not be proud, but learn to follow this example, since I hear how the dear maiden, who is God's mother, and could have stayed at home for half an hour, sets out on foot and goes to serve in foreign lands, bathes the dear little girl, the little Baptist, lifts and lays her, washes her diapers; in sum, she does what the least little child in the house is used to doing.
18 So this example serves us, so that everyone, especially young servants, may learn to serve and humble themselves, regardless of whether you are already more worthy and greater than the one you can serve. But unfortunately we experience only a vain contradiction, that even those do not want to serve and humble themselves, who are the most unworthy, as there are servants and maids in the house, who have promised to do so, and receive their wages, food and drink, so that they should do it in all humility and obedience,
1216 L. 3, 426-428. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2728-2730. 1217
what they are called. This is to follow the example of the Virgin Mary, who did not shy away from becoming the uninvited handmaid of the dear Elisabeth; it is an example to us that we should also humble ourselves and say: If the highly graced Mother of Christ was not ashamed to become the lowest handmaid, why would I not do the same? And even if I did ten times more, it would still be nothing; for this person is too high. Therefore it is far more, if she humbles herself with a straw, than if I humbled myself for a thousand miles. That is why this example stands here as a mockery and a disgrace to us, against our arrogance, pride and disobedience.
The third virtue is that Lucas says: "She has gone to the end, that is, finely chastely, and not so out of arrogance and recklessness, as the young servants go to the milk, to the dance and to the fair, washes from one house to the other, and opens everywhere rattling benches *) and throws the eyes there and there. These are not called chaste virgins, but slut paners. **But virgins and women shall remain in their houses, or where they have to go in the street, they shall leave the place in good order, and not count all the tiles on the roof, nor all the sparrows under the roof, nor have stands everywhere on the way. So the Virgin Mary did not keep to herself, she goes about finely, does not count the trees, stands now there, now there; but thinks what she has to do, and waits for her own, lets other people also do theirs.
(20) For this reason Lucas was diligent to say that maidservants and women should not say: Why should I always stay at home like a nun in a convent, and not go for a walk, since the Virgin Mary did it? If it was not a sin for her, it is not a sin for me. Yes, do it with manners, as she did, and with fine, virginal gestures. For she did not go out of presumption, but meant to serve her mother, when the angel
*) Rattling - chatter. D. Red.
**) Slut - unattached, loose, dissolute, libertine life. D. Red.
She had told her about how she used to walk with a son in her old days, so she does more outside her home than she did at home. Do the same, and do it morally, with the chaste behavior that befits a virgin and a woman, and it will not be a sin for you.
(21) But as the people of women do not follow the dear virgin in humility, but are proud and hopeful, so they do not follow discipline either, as is unfortunately evident. There are few of them, women and virgins, who would let themselves think that one could be cheerful and chaste at the same time. With words they are impudent and coarse, with gestures wild, lewd; that is called being in good spirits. But discipline and cheerfulness should and could go hand in hand, if one were to look at the example here. In particular, however, it is very bad that the young people are so exceedingly impudent in words and gestures, and sometimes swear like lansquenets. Not to mention the shameful words and rude, annoying phrases that one always hears and learns from the other. This is because the mothers in the house give them such examples and do not pay more attention to discipline in youth. But this is a special and certain sign of a great future punishment, where discipline tends to fall among the women. For the children take after their mothers, and the maids learn it from the women, until finally neither discipline nor honor remains in all classes; as we unfortunately also see in our times and therefore must await the deserved punishment.
(22) This is the example that the fine virgin Mary presents to us, that she grasps God's word with firm faith, is finely chaste and shameful, and disgraces us with our stinking, nasty courting, because she humbles herself so highly and puts herself in such lowly service, the blessed Mother of God. With such humility she disgraces all virgins and women, because she, the most high, throws herself so low. But such an example should also serve us to strike within ourselves and say: "Oh, has she done this, the dear Virgin Mary, who is not guilty of this?
1218 L. 3, 428-430. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2730-2734. 1219
(for she might have been celebrated, but she is not): what did I want to boast about and be held high? Always descend and humble yourself 2c. So this example should show us, whether we are beautiful, learned, sensible, rich, young and strong, that we do not elevate ourselves, but let ourselves down and serve others gladly and diligently.
(23) But here we must also warn against false humility, as the monks and nuns did in the monasteries, and we see in the young maidens, when they are called beautiful, that they talk back, and yet their hearts are not in it; item, as rich people do, when they are called lords, they cannot let themselves talk back because of great humility, and complain poorer than those who are really poor. This is not called humility, but a twofold hopefulness, a deliberate lie, which also brings dishonor to God.
(24) For what God has given and bestowed, that shall be confessed and not denied. One should say: Praise to God who has given it; I have good food, I am not so uncreated, I can study well, I am learned, I am not an adulterer, I am a princess, a countess. For what God has given, be it money or goods, they are all God's gifts; one should not deny them, but confess them and thank God for them, and see how one needs them. For the sun does not say that it is black, but confesses it and proves that it is the light of the world, for it shines without ceasing. So a tree also does not deny its kind, but what God has given it, it allows to be seen freely in public. Therefore, if you want to lie and say that you do not have what you have, this is not called humbling yourself. But if God has given you something, say: I have this and this, that is true; but I do not have it from myself, God has given it to me, so I should not and will not exalt myself, nor despise others who do not have it. Just as the beautiful sun does; it is more beautiful than all the other creatures in the sky; but for this reason it does not despise the other creatures, but says, "Whether you are the moon or the moon, I will not despise you.
Star 2c. Though you do not shine as beautifully as I do, yet you are also a beautiful creature of God; therefore I will not despise you, but help you to stay with your light and also to shine for the people. So shall we also do.
The Virgin Mary does the same. She does not say no to the fact that she is blessed above other women and is the mother of God. It is all true, she says, the greatest grace has befallen me. But from where and to what do I have it? I do not exalt myself with it; but "my soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For from him I have it, and not from myself nor from men; it is all the gift of our Lord GOD. Therefore, dear Elisabeth, it does not apply here that I want to press against you or against any other man. For this reason, even though I have such gifts, I can still be your handmaid and serve you. "He has done great things for me, who is mighty and whose name is holy. Therefore, God forbid that I should profane and blaspheme his name, and that I should glory in my own name, saying, I have these things of myself. Let his name be holy; he has done it; let him be praised for it. And though men also praise me for such grace, and say I am blessed, yet again will I carry it home to God. For his name is holy, and he is mighty; therefore he alone shall have the glory.
(26) Let this be said of the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which the evangelist did not want to show us without a reason. The Evangelist did not want to show us without a reason that, after she had honored God so highly and distinguished herself from all other women, she did not exalt herself with such high, unspeakable gifts; but, as if she knew nothing about it, she set out with all restraint, visited old Elizabeth, her mother; no doubt that she wanted to wish her happiness, talk to her about God's miracles and grace, and then serve her and little John for a while. For who will or can believe that dear Mary did not stay at such a birth and did not want to see the blessed child, of whom the angel Gabriel brought her the first message from heaven?
1220 2.3, 430-432. On the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2734-2737. 1221
27 So the time also agrees finely here. For Lucas reports that Elizabeth had already left in the sixth month with the child Johanne, since Gabriel had brought the message from heaven to the Virgin Mary; and that Mary had stayed with Elizabeth for the three months; so it is good to assume that she had not left as soon as the next day or had only been on the road for one or two days.
28 It usually happens that a good friend goes to another in the same case and stays with her until she recovers from her child and shows all kinds of service and friendship; how much more is it to be assumed here, since the angel himself has such a birth,
also indicates the time to the virgin Mary, that she could well have known at what time Elizabeth would come down.
First of all, these are the two pieces of Revelation and the example of the Virgin Mary, who shines before us with such beautiful virtues. Such virtues are also worthy of being presented on a special holiday, especially to the young people, so that everyone may learn to be God-fearing, and especially the womenfolk may learn to keep themselves in all discipline, respectability and humility. May God grant His grace through His Holy Spirit that such fine teaching will not go without fruit, but that we will all improve from it and increase in faith, love and all kinds of discipline, amen.
On the day of the Visitation of Mary.
The other sermon. From the Magnificat.
Your dear ones have heard why we keep this feast, firstly, so that we may take heed of the great miracles of God and the glorious revelation of our dear Lord Christ while he was still in the womb; and especially so that we may learn from the dear holy Virgin Mary that we may also be humble and chaste; and thirdly, that we may learn the beautiful Magnificat, which is a special master song. For this reason, the ancient Christians ordered it to be sung every evening when the Christians come together for prayer in the church or assembly.
But with what understanding the pope, his clergy, monks and nuns sing it, we unfortunately see before our eyes that they do not understand a letter of it, nor do they think to understand; otherwise they would beware of the abominable idolatry, and would not lift the Virgin Mary higher than first God and then she herself has lifted herself in such singing. On the other hand, they would be especiallyware of courtly conduct, and would not be subjected to it.
The people of the Vatican would stand before our Lord God and defy their own human work and merit, and teach people to buy or earn heaven from God; they would follow the faithful advice and teachings of the Virgin Mary, humble themselves, not think much of her wisdom, power and wealth, but take comfort in the mercy of God alone. But the whole papal crowd is up to its ears in the shameful hope that they do not see God's mercy and put all their trust in their wisdom, power and wealth.
So that we may learn to guard against such things, let us now take such a beautiful song from word to word before us, and grasp the teaching of today's Gospel in detail; so that we may not only learn discipline, humility, and faith from the example of the Virgin Mary, but also learn from her sermon what we should comfort ourselves with, what we should insist on, and what we should defy: not, as the world does, on its wisdom, power, and good, but only on God's mercy, which He has shown through His grace.
1222 D. 3, 432-434. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2737-2740. 1223
Christ to all those who fear him. She starts such a noble master song with such words that everyone must confess and say that she is happy and in good spirits and immediately drunk with joy. For thus she sings:
My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
4 Here you hear how she rejoices and has a special pride and courage. For she says that her soul exalts something, that is, she must praise and extol something, that she rejoices from the heart, so that there is nothing in her heart that is not full of joy and gladness. What is it then? Whom then does she exalt? Herself? No. I," she says, "have nothing, nor do I want to make anything of myself; so that you praise me, dear Elizabeth, that you give me honor among women and call me blessed, for this I exalt and praise God, for He is everything, and nothing is mine.
5 So the little word "elevate" gives a very fine meaning. For he that lifteth up another oppresseth and humbleth himself. Because she now says, "My soul lifts up the Lord," by which she confesses that she is cast down, not lifted up nor hopeful. But this means that we poor beggars have been run into by the side, and all of us, one and the other, St. Paulo as well as me and you, have been given a high lesson. For what do we do? The common saying among our citizens and peasants is: What? Ick heb ock noch zwe Pennig te verteren; can therefore insist on money and property, on guilders and thalers. But you fainthearted belly, will you rise up? Shouldn't you say: It is someone else's property; God gave it, he can also take it away again: why would I want to exaggerate? So a riffraff goes along in glory, thinking himself learned, and flaunts his art. But tell me: How is it? Where did you get it from? from yourself? Yea, the devil upon thy head; thou hast haft it from above: therefore shalt thou not glory in thyself, but in him that gave it thee, and may take it away again at any moment.
(6) For it is not only a vexatious and shameful thing, but also a foolish and ridiculous thing, to boast of another man's goods; as yet
is the common practice of great lords. He writes himself a king from the land, another from another, since he does not have a stick. It is as if I had an empty purse, and yet I wanted to boast that I had a neighbor who had a lot of money. If the money were mine and the bag full, I would boast of it, and not otherwise; for it is a boast, since there is nothing behind it. It is the same here, without being much more dangerous. We have body and life; the one is beautiful, the other rich, the one learned, the other experienced. These things we boast of as ours, but they are not ours, they are God's. If then you have received it not from yourself but from God, what do you praise? But it does not help to say what you will; the devil is in the people, who teaches them to be ungrateful to God (since they have everything from Him) and to be proud, and to press Him with His own gift. Well, whoever does not want to leave it, he can take him off again, just as he took Judam off: he was also proud, and abused his office to betray Christ; but it happened to him that he himself got over it.
7 The dear virgin does not do this here. "My soul," she says, "exalt the Lord," that is, I praise and extol God, not only with my mouth and heart, but my whole life, all powers and limbs, everything that governs my soul, would gladly sing and praise God. For "soul" means nothing else, but our life, which speaks, hears, sees, eats, drinks, builds, in sum, everything that is and sustains life, all my hair, all my drops of blood, that I would like to sing, so that it could sing Magnificat, and thus exalt and praise a gracious God. We hopeless drops do it with the mouth alone; the life and the soul do not experience it. The Magnificat sticks to our tongue like a foam. If it were thalers, guilders, beautiful houses, beautiful clothes, we would also sing the Magnificat, but in small honor of God.
8 "My spirit," she continues, "rejoices in God my Savior. "My spirit", that is, my inner being, my whole knowledge, since I know God with it, that rejoices.
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not in the temporal, but in God. This is also the right joy, when one rejoices in God. We do not rejoice until we have the money in our pocket; and, which is sin and shame, ten guilders rejoice us more than God Himself. For, tell me, is it not true? I have life and limb up to the fiftieth year, healthy eyes, ears, hands and feet; the dear sun has served me so long during the day, the night has given me sleep: but when have I ever been so happy about such things, as when a man finds about ten florins? Fie on you, that we cannot also rejoice in God. So tell me: Who rejoices that Jesus Christ is born? Yes, one pursues it in addition. But if we were not so blind, we should always jump to the fact that God has given us not only body and soul, but His only begotten Son, and through Him eternal life.
(9) Therefore, let all the scholars of the earth come together and see if they can make one verse like this verse, and they will see where their art lies. She sets the goal high; and yet she is humble, and so humble that she, the great doctor and prophetess, who is more learned than all the apostles and prophets, becomes a nursemaid and waitress to dear Elizabeth. And we mischief-makers, as soon as someone knows only one Latin, Greek or Hebrew vocable, we do not know where to stay because of hope. We should be thrown out with lungs, one with the other, for the sake of the shameful hopefulness that we indulge in for so little a thing; and forget this example here, that the dear maiden neither rejoices nor exalts herself in the great high goods, but she has her joy in God, whom she praises and glorifies, as follows:
For he has looked upon the lowliness of his handmaid. Behold, from now on all the children will call me blessed.
(10) She says, "All the children will praise me, that is, all the world will sing and say about me. Dear maiden, would it not be time for you to become worthy of hope, so that the whole world can praise you?
and praise? No, she says, I do not want to become worthy of hope because of this. But this is that I rejoice, that I have been a wretched, despised maiden, and yet God, my Lord, has not despised me, but has looked upon me with favor. For she will have been a young maiden, and yet poor, wherefore no man esteemed her specially, else she would not say, "He esteemed the lowliness of his handmaid." But, she says, as wretched as I am, God, who created heaven and earth, has graciously opened his eyes upon me and brought me forth for such a great work. He could have found others who were great proud virgins. But he did not look at any of them; he looked at me, a poor little girl in my torn skirt. This makes me happy, and I thank God for it. In sum, I, she says, am nothing at all; but what I am and have, I have only from God's goodness and grace. That is pure praise to God and His grace.
(11) But here we must not forget the abominable idolatry, which we have also thought of before, and which is so completely torn down in the papacy. She says, the dear Virgin: "All children will praise me, that is, praise God's grace in me, and say of me how God has so gloriously honored me that he has chosen me among all virgins, that I should conceive the Savior of the world in my body through the Holy Spirit and bring him to the world. But it does not follow from this that one should call upon the Virgin Mary, take comfort in her intercession, and seek help in all kinds of temporal and spiritual needs from her and wait for it; as the pope has pointed out to people such idolatry. Let it remain with praise; but worship, intercession and waiting for help, these things are to remain with the Lord Christ alone; as he says: "What you shall ask in my name, that will I give you. Thus the pope wants one to ask in the name of the Virgin Mary. This is wrong, and is not praising Mary, but profaning her to the highest degree and making an idol out of her. Continue:
For he has done great things for me, who is mighty, and whose name is holy.
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- she will not touch the name of our Lord God, that is, she will not exalt her gifts; she always recognizes that what she has is God's and not her own work. For this reason, we all want to recognize him as powerful, but we all want to recognize ourselves as weak, powerless people; and that his name alone is holy, that is, that his name alone should be praised and held high, but our name, as an unholy name, should not be praised. But look around in the world again, where are they who do it? Everyone would like him to be thought of as great, and especially everyone would like to be praised for his holiness and piety. But Mary teaches us to consider God alone as powerful and His name as holy, that is, to praise God alone and His grace, and nothing else.
And his mercy endures forever to those who fear him.
(13) Here she stops with her own person and reaches out to the whole world, praising God, not only for herself, but for the sake of all people, that he may be gracious and merciful to everyone who fears him and humbles himself before him. Just as we also give thanks in our prayers, not only for the gifts we alone have, but also for those others have with us. And this is a special masterpiece, that it so finely combines God's mercy and God's fear: that where one fears God, he wants to be merciful, that is, to forgive sins, not to punish or condemn for the sake of sins, but to help with all graces against all misfortune and to make eternally blessed. Again, where one does not fear God, there shall be neither mercy nor grace, but punishment and wrath. So it fits very well with the 147th Psalm v. 11: "The Lord is pleased with those who fear him and wait for his goodness." Therefore learn here who can learn. Mary has ever a gracious God, who does her all good. But where does she get such grace from? Nowhere else, because as she herself says: "The Lord has looked upon the lowliness of His handmaid." She has not made herself proud or presumptuous, she has remained humble, in the
She went in the fear of God and did what she was commanded to do; this pleased God and God graced her.
(14) In this way, she sings, all you people can come to God's grace. But beware, do not puff yourselves up, do not boast, do not be proud; but humble yourselves before God and fear Him. Know yourselves rightly that you are poor sinners who can boast of nothing before God, but because of your sins you also have reason to fear Him. If you do this, I say to you: This has always been God's will and work: whoever fears him, he is merciful to him, he helps him, he has an eye on him; but whoever does not want to fear him, whoever wants to be proud and think that he has everything, that he lacks nothing, God will deal with him differently. For:
He wields violence with his arm and scatters those who are hopeful in their hearts.
(15) The dear virgin taught us how she came to be gracious, simply by thinking nothing of herself and taking comfort in God's goodness and grace. She also taught us this art and commanded us to fear God, so that He would also be merciful to us. But the dear doctor sees that she will find very few disciples. For there are three kinds of people who cannot refrain from arrogance and pride. Those who are wise and prudent think highly of themselves and insist on it; those who are powerful or rich do the same: all of them are hopeful, as if they did not need our Lord God. But here, listen, how can such hope be granted to them?
(16) If they want to be wise and take on themselves such things, especially in matters where they should follow the word of God and his wisdom, they should start very finely, she says. For my God is a mighty God, and wants to be so only. Therefore he sets himself against all proud hearts, and scatters them, so that no one knows where they go. This is a valiant work, *) that he should take a great king, like Saul, by the head.
*) Instead of "a valiant work" have a and b: "his potter's work". D. Red.
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takes him who will not fear him, nor have his word before his eyes, and draws out a poor shepherd, him he makes king. Why then do they want to be proud, to insist on their wisdom and not be afraid? Why do they throw up the comb, as if they had everything of themselves? As princes and nobles, citizens and peasants do now. I am he and he, they say, shall I let the priest rule me and do what he wills? Well, says our Lord God, be wicked and wise, you will still have to abandon me; I also have an arm, if I pull it out, beware, it is very heavy, and will mislead you, so that you will not know where you are at home. Thus great kingdoms and principalities have been wiped out; the Virgin Mary knows how to sing about them here.
(17) But why does she need such words to say, "He scatters them in the mind of their hearts"? Because it is God's way, when he wants to overthrow people for the sake of their hope, he first makes them fools and blinds them. Afterwards, when they are blinded, they are soon disgraced, so that they have to disgrace themselves in their prudence. This is called "scattering the wise in their heart's mind"; for he leads them to destruction with their own wisdom, so that they make their plots most accurately and best, as Pharaoh did in Egypt when he hurried after the Jews through the Red Sea. When they have decided in the best way and say, "We will attack in this way," our Lord God mocks them. Well then, says he, well then, you are on the right track, just hurry up. In pride he leads them up, and there they lie in a heap. So he pushes them and falls them in their proud sense. That is the one heap, which does not fear God, but is proud, and relies on its wit and cleverness. Now follows the other heap, which relies on its power and force; there it sings also thus from:
He pushes the mighty from the throne and lifts up the lowly.
18 In sum, our Lord God wants to have humble people, to whom He will do all good; but what is hopeful, He will punish.
Therefore, even if He exalts the lowly, as soon as they overlook it and become proud, they must come down; as is seen in King Saul. He was a poor shepherd, but God made him king; but as soon as his belly swelled over it, and he would not humble himself against God and His word, God overthrew the whole family, so that not one remained. It was the same with David: God made him king from a shepherd, and he remained so high with his tribe until they became proud, then they had to come down again. Thus we see in all other histories: what is proud runs into the spear of our Lord God and must be humbled; in turn, what is humble and God-fearing rises up.
This is the way of our Lord God, says Mary: what wants to be low, he wants to be high; again, what wants to be high, he wants to be low. Whoever does not want to believe it, let him know it. For there have been many who have punished this song and wanted to make it false, but they have learned it to their detriment, that it is true. For the Virgin Mary cannot lie, because she speaks from her own experience. She has been humble and God-fearing; therefore God draws her out and brings her to great honors. On the other hand, Herod, Caiphas and other great lords' daughters have been worthy of hope; they have gone so that no one knows where they are. Therefore, if everyone learns to fear God and to humble himself, there will be no need, even if things go badly for a while.
The poets have also had it from experience that they say: Magnisque negatum stare diu: What is great will not last long. Cause, when it becomes great and is felt, pride follows; then our Lord God must come, and what is great, make small and humble. Rome has come very high, so that when only the name of Rome was mentioned, all the world had to take off its little hat and bow down. But what finally came of it? It lay in a heap and is now destroyed and devastated for the third time. For the Virgin Mary sings here, no one shall be too high for God, he will overthrow them all if they want to be proud.
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He fills the hungry with goods and leaves the rich empty.
This is the third group, which is proud and presumptuous, because it is rich and has much money and good. Our Lord God must also do his work with them, so that he lets great good things disgracefully melt away and perish. Again, he often gives poor people great good fortune, so that they come into great possessions. Now if everyone were so wise and learned this art, and humbled himself, God would let them all remain, and that which is more, he would give from day to day, the longer the more. So would great kings and princes, then reasonable and wise people. God could well, and would suffer them (for it is He who makes them kings and great lords, Rom. 13, 1.), if only they could leave pride. But no one wants to do it, everyone wants to defy our Lord God with his gifts; so he cannot and will not suffer. Therefore he says: Stop, fellow, I have made you fat; I can make you skinny and lean again. So he will deal with all who do not fear God nor humble themselves, but want to insist on their wisdom, power and wealth.
(22) Now these are the three groups where God shows Himself to be not merciful but wrathful. For he lashes out: this makes them not want to humble themselves, nor fear God; they insist and defy, thinking that because they are wise, they shall not lack; because they are rich and powerful, they shall not lack anything. But the dear Virgin Mary warns and teaches, one should not do it. For there shall be no wisdom so great: if the fear of God be not there, it must become foolishness and be profaned. No power shall be so great: if the fear of God be not there, it shall be overthrown. No wealth shall be so great: if the fear of the Lord be not there, the people shall become beggars, and have all misfortunes; that shall surely befall them.
(23) Just as it terrifies and warns the world that lives without the fear of God, so it comforts the Christians who fear God and teaches them, whether they are foolish, miserable and poor, that they should not lose heart, and that they should not be afraid of God.
tells them that God wants to make them eternally blessed for the sake of Christ. So he will not forget them in this life, but will help them: For, saith she, this also is God's way and His own work: the lowly, who think nothing of themselves, and fear God, He will exalt, and the hungry He will fill with goods. How the world is full of such examples that God-fearing, pious people bring God upon themselves through His blessings. So, in one word, Mary teaches us all to be pious and to fear God. Again, she warns against hopefulness and pride. For God does not like it. Now follows the right piece:
He remembers his mercy and helps his servant Israel. As he spake unto our fathers, unto Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
(24) Now she concludes, the dear virgin, and finally sings of the greatest grace that shall befall those who humble themselves and fear God. For what she has said so far remains in the world, and applies to this temporal life, that God wants to be the helper of the humble and the poor, but wants to overthrow the proud. He must do this; otherwise he could not help them. But this belongs to eternal life, since it now sings of God giving not only body and soul, but also His Son. This is the great and spiritual good that He spoke to Abraham and other patriarchs, and has now accomplished through this virgin, that she should bear the Son of God to the world, and that He should help us through His suffering and resurrection from sins and eternal death to eternal life.
But we must be diligent to look at the words here. For the trade in which the Virgin Mary speaks is excellent. Thus we must confess that she is a special master who can speak well of high things. She sees, the dear Virgin, how Israel has fallen so low: not only in the outward government, that the Jews have had no king since the Babylonian prison, and have been miserably plagued by pagans; but also and most of all, that it has been so bad in the church government.
- because the order of God with the
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The chief priests, Pharisees and scribes had ruined everything most miserably; as we see in the Gospel that for this reason Christ must always lie with them. This, I say, is what the dear Virgin sees, and praises and thanks God that Israel, which had fallen so low, should get right back on its feet again: not for the sake of the worldly, but for the sake of the spiritual regime, so that the pure doctrine of the forgiveness of sins may come to light, the people may know God rightly and serve God rightly, and may be eternally blessed. This is what it means to say: God help up His servant Israel.
(27) It also adds the cause where such help comes from, saying, "This is because God remembers his mercy. Notice this word very well, for that is where it all comes from. First of all, this is a very great thing, just as she said above, that God rumbles among those who do not fear him. For he is a righteous God, who does not want to suffer sin or evil; so here she boasts that the same God is also a merciful God, who takes care of our needs and makes us mourn for our misery. Whoever knows this and believes it to be true in his heart is helped. The reason for all our fear, anxiety and worry is that we fear God as a serious judge. And it is true that he wants to be a judge, but only against those who do not fear him, but insist on their wisdom, holiness, power and wealth. But he will be merciful and help those who fear him. This is the first.
028 Secondly, if this helping up be done in mercy, where is the merit here? where is the law? where are good works, sacrifices, circumcision, the Sabbath, and such like? Is it not true that with all these things Israel had to lie in sin and eternal death? For what else do they need mercy? So the Virgin Mary rejects all merit and concludes: Moses and his law could not help them; Israel had to remain in death, under sin and the devil's rule because of the law. But this
Help him alone that God is merciful, takes care of the poor people, and where they must otherwise remain lying, he offers them his hand out of loud compassion and straightens them out.
29 She also teaches us what kind of help or mercy it is, and says: It is the mercy that He promised to Abraham and other fathers. With these words, she directs us behind her to the Scriptures, so that we may see what God promised to Abraham. Now it is true that God promised Abraham more than one thing. He promised him a son with his Sarah; that is what happened. He promised him the increase of his family, that kings and princes should come from it; this also happened. He promises his seed the land of Canaan; this has also happened long ago. Therefore, the Virgin Mary does not speak of such promises. But God promised Abraham something else, namely, a son through whom all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Such a promise has not yet been fulfilled until this hour, and has been promised not only to Abraham, but also to other fathers. Now this is what Mary says here, that God wants to accomplish this, and through the blessed seed help us out of the curse and wrath of God to grace, eternal life and blessedness: not as if we deserved it, but out of pure mercy.
(30) This is now the greatest and highest benefit, which the dear virgin saves for the last and thanks God for it. This is to indicate that she is more interested in such a blessing and is more moved to joy and thanksgiving than by the other blessing that happened to her alone, that she alone should be the mother of such a blessed child. For this was only a temporal honor, but this shall remain forever, as she says here. She wants to indicate how her child, the Lord Christ, will have another kingdom than the one that has lived in the world until now, namely, such a kingdom, which the dead Abraham and other fathers will also enjoy, and thus enjoy that they will live forever. Now this is the right and best part, for which we have to do with the love of God.
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We should thank the Virgin God and keep ourselves in His fear, so that we may remain in such grace and mercy.
(31) So this song is an example of how we should praise and thank God for all His spiritual and bodily gifts, bring them home to Him, and not exalt ourselves because of them, but say in all humility: Lord, it is Your gift, and I thank You for it; by my wisdom or ability or holiness I have not earned it nor brought it about. As we see, the dear virgin with her example and sermon tells us not to be hopeful, but to humble ourselves and keep ourselves in all discipline; and promises that where we do this, God will also be with us with his graces and give much; otherwise, where one wants to be proud, he will take everything.
(32) Therefore learn both the sermon and the example, and also be guided by them, so that you may learn to say: Has the most generous of all women been able to humble herself in this way, and has she not been able to overburden herself with her gifts?
walked over the mountains, like another poor maid, she served Elizabeth with "all the housework: poor me, why or from what should I be proud? What am I against this virgin whom the angels serve? Therefore I will also learn to be humble, gladly follow, serve and do what I can, for my rule or my parents. This would mean to follow this example and sermon. And it will not fail that whoever, with such humility, diligently adheres to God's word and practices his faith in this way, God will be with him with his graces. On the other hand, the other house, if it does not respect God's word, is insolent, bold and proud, and does not keep itself chaste, must fall into sin and disgrace and suffer all misfortune. For the sake of Christ, may God grant us His Holy Spirit, so that we too may learn to be godly, humble and chaste, and finally take comfort in the mercy that was promised to Abraham, but has been abundantly extended to us through Christ, the Son of God, amen.
*On the day of Bartholomew the Apostle. )
Luc. 22, 24-30.
There was also a dispute among them as to which of them should be considered the greatest. But he said to them: The worldly kings reign, and the mighty are called gracious lords; but ye are not so: but the greatest among you shall be as the youngest, and the chiefest as a servant. For which is the greatest, he that sitteth at meat, or he that ministereth? is it not so, that he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as a servant. But you are you who have persevered with me in my temptations. And I will appoint unto you the kingdom, as my Father hath appointed me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit in seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
In today's Gospel your love hears how the disciples, at the last supper, when the Lord Christ had met with them and had prepared and instituted the New Testament, began to quarrel among themselves, because each one would have liked to be the most important and to be the master of the others. And it seems as if such quarrels had given the Lord Christ cause to wash his feet, since
*) Melanchthon wrote this sermon to a friend.
John reports chapter 13: For just as the Lord says in John: "You call me Lord and Master, and do right, for I am also. Therefore if I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye shall also wash one another's feet. The servant is not greater than his lord, nor the apostle greater than he who sends him"; so he also says here, "The greatest among you shall be as the youngest, and the chiefest as a servant" 2c. Is
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Therefore this is the opinion of today's gospel, that the Lord makes a difference between his kingdom and the kingdom of the world. And especially he that hath an office in his kingdom will beware of presumption, and will not seek worldly power thereby, but will serve others, and from such service expect nothing but toil, labor, and ingratitude in the world. As we can see, this is what happened to our dear Lord Christ himself.
2 Basil has a very good saying, and says: If those who are in church offices begin to quarrel about the glory, so that each one wants to be more and higher than the other, this is like a trade, as if the shipmen quarreled among themselves, which one wants to drown himself first, if there is a tempest out of the sea. This is not only a foolish but also a dangerous quarrel. For necessity demands that they be united and sit down together to see if they can save the ship, and it is not at all fitting that they should be divided, one wanting to go out this way and the other that way. It is the same with the apostles. There was a terrible weather in the sky, namely, the great sorrow that Christ, their Lord and Master, should die so shamefully on the cross the next day. But they are sure that they do not see such an affliction, and in the meantime they begin to quarrel because no one gives way to the other, and always one wants to be more and better than the other.
Therefore the Lord preaches to them seriously and says that they do not want to suffer such things in his kingdom. If they want to become great lords, let them stay with the world empire. But whoever wants to be in his kingdom must not rule and be splendid, but humble himself and serve. The Lord saw it well with the disciples that there would be no need. For they were so deeply troubled and afraid that they forgot all glory and did not know where to stay because of suffering and fear, so that their ambition was exhausted and even lost.
4 Therefore, this sermon is mainly about the last time of the world, when the church will be at the
And yet the priests, regardless of such misery, that the church with the doctrine and other gifts is so much pleased, are scrambling for temporal goods and worldly splendor, and each wants to dampen and squeeze the other. As the example of the pope shows, the popes did not ask anything about doctrine and proper worship, but only sought and calculated how they could rise high, bring much land and people under them, and make a large income.
Now we see that this kind of quarrel took place among the apostles also before, when Matthew on the 18th and afterwards on the 20th. But here, since it is just at the hour that the Lord Christ is to go to his torture and be captured by the Jews, this quarrel arises once again.
(6) Therefore we are to notice two things in particular about this history: the first, what a harmful poison such hopefulness is, and how it tends to take hold once it has been set on the church servants; the second, because the Lord admonishes the disciples right now before his suffering that we should take such a warning to heart and guard against such devilish poison all the more diligently. For we are to hold this very teaching here as a piece of the testament and last will of our Lord Christ Jesus, since it was given so hard before his death.
(7) In this doctrine the Lord set forth two things, both of which are particularly noteworthy. The first is that he teaches what the church offices should be, that they should be ordered only for service, and not for glory or worldly splendor. The other, that the Lord here freely confesses publicly that worldly authority and government is an order of God; for this reason they remain in it, and nothing is to be done by Christians that is contrary to such an order of God or destroys it. "The worldly kings reign," he says, "and the mighty are called gracious lords." This is a bright and clear saying, that order is to remain in the world, that some are to rule and the rest are to be their subjects; and that those who are in the world are to be the rulers.
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The governors shall have the power to punish their subjects with the sword if they commit anything contrary to law and equity, and to the detriment of others.
- For this reason the Lord here gives the title to secular authorities, calling them "gracious lords," to indicate what their office is, what they need it for, and what they are to accomplish with it, namely: That they should not be tyrants, and should not use their power and authority to oppress others with it; but that they should show mercy and help, protect the pious, punish the wicked, administer discipline and respectability, enforce equal justice, promote marital status and domestic discipline, keep peace, and especially take care that the youth is educated properly and not seduced by annoying examples. This is what secular authorities are supposed to do, which is why they are called gracious lords who do everything good for everyone. Yes, that is why they alone have more power and authority than others, so that they alone should keep such things. As Paul says, Rom. 13, 4: "The authorities are God's servants for your good. Wherever the worldly authorities act in this way, God is pleased with them and wants to bless them. But where it does not do so, and wants to abuse its power for its own glory and to oppress its subjects with it, God is not pleased with it and will not let it go unpunished. This is a part of this doctrine, so that everyone may learn that worldly authority is in a divine, holy state, if it only wants to get itself right.
(9) "But ye," saith Christ, "not so: but let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the chiefest as a servant." As if to say, Mark me well this doctrine; for there is much in it. Worldly authority should and must be, so that discipline and respectability, peace and justice may be preserved, and all public trouble may be punished and abolished. For this reason, they have the power to set and order everything that they deem useful for the promotion of peace and justice. This pleases God well. Therefore, let it remain so. But you who are in church offices and teach others with the word
You have another office and another command, namely, to preach the gospel, through which men receive the Holy Spirit and come to the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. By such doctrine ye shall abide, and preach nothing else, nor establish any new laws, nor any other worship. Whoever does not accept such teaching and does not want to follow you, you shall not punish him with force or with the sword; for the sword is not commanded to you, but with the word that you threaten them with the law and wrath of God, and exclude them from the church by banishment. As Christ says, "Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven."
(10) This is called the church office or church government: such a government, where one alone has the word, and thus rules, that one does not need any force, nor does one lay hands, nor does one seek any power or sovereignty before others. But why this? Because God wants to preserve and govern His Church by His Word alone, and not by human power. Those who are in church offices and have the ministry of preaching have the word only for the purpose of serving others with it, and not for the purpose of making themselves lords through it. Therefore it is of equal importance, whether a minister is great or small, young or old, if he only has the word and leads rightly. For it is the word alone that is to be seen and to rule, and not the person who speaks the word.
11.. But is it not a pity above all pity that the Lord so diligently teaches and warns at his last end, how these two kingdoms are not to be mixed, but are to be finely divided, each remaining in its own circle: and yet the shameful pope, notwithstanding such teaching and warning, sets himself up for a head of the church; and because he wants to be the head of the church, he also wants to be a lord over temporal authorities, and himself, like other kings and princes, to rule with the sword? Hence it came about that they lost the word and made the church a secular government, arranged new services, and sought and invented everything, so that they might have the
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The money brought by the people and the priestly splendor could increase.
012 But now would any man ask, saying, What manner of government is this, and how can it be, seeing there is no head; and they that are in office are all equal, and none shall have more power nor authority than another? For reason considers such equality a deformity and a harmful thing. Again, where there is a head, on whom others may look and be guided by the same, such an order reason considers useful and good; and concludes from it: If it is to be right in the church, it must also be so, or there will be a loud confusion and disorder. And this is the cause that still holds many sensible, wise people captive. For even though they are hostile to the pope, and see the public, irresistible trouble, they still think that there must be order in the church government; for this reason, they do not want to keep up with those who tear such order apart, and do not want to accept and recognize either the pope or others as a head.
(13) To such a question let us answer thus: It is true that reason considers it a deformity and a harmful error that all who are in church offices should be equal, and that one should have as much command, power and authority as the other. Therefore, to prevent such deformity, the pope has made an order in the church just as in the secular government, where one is higher, has more command and greater power than the other. But here we have an expressed command of our dear Lord Christ, who wants things to be different in his kingdom, which is a spiritual kingdom, than in the temporal kingdom: so that everyone may learn how in the kingdom of Christ human power or great prestige should not apply and rule, but only the word of God.
(14) And yet even in such church government there is an order and difference, which is called: Differentia donorum, sed non potestatis. (Difference of gifts, but not of power.) For no one has more power, or a different command, than the other; and yet one has different gifts and a different calling than the other; as St. Paul says, Eph. 4:11: "He made some apostles.
but some were appointed prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers" 2c. These are the distinct offices, and therefore the gifts must also be distinct. But for the sake of such differentiated gifts and offices, no one is to assume worldly authority nor want to rule in a worldly way. They are all bound together by the gospel, that they may abide by it and do nothing contrary to it. This is the right order that should go and remain in the church, and is a far better order than that of the pope, who makes an order not of offices but of external authority, contrary to the command of Christ.
(15) The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others were not high priests, though they had a very glorious profession and greater gifts than the high priests: and yet no one compelled them by force, or wished to have more power than others; but the pious Jews, without outward compulsion, willingly gave themselves up, and received their doctrine, because they knew it was not their doctrine, but God's, and not their word, but God's word. Thus St. Paul has many excellent and high gifts, and the pious bishops, as Timothy, Titus, and others, keep him in mind and act according to him: not because St. Paul has more power and can force them; but because the church, wherever it has seen the word and God's gifts, has honored the same persons, heard them, and accepted them, not because of the persons, but because of the word. For it is all in the word, and nothing at all in the person.
(16) So that the summary of today's gospel is this: There will be bishops, pastors, preachers, and other such officials in the church; they alone are to serve, and are not to arrogate to themselves any outward authority or glory because of such office or service; as the Lord Christ here sets before us his own example. "Which," saith he, "is the greatest, he that sitteth at meat, or that ministereth? Is it not true, he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as a servant." And Joh. 20, 21.: "I
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send you as my Father has sent me." Now it is before our eyes and in our day that Christ was not sent by his Father to rule like a worldly prince and to seek worldly splendor. But he was sent to preach and to suffer. So he also sends his servants. Therefore, those who serve in the church should never let this image leave their eyes and hearts, and beware of the devil, who would gladly lead them to abuse their office for his own glory and splendor. In the secular government, it must be like this: he who has the office must also have the power. But in the church it means to serve and to suffer, not to rule or to have gentle, good days. He that will do it, let him do it; he that will not do it, let him not boast that he serves in the kingdom of Christ.
17 Therefore it is an abomination above all abominations, that, notwithstanding such doctrine and warning, the pope should be lord over all kings and emperors, because he is St. Peter's successor or descendant; whereas Peter undoubtedly kept himself according to the command of Christ, and renounced all temporal power and authority.
(18) Therefore let every man beware: the devil will not leave it alone, and will try thee, whether thou exalt thyself in thy office. Where this happens, it follows that one will think of how to press others and raise oneself even higher. This is what has happened to the word and the pure doctrine. The Lord warns of this here, and admonishes that honor, authority and other things must be abandoned, and that where one has most diligently carried out this ministry, the greatest ingratitude will follow, and he will have to suffer honestly.
(19) Someone might ask: If the ministry of preaching does not entail more than toil and labor and all misfortune, should it be much better to leave it and do something else? And indeed the world does it honestly. For the fewest part, and almost the weakest, who are thought to be good for nothing else, go to the church service.
- but the lord says here finely what his
He says, "You who have persevered with me in my temptations," that is, "You see my example, that I have not had many good days, but all kinds of temptation, toil and labor from the preaching ministry; you know this and have seen it. Well then, as my Father has granted me the kingdom, so I will also grant it to you: through cross and suffering, through great toil and labor you will come to it. Then send yourselves up, and leave other thoughts behind. For it has happened to me in the same way. My kingdom on earth means nothing else but serving and suffering. Whoever wants to have it better on earth, he may look for it elsewhere and take a chance on my kingdom. But when it comes to that life, there it shall be different. Here you must serve at table, there you must sit; and the more is, you must sit with me at my table. Here you must suffer yourselves, and let the world deal with you and judge you as it will. There you shall sit on chairs and judge the world. In sum, in that life, Christians, especially those in the ministry of preaching, will be paid and repaid abundantly for all they have done and suffered here on earth.
21 For just as it is a sign of great grace when one sits at table with a prince, so also the Lord wants to show that if we faithfully wait for our ministry here, we will enjoy it in the other and better life. Therefore all Christians in general, but especially those in the preaching ministry, should set their hope on that life, and think: Christ, our dear Lord and Head, had it no other way, he himself had to suffer and through suffering enter into his glory; now the servant shall not have it better nor desire it better than his Lord: therefore only be bold; we must suffer here with Christ and for Christ's sake, we shall also reign with him in that life. For in both these things we are to become like the Lord Christ, as Paul says in Romans 8, with suffering and with glory and honor. May this be granted to us all by our dear Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, amen.
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On the day of the beheading of John.
The gospel on the day of the beheading of John you will find on the feast of John the Baptist. See above Col. 1158 ff.
**On the day of St. Matthew. ***
Matth. 9, 9-13.
And as JEsus departed from thence, he saw a man sitting at the receipt of custom, whose name was Matthew, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat in the house, behold, there came many publicans and sinners, and sat at meat with JEsu and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and sinners? When JE heard this, he said to them: The strong have no need of a physician, but the sick. But go and learn what this is: I am pleased with mercy, and not with sacrifice. I have come to call sinners to repentance, not the pious.
This is a short but very good gospel, both because of the history, that we hear how the Lord calls the publican Matthaeum to the apostleship; and then because of the sermon which the Lord preaches when the Pharisees are angry that he eats with sinners and tax collectors. For both history and preaching serve that we may actually learn Christ and what his ministry is. He who can do this may well boast that he knows the best and highest art. For it is the art that came down from heaven, and serves us to come up from and out of the earth also to heaven, and to live forever; as Christ Himself says, John 17:3: "This is life eternal, that they may know thee, that thou only art true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ." According to this doctrine, which is the highest and best, the Lord teaches us how we should behave and keep ourselves, if we want to enjoy His ministry and be true Christians.
- but at the first we want the history
*From the Commentary on Matthew.
look at him. Matthew himself says what his actions and nature were: that he sat at the customs and dealt with his food and trade, and thought neither of Christ nor of heaven. Now we know what the customs officers' trade was, that they, as the most powerful merchants and partners, accepted and passed the annual income of a city or country for a named amount from the Romans, and then brought it up as high as they could best enjoy it. It can be assumed that everything they did was based on money, and that they let avarice ride and drive them.
(3) Therefore it was a common saying among the Jews, when they would say of a man who was openly a sinner, and asked neither after God nor his neighbor, that they called him a publican. As can be seen in the Pharisee, Luc. 18, who boasts so highly of his piety and scolds other people for being robbers, unjust, and adulterers, the tax collector must also serve as such a person, since he thinks he cannot fail or do him wrong,
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when he accuses him of being a sinner. And we ourselves, if we were to judge this tax collector Matthew, what else could we think of him?
4 And therefore it is an excellent work that our dear Lord Jesus does not let this man sit as a public sinner, but calls him to Himself, not only to forgive his sins, but also to place him in the most glorious and greatest office, and to make him an apostle, who afterwards shall also help other people to come to forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
(5) But what thoughts will you draw from such work? Will you also take it for what the Pharisees thought, that God does not want such people? Is it not true, just as we cannot deny that Matthew and his like are poor sinners, so we cannot deny that God wants to be merciful to sinners, to accept them, and to help them from sins through His Son Christ Jesus? For here it says both: Matthew is a tax collector, a poor sinner, who takes where he can take; and yet Christ accepts him graciously and makes an apostle out of him. This is the one consolation that all sorrowful sinners should take, that Christ will not cast them away, but will gladly accept them in grace, provided (as we will hear at the end) they follow Matthew's example, forsake sins, and follow the Lord Christ.
(6) But this consolation is the greater, because Christ did not show bad grace to Matthew, but appointed him an apostle, who was such a great sinner, that he should not be hoped for on account of his great ministry, nor should other sinners despair, but should also accept the Lord Christ. For see here with diligence. Who are they, our dear Lord Christ's nearest servants, and his chiefest counsellors, whom he hath in his kingdom? They are all poor sinners who, because of their righteousness or good works, should be in the pit of hell. Therefore, even though I and you are poor sinners, neither Peter nor Paul can boast against us or despise us. Cause them
We must also remember that they have not always been pious, and have sometimes held themselves against our Lord God, it would have been better.
(7) This is also the reason why the Pharisees are so very angry. For they judge according to the law, and are hostile to sins and sinners, and make believe that the Lord accepts such sinners, eats and drinks with them, which is against the law of God and wrong. And it is true that where something is done contrary to God's law, there is good reason (as reason judges) to be angry about it, for it is done contrary to God. Such anger continues to this day. For as soon as we praise and extol God's grace, everyone cries out that such preaching makes people safe and lazy, that they do no good. So that the Jews, that is, the works saints who deal with the law, consider the gospel to be an annoying sermon. But the Gentiles, that is, the rough and sure people, consider it a foolish sermon. Therefore they rage against it, as against the highest heresy; these mock and laugh at it, as if it were a useless, futile delusion. The former consider it a blasphemy, the latter a fable. But the Christian church and its head, our dear Lord Christ, go through the midst of it, and neither allow blasphemy to enter their right ear, nor contempt to enter their left ear, but live in true faith, and thus honor their Father in heaven.
8 Therefore it is a beautiful and comforting picture that our dear Lord Christ sits there among the tax collectors and sinners, like a good companion, who has all pleasure and joy in them and is heartily fond of them. On the other hand, the Pharisees stand around and look sour, grumble and reproach themselves about it, and judge and condemn both Christ our Lord and the poor sinners: they want to judge Christ according to the law, when he neither can nor wants to be under the law; for he is a master of the law, and deals with it, yes, that is why he came on earth, that he also wants to make us free and free from the law. This is the first part of this history, and the strange profession that the publican Mat-
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thäo becomes an apostle and evangelist; as a sign that Christ wants to accept sinners and help them.
(9) The other is the preaching. For when the Pharisees would not keep such vexations among themselves, but poured them also into his disciples, saying unto them, "Why doth your Master eat with publicans and sinners?" the Lord must answer for his disciples also, that such vexations be not kept among them; and he divides the responsibility into two parts. The first is taken from reason, and by it the Lord wants to indicate that it is his office to deal with sinners: therefore they should leave him satisfied and not speak anything to him in his office. "The strong," saith he, "have no need of the physician, but the sick." As if to say, If ye were sick in a bed, and a physician were with you, how should it please you so well, that the physician should be put away from you, and not left with you? For it is true that the physician and the sick person belong together. Therefore, just as the sick person cannot be without the doctor, so the doctor should be happy to be with the sick person. But whoever would wish it ill of the physician that he would gladly let himself be used by the sick person, must be either a fool, or an envious, evil, poisonous person, who does not begrudge the sick person his health. This is a reasonable trade, and if the Pharisees cannot oppose it, they must let it be good.
10 Now notice how the Lord interprets this likeness. For he means this much: He who is a sinner has a more dangerous and harmful disease in his soul than any pestilence, French disease, leprosy, or any other such disease can be to the body. Now, if it is true about sinners, that they are so dangerously sick in their souls, what should be done against them? Shall they be made to lie thus, and to die and perish in sins? Not at all; but the greater and more annual the damage to the soul than to the body, the more diligence, effort and labor should be put into helping the poor sinners, and restoring them to health by the right medicine of repentance.
that is, to be brought to grace. This is one thing that the Lord indicates here: that sin is not a bad harm, but a dangerous disease, by which body and soul are damaged for eternity.
(11) Therefore, we should not be safe in the face of such great harm. When pestilence reigns, we see how to protect ourselves with medicines. So there may easily be some clumsiness of the body, so we run to the physicians, seek advice and help, so that we may escape the misfortune in time and it will not become worse. But why don't we do the same here, since there is a thousand times more driving to be done? For bodily sickness only harms the body and must finally cease. But the sickness of the soul, sin, brings eternal death, where one does not come forward and needs the right physician. But there you see how everyone despises such driving. He who lies in avarice, fornication, gluttony, envy, wrath, pride, disobedience and other such sins, all of which are mortal sins, for which the wrath of God comes upon the disobedient children, surely goes about as if he lacks nothing; and it is often the greatest concern and highest complaint of blind, miserable people that they do not have cause enough for such sins. Well, whoever believes Christ here and confesses to be a sinner, will see that he does not give too much room to such a soul sickness and let it sit too heavily, but looks around in time for the remedy and the right physician.
Who is now the same physician? Here you hear it: No one, except our dear Lord Christ Jesus. For since the devil is the beginner of sins and has led man into sin, it is in vain to seek help from men against such harm, who all, none excepted, have such harm in themselves. Therefore such a man belongs to it, who is mighty over the devil and is his lord. This is our dear Lord Christ, true man and eternal God, who is the right physician, and has the certain art, yes, also the command and the office, that he should help us sick, poisoned people. As he says at the end: "I have not come for the sake of the righteous.
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For the sake of those who think they are pious for themselves and do not need anyone to help them, but for the sake of sinners. Notice this.
(13) For first of all, it is so that you may learn to know God rightly. For, as has often been said, our hearts are naturally under the delusion that God does not want to show mercy to sinners. As the law also teaches, God wants to be merciful to the pious and those who do His will; the others He wants to punish in disgrace. But if this were God's will, Christ would not have come to earth thinking that he wanted to be the sinner's physician and bring them to righteousness. He would have left them stuck in sins, without grace and help, and would not have come on earth and become man at all. But because he becomes man, and here freely confesses: As a physician belongs to the sick, so he belongs to the sinners; even the Pharisees will not let themselves be rejected by such a thing: there one sees how God's counsel and will is not other than to help the sinners and to prove mercy to them.
14 Secondly, this serves to teach us to beware of false and erroneous teaching. For all the world is concerned with how one can get rid of sins and become free of them. For this the Turks need their Alkoran, the Jews their law, the pope his orders, masses, fasting, confession, pilgrimages, indulgences and other things. But a Christian who understands this gospel sees that such things are lies and deceit. Cause, here he hears that the only physician who can and should help from sins is our dear Lord Christ, and no one else.
Therefore, the verdict is soon reached. Of the dogs, the Turks, it is not necessary that we speak. But Moses and the law have a good appearance. The divine service in the papacy also. But because the Jews do not want to say that their Moses and law is Christ; the papists must not say that their works, orders and worship is Christ: so a Christian concludes roundly and badly that all this does nothing for the forgiveness of sin. Cause, the only physician is Christ, and no one else. Whoever
If anyone seeks help against sin other than from Christ, he will not find it; it is in Christ alone, and in him alone will it be found.
16 How does this physician help? what kind of medicine does he need? The Lord shows this finely at the end, when he says that he has come to call sinners to repentance. For before Christ comes with his medicine, that is, with his word, the holy gospel, one sees that the world lives and floats in all security, in sins, and there is neither hearing nor keeping. Not only is there no repentance because of sins, but there is still pleasure and joy in it, and one cannot be full of evil. But when Christ comes and communicates to us his medicine, that is, his word, by which the Holy Spirit punishes the world for sin, righteousness and judgment, the wrath of God is first revealed to us, that man recognizes his sin and is displeased with it, and wishes he had not done it. But this does not yet help the disease, and yet it must be. For without such recognition, grace and comfort are of no account. When the hearts are so frightened and distressed that they hold on to themselves, are sorry for their sins, and strive to amend them, then it is the right time to come with the medicine and to restore and comfort the troubled consciences. But this is done only by seeing how Christ suffered for us, and paid for our sin by his death, and gave us eternal life and righteousness by his resurrection.
This is the only remedy that the Lord calls "repentance" in one word, by which we are delivered from the harmful disease of the soul, sin. If we accept this with a right heart, and trust that it is certainly true that God will be merciful to us for Christ's sake, that He will not remember our sins, and that He will accept us in grace and make us blessed, then a right, serious obedience will follow, so that we will beware of sins and no longer desire to anger God, who has done such grace for us and given us His Son.
(18) So then sinners are rightly helped, that instead of sin there is a double gift.
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There is justice. As the holy evangelist praises our physician Christ and says: He is full of grace and truth; not only for his person, but that he wants to communicate and give us grace and truth. "Grace" is that sin is forgiven us. "Truth" is that we do not, like the hypocrites, become pious in appearance, but from the heart, and gladly and willingly do what we know, since God is pleased with what happens. On the other hand, the hypocrites, who pretend to be righteous, keep their sin, and all their holiness is only lies and hypocrisy. .
(19) Let us diligently remember this, and thank God for His grace, that we have found the right physician, praise be to God always, and have received the right medicine, by which we are helped from sins and are made holy, not only because of the works we do in the faith of Christ, and God is pleased with them, even though they are not yet perfect; but because of the grace that through faith in Christ all our sins are forgiven us, and we have become children of God.
(20) This is the first part of Christ's responsibility, so that he teaches us what his office is, namely, that he is a physician for sins, and therefore will not be driven away from sinners, but will remain with them, care for them through his word, and help them from sins. This is a very comforting and useful sermon.
The other piece of responsibility is based on the saying of the prophet Hosea, and is also exceedingly comforting and beautiful. For this saying goes completely against the law and the highest service of God in the law; therefore it needs its own sermon.
(22) First of all, we should pay special attention to the word volo, I am pleased. For here think, who is speaking? Is it not true, the high majesty, God himself? If he is pleased with something, then the whole creature and everything that exists must also be pleased with it. Therefore, this single saying would be sufficient to teach us God's will, and we would not need any other books. For here
It is so round and fine that God says, "This is what I want, this is how I am minded, this is what pleases me, I delight and delight in you being merciful to one another.
(23) Is it not a wonder above all wonders that men have put so much diligence, effort and labor into how they might serve God and live to please Him? One has done one thing, another another; one has become a priest, another a monk; one has said mass, another has fasted: and yet no one has looked at this bright, clear text, that our Lord God says here: "This is what I want, this is what I am pleased with, that you may be merciful. For this single word, if we were to consider it rightly, would bring down to the ground all monasteries, religious orders and services that have been in the papacy up to now. For, tell me, is it not true that all these things began because we thought: O that I might know how to serve God? One thought, "It will please Him if I put on a cap. Another thought, "It will please Him if I fast a lot, pray a lot, go on pilgrimages. In sum, the whole world has followed the one word that is written here: "I am well pleased"; everyone has sought it and would have liked to know it. Now the Lord wants it unconcealed, but free and open, and tells us here what he is pleased with, namely, mercy. But everyone passes by as if he did not mean it, or as if he had mocked us.
(24) This is now the great lamentation and the annual, horrible blindness, that we seek to serve God through our own thoughts; and since He Himself tells us how we can and should serve Him, no one wants to believe Him, no one wants to follow Him. That is why, as Isaiah says Cap. 65, 1.: "I am sought by those who do not ask for me", that is, they do not want my word, and yet they want to be with me and be considered holy. "But I," he says, "am found by those who do not seek me," that is, who accept my word and do not follow their own thoughts. For it grieves God greatly, and justly, because he has revealed himself, and desires to be found.
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We do not want to follow such revelation, but we want to follow our own thoughts and follow them.
(25) This is the first word in this saying, which is very much needed, as you hear. For by this one can know God's heart and will. Now the prophet continues, and names the child, and says what it is that God is pleased with, and says: "I am pleased with mercy. Let this word also be commanded thee, and mark it diligently and well against all works that have a great appearance, but are not mercy. For we see here that the prophet diligently remembers mercy in this way, but that God will not put up with the highest service of God in the law, which He Himself has ordained; how then should He put up with other works that we do without God's word, not to serve people with them, but so that we may be pious and holy and praised by everyone?
26 Everyone knows well what mercy is, namely, when your neighbor is in trouble, you take care of it as if it were your own affliction and help as much as you can. Therefore, only look at your neighbor's lack and need, and you will soon know what mercy is. The greatest and highest need is the lack of the soul or the sickness of the soul, of which we have heard above, sin.
(27) If you want to show mercy, that is, to serve God and to do him a kind and pleasant work, you must not run away from sinners, flee and avoid them, as the Pharisees do here, but stand by them, instruct them, admonish them, punish them, comfort them, and even be patient with them and carry them. Behold, there are many ways in which mercy can be shown in this particular case, since the monks, fleeing such toil and labor, have shut themselves up in the monasteries and have engaged in other works that have improved no one, regardless of the fact that God says here in clear, unambiguous words: He is pleased with mercy.
After such illness are also diseases of the body, melancholy and others. Since
you can also help and serve your neighbor in many ways: if not with money and goods, then with a good word and a kind heart, so that you would like to help wherever you can. And it is certain, where you do it, that God in heaven laughs at it, is happy and in good spirits, and says: "Right, my son, continue in this way, this pleases me, I have pleasure and love in it. But don't you think, if such honor could be bought with money, that one could know for sure that God would be pleased with us: we would not let anything take our time and would gladly put everything into it? Now it is written loud and clear: "I am well pleased with mercy." But we hear it and do not believe it; otherwise we would go in leaps and bounds, and with joy and love we would urge ourselves to help and advise poor, miserable, afflicted people, and thus come to the glory that God said to us: I am pleased with your life. That is why the Pharisees and all the works saints are poor wretched people, that they still flee from such honor, and do not want to wear this holy shield or umbrella on their heads. For the fact that the saints are painted with a shield or splendor around their heads is nothing more than an indication that they have walked in God's word and that all their lives, deeds and actions have been included in God's word.
29 Thirdly, we learn that people not only suffer in their souls and bodies, but also in their goods and food. One can also show mercy in many ways, with food, drink, clothing and other things, as the Lord Himself finely tells us, Matth. 25, 35. f.: "I was hungry, and you fed me; I was thirsty, and you gave me water; I was a guest, and you gave me shelter; I was naked, and you clothed me". 2c. None of these good works are found in the works saints. For they not only give nothing, but devour other people's goods, as Christ says of the Pharisees, and have good days in their holiness. Therefore, these false saints should have a devil's muck painted on their heads instead of the sheen or shine; that would be their proper emblem and visor.
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(30) Thus, your beloved ones have what to do when they want to serve God and do His will with outward works: nothing else, but to show mercy to their neighbor. For it is the neighbor who needs our works; God in heaven does not need them. For what will we or can we give him, who have nothing; for we receive everything only from him? But this is what we need above all that God gives us here on earth, that He also give us His word, so that we may learn to know Him and His will. With the same, God is also served, for it belongs to His glory. Therefore, it is written in the prophet Hosea that we should show mercy to our neighbor, and thus please God; and after that we should be commanded to know God, that is, we should accept the gospel and believe it. For it is through this alone that one knows God. Thus one has God's will. But the Lord does not mention such a thing, for he speaks here only of some of the things we owe to the people. Nothing is to be a good work, nor is it to be called a good work, for mercy alone is within, that the neighbor may be helped in his need.
Now God does not leave it at that, that he alone said: "I am pleased with mercy"; but adds: "I am pleased with mercy, and not with sacrifice"; and with the knowledge of God more than with many burnt offerings. This is a very strange and probably half-heretical appendix, if the Pharisees were allowed to say so. Cause, sacrifice and burnt offering have been in the Law the most distinguished services of God, which God Himself has chosen and commanded to perform. Therefore, it would be coarse enough if the prophet said: God is more pleased with mercy than with sacrifice. But to say that God has no pleasure in sacrifice is too much and very heretical. Whether the Pharisees like it or not, whether they are angry or not, Christ does not mince words, and says freely: "I am pleased with mercy, and not with sacrifice."
- Now the question arises: Why did God so discredit the sacrifices in this place?
damme, which he nevertheless at much fathers very well put up with? To this, then, learn to answer: In the eighteenth Psalm there is a verse which reads thus: "With the saints thou art holy, and with the pious thou art pious, and with the pure thou art pure, and with the perverse thou art perverse." Item, Paul says, "That which is not of faith is sin."
(33) Therefore, one must look at the persons here and make a distinction between those who are holy and the others who are unholy. For since the saints keep themselves righteous toward God through faith and toward their neighbor through mercy, God is pleased not only with their sacrifices, but with other lesser works, all their work, eating, sleeping, and other things; and so much so, even though they are not yet pure in all things, and often fall and sin out of weakness, that such things do not harm them, but are given and forgiven. For God is holy with the saints, even when they sin; but that they do not persist in it, but by faith keep themselves again in God's grace.
- On the other hand, because the wicked do not keep themselves righteous, but wicked (for they have neither faith nor confidence in God), they do not respect love toward their neighbor, and go about with their sacrifices, with their own chosen worship and piety, seeking thereby their glory and honor: so it comes to pass that God is also perverse with such perverse people, and says: Because ye will not obey my commandment of faith and love, in which I am well pleased; neither will I suffer your best works and highest worship, your sacrifice; and not only shall your sins hurt you, but also your best works shall become the greatest sins. Cause, I do unto you even as ye do unto me; and as the world saith, If thou boast here, I boast here. You do not like what I command; I do not like what you do: so we are parted. Since you have the greatest desire for sacrifice, I have the greatest dislike for it. For you are not such people as I can have any pleasure in.
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35 Therefore, hear your love, how comforting this sermon is to poor sinners, that Christ is with them, helping them, leading them to repentance and making them blessed. On the other hand, you also see the perilous condition of those who think they are not sinners. Therefore, let us get right down to business, recognize our sin, ask God's forgiveness, and be ready to forgive.
and hope for forgiveness through Christ, and so prepare our lives to be called mercy, serving our neighbor as best we can. In this way, God will have pleasure and love for us, and for the sake of Christ, His Son, He will make us fully pious and blessed through His Holy Spirit. May God grant this to us all, amen.
St. Michael's Day.
The first sermon. From the angels.*)
(1) The feast of the angels was instituted in the Church for the sake of the young people, or, if I may say so, for the sake of all Christians, so that they might learn to remember the dear angels and thank God for having ordained such great lords to be our servants and serve us. As the epistle to the Hebrews therefore calls them ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for the sake of those who are to inherit blessedness.
It is true that God could preserve us and protect us from the devil and all misery, for Himself, without the service of angels. Just as he could make us human, like Adam and Eve, without father and mother; just as he could govern land and people without princes; just as he could give us bread without sun and stars, without plowing and farming and other work. But he will not do it; but he has so ordered that one creature shall always serve another. Just as we should thank God for giving us father and mother, worldly authority, sun and stars, grain and all kinds of creatures, so that they serve and help us in this life, so we should also learn that God protects and helps us through His angels, and we should also be grateful to God for this.
- for your love has often heard that
*) Held in the house, in 1532.
the devil is everywhere around men: in the courts, in houses, in the fields, on all roads, in waters, in wood, in the fire; in sum, everything is full of devils, who do nothing but want to break everyone's neck at any moment. And it is certainly true that if God did not fight the evil enemy without ceasing, he would not leave one grain, neither fish nor flesh, not a drop of water, beer or wine unpoisoned.
4 Therefore, when a man loses an eye or a hand, or when a man is strangled, or when a pestilence comes upon him, or when another disease comes upon him, these are the devil's blows and casts; he throws at one man's head, and at another man's. If he hits, he has it; but if he does not hit, it is really a sign that God is feeding him through the good angels. If he hits, he has it; but if he does not hit, it is actually a sign that God has fed him through the dear angels. So, when unexpected cases happen, that one falls into a fire, the other into water, these are vain blows and throws of the devil, who is always stabbing and throwing at us, and would gladly inflict all kinds of misfortune on us.
Against such a wicked, poisonous, mischievous enemy, God has ordained the dear angels to watch, so that wherever a devil strikes and throws pestilence, fire, hail, 2c., an angel may be there to defend. For it is a constant battle between angels and devils. The devil would like to have everything
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As we see and experience every day, many a person breaks a leg on the ground, many a person falls down a staircase or stairs, so that he himself does not know what has happened to him. Such and other things the devil would probably always do if God did not intervene through the dear angels. For this reason, he lets us see such individual pieces from time to time, so that we may learn that if God did not intervene every hour, such things would always happen, and therefore we should be more diligent in praying and more grateful to God for such protection.
For God is a God of life, who wants to save and help where we need it. But if we are wicked and do not ask for His word, nor thank Him for His fatherly protection and care, then He becomes angry and keeps His angels at home, and leaves room for the devil to tame wicked boys with pestilence and other misfortunes, because they do not want to do any good; so it is over with us. Just as if you pull off your hand and will not give your children food, clothing or anything else, they are already poor and corrupt. So God also punishes the ungrateful, wicked wretches by not intervening and keeping His angels at home.
7 So we see that it also happened to the pious Job. For in his history it is written that our Lord God asks the devil: "Where did you come from? The devil answers and says, "I have wandered through the land." There is no doubt that it will not have gone without harm. For as the journeyman is wont to go about, Peter says, seeking as a lion where he may feed and choke. Then the Lord speaks further: "Have you not taken care of my servant Job; for he is not like him in the land, wicked and righteous, God-fearing and shunning evil." Satan answers GOD again, saying, "Job hath been well godly: for thou hast kept his house and all that he hath round about, and hast heaped a wall about it." With such words he means: The dear angels must be around him, and look at his wife, child, field and cattle. As if the evil enemy wanted to say: "I would have come to that, where you did not defend yourself.
Now our Lord God lets him try, he shall do with Job's goods as he pleases. In a flash the devil comes, arouses some evil men, who drive away Job's thousand oxen and donkeys and slay the servants. Then he causes fire to fall from heaven and burns seven thousand sheep, shepherds and all. Third, he arouses the Chaldeans, who invade with three bands and take three thousand camels from Job and slay what they find.
(9) All this happened in one day, and it was not enough. For Job had three daughters and four sons; and while they were together, merry and of good cheer, behold, the devil stirred up such a tempest as threw the house into a heap, and slew all that was therein. The devil was able to do this, but not before God had allowed him to. So it can also happen to us. When our Lord God calls the angels back, ours is not, it is dead in a moment.
010 But what did Job do when he heard such affliction? He made himself very miserable, tore his clothes, pulled out his hair; but still he fell to the ground in all humility, prayed and said, "I came naked from my mother's womb: naked shall I go again. The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away, the Lord be praised." That makes me a very good and holy man. But what happened next? "It came to pass in the day," saith the Scripture, "that Satan stood again before God, and the Lord said unto him, Whence comest thou?" This way of speaking the Scripture has here, that it speaks of a thing as it happens with us and we think of it. For God must not ask, he knows all things beforehand, even before they happen. Satan answers, "I have compassed the land round about." Here you hear once again that the enemy is not idle nor does he celebrate, he is always creeping after us humans. We must learn this and therefore beware of him and take good care of ourselves.
- The Lord asks Satan again, saying, "Have you also taken care of my servant Job? for it is his fault.
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He is not a wicked and righteous man in the land, fearing God, avoiding evil, and still holding to his piety; but thou hast moved me to destroy him without a cause. Satan answers the Lord, "This is no miracle; all misfortune is yet to be overcome, because it is not skin deep here. But let me attack him on his skin, on his flesh and bones; what does it matter? the good words will remain behind; he will let himself be heard differently than now, since it has not gone over his own skin, but over others. Now the Lord also allows Satan to do this, saying, "Behold, he is in your hand; attack him in his body, and afflict him as you will; but spare his life, and do not kill him." This is a particularly comforting piece, that nevertheless our Lord God has caught the devil in such a way that he cannot go any further than God allows him to go. What happened? The devil went out and struck poor Job so full of evil swarms that there was not a single spot on his skin, from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, that he sat down in the ashes and scraped himself with broken pieces.
The pagans do not know where such misfortune suddenly comes from. But we know that it is the work of the devil, who has such halberds, lead bullets and guns, such spears and swords, so that he shoots, throws and stabs among us, if God allows him. Therefore, no one doubts it; where there is a fire, that a village or house burns down, there is always a little devil sitting there, who always blows into the fire, so that it should become bigger. So if someone dies of pestilence, drowns, falls to his death, the devil does it and God forbids it, because otherwise we would become too evil. As you can see, even though such punishments are carried out, the world does not turn away from them.
(13) Therefore we need such punishment and examples, so that we do not live so boldly and recklessly, but ask God for the protection of the dear angels daily and thank Him for it. For although He could protect us by Himself without the help of the angels, He will do so through the angels: they are like a chariot around us, so that the
Devil does not break in on us every moment and do harm.
(14) Therefore let us learn and know that the devil harms us all in body, goods and honor: he does it by himself, as when he attacks Job in the body; or by his servants, the wicked men, as when he attacks Job in the goods, and arouses the Chaldeans and others against him. For our Lord God, as reported above, is a God of life, and can do nothing but good through Himself. But this serves us, that we should not be insolent and sure, as if we were alone and the devil were a thousand miles away from us. No, you are not alone; the devils are swarming all around, as Paul says: They fly in the air like jackdaws and crows, shooting and throwing at us without ceasing.
15 But there is the consolation: they cannot strike rather than God wills it; otherwise we should fear to death. After that there is another consolation, as we see in Job, that God does not let the devil have his way all the time, as if we deserved it and God was angry with us; but that he wants to try us, whether we will also be patient and hold on to his goodness.
16 After this, the third consolation, of which we are particularly concerned today, is that against such evil and harmful actions of the devil, God created the dear angels to serve us and protect us. For they are kind, merciful, benevolent spirits, who gladly let themselves be used to hinder the devil's activity. Therefore, if the dear angels were not in the courts of emperors, kings and princes, the devil would not tarry long, but would cause all misery, so that they would fall into each other every hour. But our Lord God allows it to happen that great lords become divided; he sometimes lets the devil light a fire, but there are the dear angels who extinguish it again and make peace. But where God withdraws His angels because of our sins or other causes, there it goes badly, with murdering, burning, ravishing women and other things, and the devil takes pleasure in it. So there would be no peace in the household either,
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but an eternal discord, stealing, unfaithfulness, neglect 2c.; nothing would go right, but everything would be full of misery and heartache, where it should follow the will of the devil. But God controls him through his dear angels, even though he has sometimes lit a fire, stirred up mischief and other things, so that he must give way and desist.
(17) Therefore let no man be safe; for all things are full of devils, which would gladly hurt the body, the goods, and the soul, with bitterness, hatred, wrath, jealousy, and other things, that they might bring us down to hell. But that this does not happen, we have to thank our gracious Father in heaven, who, through his angels, the high and excellent spirits, prevents the devil: that nevertheless more good than harm always happens; that there is more peace than war; that more grain remains and grows than is destroyed by frost, hail and other things; that more houses remain standing than burn down; that we humans have more healthy limbs than sick ones. If the devil attacks an eye, a foot, an arm, the other body is healthy. Thus, more of them are left to die than die of pestilence.
- But that it does not go so purely, and the devil does harm now here, now there: God allows this to happen, so that he wakes us up, and we open our eyes, look around, what we have and keep besides such harm for grace; and thank God for it, if war, pestilence or other misfortune goes, that it has not gone to failure, but still something, and most of the part, has remained. As the prophet Jeremiah does: he admonishes his people to be silent and not to complain that they have been punished and led away; for this is a great mercy, he says, so that we are not completely destroyed. For this is how the devil would like it: he is not content to break your leg, he would like to tear your neck off. He is not content that one or two of a house should die; he would gladly clear the house. As it also happens from time to time; as a warning to us that we should live in the fear of God and ask for the protection of the dear angels. For we are too weak for the enemy. Therefore, where a
If such an accident occurs, we should get used to it and say with the pious Jeremiah: "Well, if a child has died for me, if an eye has been spoiled for me, praise God that the others will remain and that not everything will be lost. For with this, God wants to teach us what the devil would dare to do if he were not defended by the dear angels.
Therefore let us learn that we are in great danger day and night, and that we are like a target to the devil, who always has a cocked crossbow and a loaded rifle, and aims at us, so that he shoots among us with pestilence, with the French, with war, with fire, with hail, with storms. But our dear Lord God, through His dear angels, makes the crossbow fail him and the rifle burst or fail. He also lets him be struck at times, so that we may learn that we are not nobles and that not everything is in our hands, and therefore pray all the more diligently that God will not leave the devil his space, but will graciously ward him off through his dear angels.
20 We are to learn this today, that our Lord God has appointed His angels, so that every Christian has not one, but many angels to guard him; just as every one has his own devils who creep after him; and where they cannot do more, they give you evil dreams, hang evil mouths on you, which are to deceive, hinder and revile. Then know that all this is called the devil's trick; *) and beware lest thou live as the heathen do: they also see and experience such calamities, but they think they happen by chance, for they know nothing of the devil. But learn thou, and say, This is what the wretched devil hath done. Again, when thou seest that a thing is well done, say, He hath had a good angel; otherwise it should be worse done. As when a man comes out of a flood, or a stone falls on him and does him no harm, this is not called good fortune, but the work of angels.
(21) Now there is a difference both among the angels and among the devils.
*) Gerick - young brood. D. Red.
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Princes and lords have great and excellent angels, as is seen in Daniel 10; children and wicked servants have lesser and meaner angels, for one is always greater, stronger and wiser than the other. So also the devils. For this very reason Christ says they have one kingdom, Luc. 11. For as to one kingdom belong many persons and unequal offices, so are there unequal offices among the devils. These are lesser devils, who attack with fornication, avarice, honor and the like; but these are higher spirits, who attack with unbelief, with despair, with heresies. Such devils have to deal with the pope, where they otherwise do not all have to deal with him, and with the spirits of the rotten. Therefore, it is highly necessary that we get used to prayer and faithfully cry out to God in such high journeys that He will not take such protection of the dear angels from us. Otherwise we are finished; we are much too weak for the devil.
(22) But this also belongs to prayer, that one may live in the fear of God and beware of sins. For the dear angels are holy and pure spirits, and therefore they cannot suffer where one leads an ungodly life, lives in fornication and other vices.
wanted. As it is also evident that God punishes such vices very severely. That is why the 34th Psalm v. 8 says: "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and helps them out. For whoever does not want to fear God and is in trouble and distress, the angels will leave him in the lurch and will not help him. For their protection shall be such that God's word and order shall not be shattered, and the wicked shall not go unpunished for their sins.
(23) Therefore, if you want the angels around you and with you, fear God and be godly; as the Lord Christ says in the Gospel, that they rejoice over sinners who repent. From this must ever follow, where there is an impenitent man, who continues in sins forever, that the dear angels see their sorrow, and have vain grief and displeasure from it, and cannot remain with such people, though they would gladly; their kind and nature cannot endure it. Let this be preached by the angels this time, so that we may learn to thank God for such glorious protection, and pray from the bottom of our hearts every day that God will not take it from us, but will graciously rule over us, amen.
St. Michael's Day.
Second Sermon.
Matth. 18, 1-10.
At that hour the disciples came to Jesus and said: Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Jesus called a child to him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. He therefore that bringeth himself low, as this child, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives such a child in my name receives me. But whosoever shall offend the least of these that believe on me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the deepest part of the sea. Woe to the world because of trouble. Trouble must come, but woe to the man by whom trouble comes. But if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for you to become lame or crippled, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. See that you do not despise any of these little ones. For I tell you, their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
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This gospel tells at the end about the young children and their angels; therefore, in order that one might have cause to speak of such protection of the dear angels, it was placed on this feast.
(2) It has two main parts. In the first, he chastises his disciples for their pride in always wanting to be above one another, saying, "If they desire to enter the kingdom of heaven, they must not seek how they may be held high and glorious, but how they may be brought low, and in that case become like children. As your dear ones have just heard of such a thing on St. James' Day and St. Bartholomew's Day. For this reason we will leave it at that. The other part of this gospel is a warning: first, how Christians are not to cause trouble to anyone, and especially how they are to be careful not to offend the young people; and second, when they see trouble in others, how they are to be careful and not be deceived by it. We will also say a little about these two warnings.
(3) Now for the first, it is more and more a pity that this gospel should be preached to such people as take it not to heart, and mean it diligently. For it is an excellent word that the Lord says here of the children, saying, "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, that their angels which are in heaven do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."
(4) It would be much enough to say, They have their own angels. But he makes it even greater by saying, "These same angels see the Father's face in heaven. As if he wanted to say: I command you the young people, that you do not anger them, but rather pull them well, because God is much concerned about them. But if you despise them and do not want to spare them, spare their angels and fear them; and learn, because these same great spirits serve them gladly and do what is best for them, who always stand before God's eyes, always hear him and see him, that you also do the same, who are far, far inferior, and do not annoy them, but wait for them and serve them gladly.
(5) If we had nothing more than this one saying, when Christ lets himself be heard, how God, his Father, is so concerned about the young people, we should conclude that among all good works there is no greater nor better than to raise young people rightly. For who would not consider it great to serve those whom the angels serve, who are always before God? Therefore, father and mother, servants and maids, schoolmasters and preachers, and all those who deal with young servants, should be heartily willing and cheerful for such service, and not let anything spoil it; because these great princes of heaven are not ashamed to serve the young servants and to look upon them. This is the first thing to be learned from today's Gospel, besides the teaching about the angels.
The other is that one should not only gladly serve the youth, but one should also not annoy them, neither with words nor with deeds, but draw them to the best, so that they learn to pray, to be chaste, moderate, obedient, faithful, quiet and true, not to curse, not to rebuke, and to keep themselves finely virtuous in words and deeds. This is what God wants from us old people, that we should train the young and diligently prevent them in all ways from becoming carnal, naughty, wild people. As it happens very soon, where one does not prevent it by diligent discipline.
007 For this we see by experience, that youth is like tinder, which overmuch easily catcheth that which is evil and grievous. Therefore it is necessary to take special care that both the children and their angels are watched: the angels, that they be not deceived; and the children, that they be not offended. For hear further how the Lord takes care of these things.
- "He that receiveth such a child," saith he, "in my name receiveth me: but whosoever shall offend the least of these that believe on me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the deepest part of the sea. There are two things in common: He who takes a child seriously and nurtures him so that he learns to know God,
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I promise him," says Christ here, "that he will receive me himself and love me as if he were carrying me in his arms and caring for me as my mother cared for me. This means to preach sweetly and to entice kindly.
9 But why does the Lord do this? Only because he knows well how the young people like to hear lewd things and are soon seduced; so they find evil mouths that gladly help them. And God be lamented in heaven above, one finds boys and maidens of ten or twelve years of age who curse torture, Veltin, Frenchmen, and other vile oaths, and are otherwise shameful and coarse with words. From whom do they learn it? From no one, but from those who should prevent them, from father and mother, and from the shameful evil servants. For they would rather learn it and realize it much better than the Lord's Prayer. That is what the old evil tinder does, the corrupt nater that is in us. But what judgment will follow? "Better," says Christ, "would it be if they were drowned in the sea, where it is deepest." This is to indicate that such offense and sin will be punished not only with temporal death, but with eternal damnation.
010 Therefore be more careful and deliberate with the young people, and speak not all things that are spoken and done. As the pagans also said: Maximam reverentiam deberi juventuti: Before young people one should be ashamed most of all. But how many are there who do this? That is why it is so bad everywhere in the world that there is no more discipline, no more respectability, no more faith, no more loyalty among the people. Cause, the old do everything without shyness and speak, and let the young watch; they then let themselves think that they also have power, what others, and especially the parents, do, that is also forbidden to them. But that our Lord God should laugh at this, you can learn here from the sermon of our Lord Christ. For since the world thinks that it is without a special duty to curse, or to let out a coarse, shameful word in front of the young, it is not forbidden to do so.
People; then Christ says it would be better to have a millstone on your neck and lie in the middle of the sea.
011 So we ought to serve the young gladly, and not to offend them: not only that we do no evil in their sight, but also that we keep them from evil, and keep them diligently in discipline. As when a child curseth, or speaketh a shameful word, let it be earnestly spoken unto him, saying, Be ashamed in thine heart, and do it no more. For thine angel standeth, and heareth, and is afraid of such a curse, and looketh sore upon it. If then your angel is terrified by it and sees it sourly, and he stands before God's face, do you not think that God will notice it, who otherwise sees and knows everything, and will therefore also see it sourly and be angry about it? Therefore, do not do it at all. With such and other words the youth can be drawn, because otherwise they grow up in their sod *) and learn and practice all naughtiness. But where such words and faithful admonition will not take place nor help, parents have orders to beat them with their fists and not to let the children keep their courage.
(12) This is what the Lord would have us old men do, that we should take heed to the young, and guard against naughtiness, because we can still defend ourselves. For if it is overlooked once, it is not helped afterwards. And so much more diligence and attention is needed, that, as said before, youth is a tinder that catches very soon. If you utter a curse or a rude word, and think that the child has not heard it, he is soon caught, and if you are not there, he will repeat it to you and never forget it for the rest of his life. So it happens very soon that a young person is corrupted, if one does not prevent this with special diligence and has good respect for himself.
Now it is no joke, the Lord puts a great punishment on it. Again, he says that what is done to a child in such a case is done to him. Both of these things should move us so that we do not make up our minds.
*) Growing up in one's own sod - growing up in a raw way". D. Red.
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but as Christians hold ourselves. For if we do not, they say: It would be better for you to lie in the sea where it is deepest. Again, if we do it and do not offend the young people, but by our example accustom them to God's word, to discipline and shame in word and deed, this pleases God, who will pay for it with His blessing; whereas those who offend the young people and do not spare them shall have neither happiness nor salvation.
14 Let this be said recently of the one passage from today's Gospel, that everyone should beware of anger, and especially see to it that he does not offend the young people who, because of their age, are not yet able to govern themselves properly. For the punishment sufficiently shows how great a sin this is. God Himself has not inflicted a greater corporal punishment on the slayers than that they should be judged with the sword and their lives taken away. But the Lord says here that the punishment of those who offend the young people should be such that they should rather be drowned in the sea. Therefore, we are not to joke here, but we are all to take special care of ourselves in speech, in everything we do, and in everything we do when young people are present, so that we do not offend anyone.
(15) To this teaching and exhortation the Lord adds another, saying, Let not the world turn to such a warning, but let it do what it pleases, and let no man or woman be offended. Because it cannot be otherwise because of the evil world, trouble must come; so the Lord teaches and admonishes how Christians are to conduct themselves, and makes a fine comparison, saying: Is it not true, that if thou wouldest keep both feet and hands, thou must either go into hell fire; or if thou wouldest go to heaven, thou must cut off one foot or one hand: thou wouldst much sooner have the foot or the hand cut off, than heaven and blessedness forgive thee? So it is much more likely to lose one eye than to keep both eyes and go down to hell. But now it is true, and cannot be
otherwise, hell belongs to trouble. Therefore, whoever gives trouble or follows trouble has forfeited heaven.
16 But how shall Christians keep themselves? In the world, trouble will come by force, and yet it soon happens that people are deceived by it. Here the Lord answers and teaches us all, saying, "The journey is great. For where there is trouble, there is hell and death. Now if you want to escape such a journey, you will have to attack yourselves, and you will have to suffer as much pain as if an arm or a leg had to be taken off you. For it shall come to pass that thou hast a good friend, when thou shalt think that thou canst sooner take an eye, or a foot, or a hand, than that thou shouldest take such a friend and let him go. But if thou wilt remain a Christian, if thou wilt go to heaven, and keep thyself from hell, turn not to any man, be he father or mother, lord or lady, prince or emperor; if he be in trouble, beware, follow him not; let there be a spiritual journey upon thee, as high as it may be. For the spiritual danger is much higher, so that whoever follows the trouble must fall from life into death.
17 So that the sum of this warning is that we should stick to our word, hold fast to it, and not ask any man whether we can enjoy it as much as we like, or whether we must pay for it as much as is always possible. For no journey nor profit nor benefit can be so great as that journey where one allows himself to be led into trouble. Whoever does this lets a small temporal benefit move, and gives himself into an eternal journey.
18 As we unfortunately learn today, not in few. For how many do you think are at royal and princely courts, and know well that there is no reason for the papist religion; and yet, before they anger their prince, or want to burden themselves with a few dangers for the sake of the confession, they stay with the trouble and do not want to touch it with the least word? They let themselves think that it would endanger their lives.
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It would be a matter of hands, feet and eyes, where they should turn away from their prince and flee from idolatry. So it is a very common trouble with the priestly people: they do not lack that they do not know what is wrong; they know very well that their conjugal life cannot exist without trouble and great sin; they know that the consciences should not be weighed down by food, that the sacrament should be given in its entirety, that the dead saints should not be called upon 2c.But there they persist in the midst of and in such vexation; and nothing keeps them, but that they are sorry, if they should leave the life of the priests, it will be their loss, they will no longer be able to feed themselves, they will have to go begging, like the lame, the blind and the crippled, who cannot gain their bread. They do not want to hurt themselves, they do not want to suffer anything for the sake of the gospel; and, as the Lord says here, they would rather go down to hell with both hands, feet and eyes than with one hand.
hand, one foot, one eye want to go to heaven.
19 So this warning of our Lord Christ goes both ways. Let us beware lest any of us be offended: for it were better that a millstone were hanged about thy neck, and that thou weret sunk into the bottomless pit of the sea. After that, one should not let the anger tempt him, but should stick to the word and not do anything against it, regardless of what other people say about it, whether they laugh or look angry, whether they can do harm or help. This is what our dear Lord Christ commanded his Christians to do. For he sees how much is so very much at stake, and yet how soon it is done, that one either gives offense, or allows offense to seduce one. May God, the eternal Father, through His Holy Spirit, for the sake of Christ JEsu, graciously protect us from all trouble, and in right faith in His Word, without all trouble, graciously preserve us and make us eternally blessed, amen.
On the day of Simonis and Jude.
John 15:17-25.
This I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hates you, know that it hated me before you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember my word which I said unto you: The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things shall they do unto you for my name's sake: for they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and told them, they would have had no sin; but now they have nothing to excuse their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else has done, they would have had no sin; but now they have seen it, and yet they hate both me and my Father. But that the saying might be fulfilled which is written in their law, They hate me without a cause.
(1) In today's Gospel, there are two particular things that we are to learn: the first is the command by which Christians are to conduct their lives if they want to live rightly and godly; the other is, if they are in trouble and have to suffer in the wicked world, what consolation they should take, and how they should be able to
of such suffering, that it may become small and easy for them.
- From the first part we should know that the Lord has summarized our whole life in the one commandment of love, that we Christians should live kindly among ourselves and help one another in whatever way we can.
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For this is the way of love, that one neither thinks nor speaks evil of anyone, but does all the good that one can and is able to do. If you, my Christians," says Christ, "do this, then you have done enough and must not look for a greater or better service; God will be satisfied with you and will be pleased with you in the best way.
(3) This is a short, simple command, according to which Christians are to judge all their doings. For they have great cause, not only because of the example that God has shown them all love and mercy; as we heard in the Gospel of the two servants, that God has forgiven all our sins, and above that has given His Son for our own: but also because we Christians are brothers among ourselves and children of God, who are all called to an eternal inheritance, and have a common enemy who opposes us and would gladly deprive us of such an inheritance. Therefore we should be all the more diligent in assembling ourselves together, and not help such an evil enemy against the Christians to his will of courage; but think: Behold, this is also a Christian, and has the very enemy who is creeping after him to his eternal destruction, as he did after me. What then would I do to myself and to him, that I should first of all press him also, or do him evil? I want to help him, be kind to him, show him all love and loyalty; in this way I do what is rightfully mine and what Christ, my Lord, has told me to do.
(4) Therefore, we Christians must not look far to see how and by what means we are to serve God; as the world looks around and tries and undertakes all kinds of things. As we see in the papacy, there is so much and so many different ways of serving God that everyone has his own way of serving God, and yet it is not a service. For what do you think that God is served by a monk running into a monastery, needing special food, clothing and other things? God does not ask for such works; He has commanded you to hear His word diligently, to be baptized, to seek forgiveness of sins from Christ, and to receive His Supper. If you have done these things, you have done everything that God wants you to do for His sake.
Although God commands us to do this, so that it may benefit us, and so that we may come to the knowledge of God, to the forgiveness of sins and to eternal life, we must not give a penny for it, except that those who serve us for this purpose may receive their wages or remuneration as devout, faithful servants. That is a small thing! Apart from this, God has no need of your money and goods, nor does he want it.
(5) Therefore, it has been a vain fare that the world has thought that if one built churches, decorated them beautifully, and made great endowments, then God would be pleased and served by them. No, you cannot serve God with money and goods; He does not want your money, but your heart, so that you consider Him to be a God, put all your trust in His goodness, and fear Him. If you do this, he will have enough and will not want more from you for himself. But after that he wants you to love your neighbor and help him with your money and goods; or if you cannot help with money and goods because you yourself are wretched, poor and a beggar, that your heart may be kind to your neighbor. If you do this, God will acknowledge that you have done it for him and will accept and pay for it as his own service.
(6) This should make us Christians willing and joyful, that after we have rendered God His own service with our hearts, He does not expound more to us than that we should love one another. This is a service that rich and poor, small and great, high and low can render; indeed, what is more, the most powerful and greatest lords need such service just as much and rather more than the least and poorest. Emperors and kings are great lords; but if they do not have people who love them rightly and mean them faithfully, their power and wealth are of no avail. For love is such a service that all men need, and all men can perform it if they will. Maid and servant in the house are in a very lowly profession or station; but a maid with her cooking, washing, and other things, a servant with his work-
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The people who work together can only prove their love and serve their neighbor well. As we have experienced, faithful household servants are held dear and valuable everywhere. So children can serve their parents, one neighbor can serve another if he has a kind heart. And so everything, all hours, in all places, and toward everyone, could be done in service, if we would look to love and do what is necessary and useful for our neighbor.
(7) But how many are they that do it? We all forget our love for others, and think only of our love, that we do what is profitable for us. But by this we testify that we are not Christ's disciples; otherwise we would esteem his command greater and higher, and in all our dealings, in buying and selling, look to the love of our neighbor, and not to our own use and advantage alone.
Now, everything can be done here for a while. There is no lack of teaching or preaching; you are told faithfully and often how you owe such obedience to God, and that on the last day he will pay for all kindness to the poor, and that everything we do for our neighbor will be praised on the last day as having been done for him. But to whom do these things go to the heart? who believes them? who keeps them? For if we believed it and let it go to our hearts, there should be less unfaithfulness, miserliness, transgression, deception and damage in the marketplace, in stores and in homes.
(9) Well, everything can be done for a while, but what judgment will finally follow, Christ says in Matthew 25, that he will call such unmerciful Christians, who have no love, to go into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, where they must burn forever. He does not say, the Lord, that such fire is prepared for men. For even though they are all sinners and guilty of eternal death, God wanted to prevent such misery by giving His Son to die for us and then revealing His loving word to us, so that we would know what to do if we wanted to serve God and live to please Him. Thus, our dear Father desired to have us blessed, and for this reason he has given us
not eternal fire, but heaven and eternal life decreed.
(10) But there we go, we consider the forgiveness of sins through Christ to be a small treasure; if we had enough money and good things, we would be more interested. Again, what God tells us to do and serve Him with, we have no desire to do. It must follow, because we are so much in the devil's way, and follow his will more than our Lord God's word, that we must also bear the same judgment with him; we do that to ourselves. We could do better, but we do not want to do better.
(11) Let this be enough of the first thing which the Lord commanded his disciples here at the last supper, when he was to be taken captive that night, and to be crucified in the morning, that they should love one another; and he commanded them thus, saying, I command you. As if to say, If ye will not do it, ye shall do me the highest disobedience, and therefore shall bear your punishment.
The other is the consolation. For here it says: If Christians do what they want, the world will still be hostile to them and hate them. But we know what follows from this, especially when it is such people who have the ability and can do harm. There it does not remain with the bad will; it follows also bad works that one causes harm where one can. Now it would not be a bad thing if the Lord had named these people and said, "If you are Christians, the servant and maidservant in your house, or your neighbors, or a whole village, or a whole city will be hostile to you and do all kinds of evil. For we experience every day what evil a single neighbor, maid or servant can do. But the Lord makes it even harder and more severe, and says, "If the world will punish you. For "the world" does not mean one man, one village, one city, but all men: that a Christian, coming whithersoever he will, shall find the host, the devil, at home; who shall not fail, and shall give him so much of enemies, of temptations, and of miseries, that he shall not know whither.
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(13) If therefore, saith the Lord, ye would gladly shew all love and friendship to every man, but every man is an enemy unto you, and would gladly do you all manner of hurt, learn here what ye ought to think, and how ye may put yourselves into such a perverse life, that ye be not vexed thereby, and depart from the faith and the word. For as it says there in the parable of the seed, the persecution of pieces in particular is one thing that hinders the seed so that it cannot continue and perishes. For this reason, when the cross and persecution come, it soon happens that one thinks, "If I have no more of my faith than that everyone should be hostile to me, I will rather abandon such faith and keep the favor of the people. As we see at court, where the lords will not tolerate the gospel, some prefer to be in favor with their lord rather than with the gospel. This is how it is in the world. Therefore the Lord will comfort and warn his disciples here, that they do not do so, but stand fast in the word, and draw comfort in persecution and suffering, from causes such as these.
014 The first cause that he hath set his own example before us, saying, If the world hate you, know that it hated me before you. Item, after this he says: "The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have kept my word, they will keep yours also." As if to say, "Surely it would be a wretched servant to see his master content with dry bread and a drink of water, or lying on a hard straw, who would not be content with such things, but would have it better. Therefore, when things go badly for you, you do everything to people, but they do everything badly to you and are bitterly hostile to you; see here how I, who am your master, have fared, how the world has treated me, and what I have earned with my service and faithfulness: the gallows and the cross. If this is how you are, do not be lazy, but thank God that you are like me, and that you are as I was. For if the world shall bear with you, as it hath with
If my father has kept himself against me, do not doubt that he will keep himself against you as he has kept himself against me, so that he will give you pleasure in this suffering forever. Without this, it is the same in the world: at court, no one is ashamed of his prince's color; everyone wears it gladly and thinks it is an honor for him. Now I am also a king and have my courtiers, the Christians. Would they be ashamed of my color, which I have worn in the world? That would be an eternal disgrace.
(15) Therefore let no Christian say it of himself; but let them be merry and willing, and think, Now am I like my Lord Christ, now do I wear the ornament which he wore in the world. If the world considers it a disgrace or a misfortune, what do I ask? My Lord Christ in heaven, God, and all his angels and saints consider it the greatest, best adornment and the greatest happiness. As we see in the apostles, Apost. 5:41, they left the council at Jerusalem rejoicing when they were beheaded. Why is that? One should not laugh, but weep after the beating. But, says the evangelist, they rejoiced because they had been worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. Therefore they were not deterred from preaching with beating, but taught the gospel of Christ every day in the temple and now and then in houses. So shall it be with us. It was a disgrace that they were beaten, just as it is a disgrace among us when one is beaten with rods. And yet they rejoiced, and with their preaching gave cause that they should suffer more. For this reason they did not consider suffering to be a disgrace or a harm, but a great honor and a precious thing, as it truly is. For Christ Himself bore such adornment for and for. This is the one cause.
The other is that the Lord says, "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." Here the Lord makes two different kingdoms: one is called the world kingdom, where the devil is the king of the world.
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The other is called the kingdom of heaven, where our Lord Christ is supreme. These two kingdoms are such that they can never get along with each other. And because the world empire with money, goods and power here on earth is superior to the kingdom of heaven and the Christians, it is because of this that the Christians have to suffer and be crushed by such a world empire. Such a thing has a hard, sour appearance and is very painful to the flesh. But, says the Lord, it is a very good sign; for it is certainly true that if you belonged to the world and under the devil's kingdom, he would be well pleased with you, and the world would love you. But that the devil does not leave you satisfied, and the world is hostile to you, is a sure sign that you belong to Christ's kingdom. It is like this: here on earth it is poor and miserable, whereas the world is powerful and rich; but such power and riches last no longer than here on earth, and are followed by eternal suffering and misery; whereas Christians must suffer here with poor Lazaro for a little while, and afterward shall reign and live with the Lord Christ for eternity.
17 Thus the Lord makes the cross and suffering a certain sign and emblem by which we can know that we belong to the kingdom of God and eternal life. On the other hand, the world and reason judge the cross and suffering as an indication of God's disgrace and wrath. But Christ cannot lie. "If you were of the world," he says, "the world would love you. But since ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you from the world, therefore the world hateth you."
(18) Who then would be afraid of suffering? and not rather lift up his hands and say with the apostles: O dear Lord Christ, I thank thee that I have become worthy to suffer for thy name's sake? You yourself wore this ornament, and I, if I also wear it now, can thereby realize that I belong to your kingdom and under your banner, otherwise the world would hold me differently 2c. Therefore, whoever wants to be afraid of God's grace, of heaven and eternal bliss, he may be afraid of the cross and
of persecution will also be frightened. But Christians will rejoice and thank God for it, as Paul says that Christians glory in tribulations.
19 The third reason is that the Lord says, "They will do this to you for my name's sake. This is no small comfort in truth, if we will consider it aright. The world, even though it does not have Christ nor wants to have Him, cannot be exempt from all suffering; it must sometimes take its stand and bite into a sour apple. Two great misfortunes coincide here; the suffering itself is heavy and painful; and the evil conscience is added to it, so that one must say: Behold, God is punishing your sin; if you had been more pious, it would not have happened to you. But with the Christians, says the Lord, it shall have another opinion. They too are poor, weak, frail sinners, but the world is not hostile to them for that reason, nor does it punish them for it. But the fact that they have to suffer is for my name's sake, so that they believe in me, keep my word, confess me, and place their salvation in me. Then they know well that they are doing right and pleasing God. Because they have to suffer for this alone, they cannot have an evil conscience because of this suffering, for they suffer for a good cause.
That is a very necessary consolation. For our reason and nature do not remain behind. As soon as a misfortune comes under our eyes, we look around and think what we have done to deserve it. The devil also stirs things up, for he is very anxious to make our hearts heavy and our suffering all the greater. But let Christians diligently remember the word of Christ, "All these things shall they do unto you for my name's sake." This is always clearly stated what is to be done. For two things are spoken: They will do these things to you for my name's sake, and for your sin's sake.
The holy and pious martyr John Hus himself complains a lot about his sins in his writings. Well, one can see how he is, that he is burned so miserably and shamefully. Now when he himself says
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If he would say, I suffer these things for my sins, let him not do so; for he suffers for the name of Christ, and for his sins nothing at all. Therefore such suffering and shame shall not make him conscience-stricken; but he shall, as he does, rejoice with the apostles, and be of good cheer, that he is worthy to suffer anything for Christ's sake. For though he be a poor sinner, yet the pope persecuteth him not for that; he persecuteth him for the right doctrine. Therefore, he should not be troubled by such sin. For he is not in the world under the devil's kingdom, where sin and death reign; but he is under the Lord Christ and the kingdom of grace, where there is forgiveness of sins and all grace within.
(22) The fourth cause, which we must consider, and therefore be confident and of good cheer in suffering, is this, that Christ says, "Those who persecute Christians do not know the Father; and what is more, they hate both the Father and the Son. This is especially against the great trouble that Christians see and suffer in the world. For behold, who were they that persecuted the apostles, and would not suffer the gospel? They were the chief priests of Jerusalem, who had the Word of God, the right worship, the profession and the office in the church. So, who are they today who persecute us? The pope, his cardinals, bishops, monks, priests, who have and bear the glorious name that they are called clergymen and the Christian Church. If they were loose boys, whom the whole world considered wicked, godless people, and who publicly let themselves be heard in such a way that they did not ask about God and His word, that would not move us very much. But they boast of God, and all their crying is that they want to keep to God, to His word and to the right worship. Therefore it may occur to a simple-minded, yes, even to a great and learned Christian, that he thinks: "Dear, they are also people, they also mean well; who knows whether you are so right in your cause 2c."? ? Such thoughts put a heavy strain on the heart. This is what the name of God does to them, and their office and profession, so that they are highly respected in the eyes of the world.
23 Christ sees this and comforts his Christians. Be of good cheer, saith he, and fear not: let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be cowardly. I tell you, they praise God's word and name as they will; but if they cannot bear my name and my word, but rage against it and persecute it, doubt not, they know not the Father; yea, that is more, they hate the Father. For there will never be any other way: He who hates the Son hates the Father.
(24) Let us diligently remember the verdict. Turks and Jews boast much about God, and want to have a better faith than we Christians. For they say that they cannot fail to believe in the one God who created heaven and earth and all things; this cannot be wrong, they think. But Christ concludes here: He who hates me hates my Father. Since Turks and Jews persecute Christ and his word, it is certain that they also hate the God who created heaven and earth, do not believe in him and do not honor him. For Christ is the same one God; whoever then denies Christ has denied the true, one God's Son; as he says, "The Father and I are one." And here he says: His works testify that he is God, which they saw, but still did not want to believe. It is the same with the Pope: He boasts of God, His name and His word very highly; he also boasts of the Lord Christ and His suffering. But if one preaches: Christ died for our sins, his blood alone washed away our sins, through him alone we come to grace and eternal life; therefore, mass, saints, indulgences, fasting, going on pilgrimages, and other things do not serve the forgiveness of sins: the pope and his crowd do not want to suffer such preaching, persecutes preachers and listeners over it.
(25) These things, saith the Lord here, let them be a sure sign unto you; that he glorieth in my name, and in the name of God, as he will; that he knoweth not God, but is at enmity with God, and with the Lord Christ in his heart, doubting him not. Therefore, do not be frightened by their boast and great pretense. I do not know them; neither do they know me. There-
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You have the consolation that because you love my word and love to hear it, you honor me and serve me; that you honor my Father and serve him. He will not leave you as his dear children, but will reward you and make you blessed. Therefore, do not be concerned about suffering; thank God that you are not among the multitude who not only do not know God, but are still enemies of Him. But you know him, and he also knows you. You love him, and he also loves you. Therefore, do not be disputing whether the world is hostile to you. Such enmity will not be able to harm you so much; God's friendship will help and benefit you a thousand times more.
(26) That it is thus decided: Whoever wants to know God, love God, worship God, serve God, let him know Christ rightly, love Christ, worship Christ, and serve Him. Apart from Christ, it is impossible to know, love, worship or serve God. This is the comforting sermon that should be dear to us Christians, because the cross will not remain outside, so that we may comfort ourselves with it, and in patience overcome all evil, and through Christ may finally be saved. May God grant this to us all, amen.*)
*) Here the edition a closes the sermons with the words: "GOD the Father, GOD the Son" 2c. and still brings the common form of the prayer.
On the day of the consecration of the church.
Luc. 19, 1-10.
And he went in, and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man called Zacchaeus, which was a ruler of publicans, and was rich; and desired to see JEsum, who he was, and could not before the people; for he was small in person. And he ran before, and climbed up a mulberry tree, that he might see him; for there he should pass through. And when Jesus came to the same place, he looked up, and perceived him, and said unto him, Zachaea, come down quickly: for I must return unto thy house this day. And he came down with haste, and received him with joy. When they saw this, they all murmured that he was entering a sinner's house. And Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any, I restore fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come unto this house, because he also is the son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
1 This gospel was taken for the consecration of the church because the Lord says here, "Today salvation has come to this house"; yet the Lord does not speak of stone and wood, but of Zachaeo, the father of the house, and his household. Salvation has come to them, not through the bishops' grease, that the Lord has anointed the house, as the bishops anoint the walls; but through the Lord Christ and his holy word. This is the right Chresam and the right consecration, in which hearts are consecrated and sanctified so that they may know God, receive forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ, and be saved.
will be eternally blessed. This is where the gospel should be interpreted and people should be directed to such salvation, that is, to the holy gospel and pure doctrine. But the papists do not, indeed, they cannot, and in the meantime they go about their foolish work, making a special festival and ostentation of the fact that this church is consecrated in his name, another in the name of another saint. Then the idolatry goes with power, and especially the holy scripture must be pulled with the hair; because they interpret it all on the walls, on stone and wood, which God preaches and promises of his living church, the right believing Christians.
- but the pope has not been able to deal with such a church.
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The consecration of the churches was imitated by Moses, who had a special command to consecrate or sanctify the priests, the Levites, the tabernacle, and all the clothing and vessels that belonged to the service of God. Such a command of God made this consecration not only glorious and great, but also necessary; for what God commands, even if it is no more than picking up a straw from the earth, everyone should consider it delicious and glorious. But where will the pope and his bishops prove that God has also commanded such consecration to them? They must confess that Moses was commanded to do it; but what does that bind them to? Why do they accept it? But if they accept this command, then it must follow that they must also do everything else that was commanded of Moses for the sake of worship: that they must slaughter, perform their priesthood at Jerusalem, and do other such things. For it is not to accept this one command and leave the others behind. Therefore, it is only a mere man's work and folly that they have caused such a great pomp and worship with the consecration of the church; for they have no command, God did not tell them to do it. Therefore, if they consider it a service of God, let them consider who will reward them for it.
3 And as the service is, so is the fruit that comes from it, that especially in the countryside the peasants come together, all the taverns are full, everyone revels and drinks, until finally, when they are full, it becomes a fight and a quarrel. So much so that a saying has come out of it: Let the peasants have their church festivities alone. That is a laudable fruit that follows from such a service. For this reason, the Christian authorities should, ex officio, abolish the consecration of churches, such drudgery and disorderly living, and punish them severely, since nothing good has ever come of it.
(4) As for the church and the proper worship, that is, to hear the word of God, to come together, to pray with one another, and to distribute the Lord's supper, the same shall remain proper; for it mends the people, and cannot even be called a "church".
without fruit, although the least part of it takes it seriously.
Therefore, let us look at this time: What comfort and teaching today's gospel holds out to us. In such, we know, God will be pleased, and we will be improved by it, if we perform such service with earnestness. The evangelist says here about a tax collector Zacchaeus, who was the chief among the tax collectors and very rich. But now your loved ones know how hard the Lord speaks, Matthew 19, when he says to his disciples (v. 23, 24): "Truly I say to you, a rich man will hardly enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." You also hear here that the disciples themselves and other people also judge Zachaeus in this way and are therefore displeased with the Lord, because he does not know how to find any other host in the whole city of Jericho than this rich usurer. All of them consider Zachaeum a sinner who is not only not worthy of heaven, but he is also not worthy of being dealt with by a pious man.
But what happens? Our Lord Jesus does nothing about it. And since Zacchaeus could not hope to speak a word with Christ, the Lord asked to be his guest. And when he came to his house, he made an absurd judgment, saying, "Grace has come to this house today. This is said that Zacchaeus has a gracious God; and he honors Zacchaeus with a glorious, beautiful name, calling him a child of Abraha, that is, an heir of the glorious promise made to Abraham, that through the promised seed he would be delivered from the curse and inherit the eternal blessing.
7 Finally, the Lord answers with a very serious word, and wants to be unpunished by the people because he accepts Zachary. My office, he says, is to come to such poor sinners and help them from death and sin to eternal life; as we also heard such responsibility on the day of Matthew.
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(8) What else do we conclude from all this, but that Christ Himself concludes with this example by His own testimony: that He does not want to exclude rich people from His kingdom, along with other sinners; but just as poor people should not pay for their poverty, God wants to be their God through Christ and help them to eternal life: so the rich should not pay for their riches either, God wants to accept them gladly and make them blessed; as the Lord also says according to the hard saying of Matthew 19, which you heard before.
9th For when the disciples were astonished at such a severe judgment, and said, "Lord, who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible. For that he says, "With men it is impossible," is saying this much: As they are men by nature, they cannot do otherwise than cling to their temporal goods and serve mammon. But if they are to come to God's kingdom, they must become different, so that God may stir their hearts through His word, and the Holy Spirit may work in them. 2c.
(10) Therefore, rich people should beware of thinking that God does not want them in His kingdom because they are rich; He only wants to have them if they repent and desire His heart.
(11) And they also have need of them. First of all, because God has blessed them abundantly, they should take care of the churches and promote them, so that they are the better appointed; as Isaiah says Cap. 49, 23: "Let the kings be thy nurses, and their princes thy nurses." For since the church office is a difficult one, in which one cannot wait for worldly affairs and especially for food, it is highly necessary that such persons have their proper providence and can attend to their office. Rich people should do their best, because the poor do not have the means, and it is undoubtedly a special service and pleasure for God.
- Secondly, our Lord Christ also needs the rich to help raise up fine, skilful boys for teaching and godliness. For this he-
We generally find that the children of poor people are more capable of learning. But where they are not helped to do so by rich people because it is not within their means, they have to stay behind and cannot get ahead.
Thirdly, there are other poor, needy people who cannot provide their food due to illness or other accidents. Rich people should do their best and help them gladly. For this is why God has given them more than others, so that they may be faithful stewards and make good use of such blessings.
14 This is the first thing we are to learn from today's story: that our Lord Christ does not throw away the rich Zacchaeus because of his wealth, but invites himself to him, and thus draws him to himself with special diligence, as if he were more interested in him than in other people. Since Zacchaeus could not have dreamed that the Lord would be so friendly to him, he was content just to see him: the Lord desired to accept him as a guest, and posed as if he could or might stay with no one else but him. "Come down in haste," he says, "for I must stay at your house today." This is as much as if he could not stay with Zachaei, whom all others shunned as a great sinner, and would have nothing to do with him. This is the first teaching. A wonderful, beautiful comfort, especially for rich people, that they should believe that they also belong to the kingdom of Christ, that God will also be merciful to them and make them blessed for the sake of His Son Christ Jesus.
The other, and even more important, is the example of Zacchaei, in which a special useful lesson is given to all rich people: if they want to enter the kingdom of Christ, how they should go about it. In the papacy, your loved ones know what rich people have been exhorted to do. For it has been proclaimed from all pulpits that if they want to be saved, they should build churches, decorate them, buy indulgences, endow masses, and do other such things. And such preaching was well advised to the priests.
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For there we have learned that everyone gave most abundantly, and they almost brought the whole world's goods and money to themselves. For everyone thought what money and goods he would have if he had died; therefore he spent it on such worship, which was so highly praised, in the hope that God would pay for it in that life. But such a thing is called being led to the ice, and not only deceiving and lying to the people, but also leading them to eternal harm and damnation.
(16) For it is written in the gospel of this day, which is the only and right way that every man should go if he would be saved. Namely, that we should follow the example of Zachariah, and not let the Lord Christ pass by in Jericho, but run after him, and seek how we may see him. That is, rich people should not care so much about their trade, business and food; they should first and foremost keep to the word, follow it, listen to it diligently, take it seriously, and let it be their greatest treasure. As we see here in Zacchaeus, as soon as he hears that the Lord Jesus is in the city of Jericho, he does not let his trade and business stay at home, but rushes to the square and wants to see what kind of man he is.
17 When he came to the place where the Lord was, the evangelist said that he had to go away again, because he was a small person and there were many people around the Lord Christ. Therefore, thinking of a special advantage, he runs and climbs a tree in the street, where the Lord should pass through, so that he could see him well and truly. From all this we must sense how this man had a special heart for the Lord Christ, and how he was so earnest that he only wanted to see him. Just as he did with Christ, who at that time walked and preached in the flesh on earth, so rich people should also do with the word, esteeming it as the highest treasure, pursuing and running after it; this is the right way to Christ and to eternal life.
- but here we find two major obstacles
The evangelist reports the following facts. The first: that Zacchaeus is too small; the other: that the people are too many and he cannot see over them. These two defects are found in all the rich, and hinder much beyond measure. For just as Zacchaeus is small in person and is hindered by not being able to see Christ properly, so all rich people have very small, narrow hearts that cling to their possessions and become so entangled with worries about food that they cannot see Christ before them or grasp and keep his word in their hearts. As the Lord also says in the parable of the seed that falls among thorns, that the thorns overgrow it, that it cannot come over itself, it must remain small and be pressed down. Therefore the prophet exhorts with special diligence and says: If great goods fall to you with heaps, do not hang your heart on them. (Ps. 62:11) That is, your heart should not be concerned about temporal things, but should be concerned about God's word and about eternal things; you should diligently pursue them. But most of them, as I have said, have too small, lowly hearts for this, or let their own unbelief and despair drag them down, so that they do not trust to come to Christ; they think that they are lost, they are great sinners; they cling down to the temporal, they do not want to go up to the Word and that which is eternal.
19 The other defect is that Zacchaeus is not only small, but there are many people, which also hinders him, because he cannot look over the people. Now this is the trouble that goes on everywhere in the world, especially for money and good things: everyone does not look to God's word for what it means and wants, but to his nearest neighbor. What he does, we let ourselves think, we also have power. It follows that there is neither a measure nor an end to miserliness, ruthlessness, oppression and scraping. As we can see, miserliness has unfortunately gained the upper hand in all classes. This is the people who stand in the way of Zachaeo, so that he cannot see the Lord Jesus.
020 What therefore doth Zacchaeus? He has the grace to see that it will not happen in that place; therefore he does not stay among the people;
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Nor is he deterred from returning, as if he could not come to Christ, but runs ahead to another place where there is room, climbs a mulberry tree, so that, although there are many people around Christ, he may nevertheless remain unhindered and actually see him.
21 So shall we also do. We are not to follow our weak little heart, nor are we to follow it. Neither shall we endure the vexations of the world; but tear ourselves away from such vexations and evil examples, and go to another place, where we are not hindered. That is, if other people do not want to come to the Word and the Lord Christ, we should not hinder ourselves; we should not therefore also become unbelievers, or despise the Word, but rather think, "Well, if the whole world would be covetous and despise the Word, I will not do it. This means to tear yourself away from the people with Zachaeo, and to climb up the tree and into the heights, so that we remain unhindered by the people. Where this happens, and you commit yourself to God's word with all your heart, you let yourself love it for everything, you esteem it the highest and greatest treasure, which you will enjoy for eternity: then Christ will look upon you and become aware of you, like Zachaei; and he will invite himself to you, preach to you in your heart by the Holy Spirit, so that you become a different person than you were before. For it is impossible for anyone who is thus attached to the word with heart and earnestness, that Christ should not dwell with such a man by his Spirit and impart all kinds of grace to him.
22 Therefore it is all up to us to take Zachaeo seriously, and to desire with all our hearts to see Christ, that is, to hold to His word with earnestness; so Christ will look at us again, and come to us through His Spirit. As Isaiah says in Cap. 66:2: "I look upon the wretched, and the brokenhearted, and fearing my word"; that is, he who thinks highly of my word, and would not willingly do or undertake anything contrary to it; he is a dear guest to me, where I love to be; he is my right temple or church, which I will sanctify to myself, that I may have my order there.
Then other delicious fruits will follow. For this guest does not come in vain; he wants to bring great gifts and even make new hearts, as we see in Zacchaeus. Before he came to the knowledge of Christ, he was a stingy merchant who did nothing but think of his own profit. Now he forgets this and thinks of other people, how he can help them with his money and goods. Behold," he says to the Lord, "I give half of my goods to the poor. Where does another heart and other thoughts come to him so soon? Before, no one could fill him; now he thinks it cannot fail him. Before nobody could enjoy his for a farthing; now he wants to give to everybody. It comes from nowhere else but from the word of our Lord Christ, which he has put into his heart. For we must not think that the Lord's only concern was to eat with Zacchaeus and to fill his belly. He had other food to eat, as he said to his disciples at the well in John 4, that he preached a sermon to Zacchaeus in his house over the table, turned him away from avarice, and led him to right obedience to God.
Zacchaeus accepts such a sermon with earnestness; he recognizes that he has lived badly in many ways up to now; he is sorry for it; and since he has previously taken from others and, as the miserly, has maltreated and scraped where he could, he lets go of it and now wants to consider the needs of poor people and help them. For he hears from the Lord Christ how money and goods can be invested and used far better than he has used them so far. For it is common for rich people to spend their money and goods for splendor, to build splendidly, to dress deliciously, and to seek all pleasure with food, drink, and other things. But this is called misusing money and goods; for it is a vain temporal thing, which does not remain, or, to put it right, since we do not remain with it; we go away and leave it all behind. And often we burden those who do not thank us for it and we do not grant it to them, just as much as others whom we do grant it to. Zacchaeus sees this and for this reason wants money and goods.
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Do not misuse it in this way, but invest it wisely and buy an eternal treasure for yourselves. As the Lord teaches in Matt. 6:20, "Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.
25 Do you ask how this happens? Christ teaches you very well, Luke 16:9, when he says, "Make friends of unrighteous mammon, that, when ye have offered, they may receive you into the eternal mansions. For Matthew 25 says that what we poor Christians do too well is not lost, but that he himself will praise and pay for it on the last day before his Father and all the angels. Zacchaeus learned this from the Lord Christ; therefore he thinks he will use his money and goods in this way, and says: "I give half of my goods to poor people. That makes me a good holy man.
(26) If you had ten thousand guilders, would you not think that you would become a beggar if you gave away five thousand guilders and distributed them among poor people? But Zacchaeus not only thinks it is a small loss, but he also thinks that he cannot invest money and goods much, nor make a greater profit from them; and this is also the truth. For thus also Solomon says Prov. 19:17: "He that hath mercy on the poor lendeth to the Lord usurpingly, and he shall repay him with good. This is ever a certain debtor, since we can doubt neither the principal good nor the profit. And we have the advantage that with the temporal we buy the eternal. But no one believes it, except little Zacchaeus and those who desire to see the Lord Christ from the heart.
27 Now Zacchaeus said he would give half, and not all together. This is also right. For God does not want you to give to poor people, so that you and yours also have to beg and then lie on other people's necks. He demands nothing more than that you give from what you can get without harm and is superfluous. As Paul also says: Non ut aliis remissio sit, vobis autem molestia (Not that
The others have rest, and their tribulation), 2 Cor. 8, 13. "Your abundance", he says, "shall serve that lack"; so it goes in a moment.
(28) But let us beware lest we follow the example of the world, in which the eyes are always wider than the belly; if we have many thousand florins, it is called abundance; one, two, or three thousand florins is considered a small thing. Christians should not go so far as this, but should be satisfied with their daily bread and help poor people with the rest. Thus the wise man also teaches, Prov. 5:15: "Drink water out of thy pit, and rivers out of thy well." This is as Paul says, Create something upright with your hands, that you eat not a stranger's bread, but your own earned and acquired, Eph. 4:28. After this Solomon goes on to say, "Let your wells flow out, and the rivers of water upon the guests." This is as Paul also says in the same place, Thou shalt also give to poor people. But such giving shall be with measure, that, as Solomon saith here, thou have thy wells alone, and no stranger with thee. For thou shalt not give it all away, but thou shalt always keep so much that thou mayest keep thyself with thine own, and also give to others that are in need. This is the one fruit that we see in the Zachaeo, and rich people should be accustomed to it and also help the poor abundantly; because it is for God's service. For he has commanded it, and we shall enjoy it forever.
29 The other fruit is that Zacchaeus offers that if he has deceived anyone, he will restore him fourfold. Rich people should do the same, if they want to be God's children and true Christians. For with unrighteous goods, if it is possible, nothing else should be done, except that they should be restored to those to whom they belong. Whoever wants to give alms should do it from his own property and not from other people's property. For, as Isaiah says, "God hates robbery or stolen offerings."
(30) Here again we see how Zachaeus' heart is quite different from what it was before he came to Christ and his word. For before this was his opinion that he could not
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He asked whether it was right or wrong for other people, if he could only have great profit; then it was all up to him. As we can see, this is unfortunately the case everywhere in the world. But now not only does he not want to cheat or overcharge anyone, but where he has done so before, he wants to pay for such damage fourfold. Learn to do the same to Zachaeo.
(31) But it will be found that many a one would hardly walk along in a double coat, wearing marten hoods *) every day, if he were to return unjustly won goods only falsely. That is the example of Zachaei followed badly. Therefore, such kingdoms may watch how it will happen one day. For the examples are sufficiently before eyes, how it comes to an end with unjust property and the shameful avarice: that often not only the property, but also body, life and soul together disgracefully.
32 But behold, what a wonderful treasure Zacchaeus has. Through faith in Christ he becomes a child of Abraha, that is, his sins are forgiven and he is a child of eternal life. This is the highest and best good. On the other hand, because he helps poor people abundantly, and protects himself from
*) Coat of tan fur. D. Red.
If he keeps his life from unfaithful, deceitful dealings, he not only has a good conscience about it, but also a certain hope that God is pleased with his life and that he will enjoy it for eternity.
(33) Let this be a great glorious thing, and learn to do the like. If God has given you good food and rich blessings, beware that you do not set your heart on them; seek rather the eternal treasure. Thereby the Holy Spirit will come into your heart, so that you will also become a child of Abraha, and receive the blessing and be delivered from the eternal curse. After that, other beautiful fruits will follow: that you will even lead a new life, help poor people, act honestly and Christianly with everyone, and God will have a special pleasure in you, and will hold temporal and eternal blessings over you. May our dear Lord God grant this to all of us for the sake of Christ, His Son, through His Holy Spirit, amen.*)
*) Here the edition b concludes the sermons with the words: "GOD the Father, GOD the Son" 2c. The edition d, however, has the following remark: After that follow a wedding sermon and two funeral sermons, put in form for the simple pastors, so that in both cases they can safely see where they should direct their sermons. For it is not necessary to preach such sermons all the time, but it is enough to stick to only one piece at a time, depending on the time and the person.
A wedding sermon.
Hebr. 13, 4.
Marriage shall be kept honest among all, and the marriage bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
(1) Marriage has always been considered an honest and praiseworthy life by sensible and disciplined people, even among pagans. For sensible and disciplined people are naturally pleased when they see two married couples living together in discipline and unity, bringing up their children in the fear of God, and working for discipline and honor.
The children are to be kept in good health, one assisting the other in times of need, and being helpful with all the advice and action one can muster. Again, where people live in fornication, sin and shame outside of marriage, do not take care of their children or keep them in line, and the boys run one way and the other the other way, and neither show true love nor faithfulness to one another: such is the case.
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All reasonable people consider illegitimate life evil and shameful by nature.
Nevertheless, one sees how the young servants and the rabble fall away and flee the married state as a difficult and unpleasant life, and wants to love such wild, insolent servants more and more the free and uncaptured life, rather than such a conscientious, chaste and praiseworthy life in marriage. But in the course of time the punishment is all too much. For besides the fact that such servants willingly defile themselves with sins outside of marriage, and make enemies of God, there are also other bodily punishments: that not only do money and goods wear out with such,*) but they must also pay with their skin. For in such lewd lives are found many terrible diseases and plagues; sometimes open shame and vice, sometimes also murder and other misery. The world is full of such examples, so that God may show a special earnestness that he wants the marriage state to be kept pure and unnoticed. But where sometimes such temporal punishments do not follow, and God lets the bad boys go according to their will. If, however, such temporal punishments do not follow, and God lets the wicked go according to their will and remain with dignity and a healthy body and great goods, there is certainly more trouble to come, namely, God's wrath in that world and eternal damnation.
(3) Just as the mad young world flees the marriage state for the sake of such a free, wanton life, so it is also found on the other side that the devil has so deceived some that they, out of sheer holiness, as those out of vain wantonness, despise the marriage state and have chosen an illegitimate life. As Paul prophesied in 1 Tim. 4, 3: "It will come to pass that some erroneous spirits will forbid marriage for the sake of their holiness. As we see in the pope, in all his bishops, priests, monks and nuns, who swear to the marriage state, and for the sake that they live without marriage, spiritual people want to be praised, who do not live in a carnal state, as they judge the marriage state, but in an angelic or spiritual state, and for this reason alone.
*) Wear out - come apart in fasem.
D. Red.
The first is the one who called them clergymen, as if those who are married could not also be clergymen.
4 The reason for this is that the married state is so common and has no special standing in the eyes of the world. That is why the priests or clergymen have abandoned such a bad common life and have done something special that would have a greater reputation than for a citizen to sit at home with his spouse, to nurse his children with sour work, and the like. For this is the way of the world: What is common, it does not respect; on the other hand, what is strange and something special, everyone wants to have. No one considers it special that the sun comes out every day; but since the thick darkness lasted so long in Egypt, they undoubtedly learned and found that it is a wonderful, beautiful and great blessing for the sun and its light. So we do not consider it a special grace when it rains; but since in the kingdom of Israel in the time of Elijah there was no rain in four and a half years, they learned how it would be a great blessing. The same is the case with holy matrimony among the papists; because it is such a common state, where any peasant may come to, the pope's clergy have despised such a common life, and have devised and performed a peculiar one, which would have great prestige before the people; as Nicolaus de Lyra says in the 12th chapter of Daniel: "The Antichrist will therefore take no notice of women, that he may make himself a greater semblance of holiness." But the good that comes of this is that we should learn from their example that the married state is a glorious and holy life; for the very reason that they despise the married state, they are punished with all kinds of abominable and blasphemous sins; for in no play have they so defiled themselves against all reason and nature as in this very play.
(5) Now, because the married state is a thing of refuge among the saints of works, or hypocrites, and the rude people of the world, and is thought to be either an unholy and common life, or a hard and captive life, it is necessary that from the word of God concerning the married state a right and holy life be found.
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The first thing is for the young servants to learn what the married state is for, and then to know how they should conduct themselves in it. So that one does not remain only with what the world says and holds about it, with its mad saints, but what God and his word says about it. Although the Scriptures are full of such sayings, in which the marriage state is gloriously praised, let us now stick to the saying in Hebrews 13, which reads: "Marriage should be kept honest with everyone, and the marriage bed undefiled. But fornicators and adulterers God will judge."
(6) This saying is very short, which, in addition to speaking gloriously of the marriage state, and severely threatening those who despise the marriage state, also makes one think why he wants this state to be held so honestly, because otherwise it is generally despised and fled in the world, as we have heard. For this is the opinion of this saying: that marriage is a glorious, beautiful and delicious thing, so that all who are in it should regard their life as a noble, glorious and beautiful ornament and consider it the same in the eyes of the world, and the world should say what it wants about it.
(7) Such divine work of the marriage state, as everyone sees, is far different from what the world thinks of it. For if the world held the marriage state to be so delicious and honest, it would not flee from it and live without marriage; but, as one otherwise strives, where something good and delicious is to be expected, one would also reach for the marriage state with love and joy, and not so resist it with hands and feet, like a deer before the dogs. For the fact that the world thus resists and blocks itself, and now considers one thing and now another, is all an indication that it neither knows nor believes God's word about the marriage state; otherwise it would probably take a different stand on it.
- The reason why the world is so reluctant to marry is partly explained above: that no one likes to be bound, and is afraid that it might turn out badly. Therefore it will be necessary that
We will also look for the causes here in this section and show them: Why the holy scripture praises the marriage state so honestly and so highly. And especially the Christians should think about these causes and move them, so that they can meet the world and defend the marriage state against the world's blasphemy.
9 So this is the first cause: that one can prove from God's Word that marriage is instituted by God Himself and implanted in our nature. As this is clearly indicated in the first book of Moses; and Christ in the New Testament, Matth. 19, 4. 5., says: "He who in the beginning made man, made that there should be one man and one woman, and said, Therefore shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife"; and continues in v. 6: "That which is joined together in marriage, that God hath joined together. Let this be to everyone a glorious, great glory and praise of marriage, that it is not a work of man by his own will, but of God, for which God Himself created man; that a married couple can boast of this before God with all truth, that they are in a state that pleases God, which God Himself has established and implanted in nature; and because they live in such a state, that they live in God's work, yes, also in God's right and actual good pleasure.
(10) The pope and his crowd do not have this glory. For they can nowhere indicate that God has commanded them to live without marriage: therefore the contradiction follows, because they remain outside of marriage, that they live apart from and against God's word, will, commandment and good pleasure, and in their own will; which can never please God. Therefore, when things go badly for them, as they deserve, it is not possible for them to have the comfort that married couples have, who can admonish God in all kinds of misfortunes and concerns: O Lord, this misfortune and that misfortune oppress me 2c. Now you know that such misfortune befalls me and comes upon me in the very state that you created and established with man in paradise. Therefore help that we in such
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Life, established and created and preserved by you, may be delivered from this and that misfortune 2c. With such prayer, the spouses may come before God, since they live in their own devotion contrary to God's word and will, and therefore may not wait for comfort nor pray to God properly.
(11) Therefore, if the pope and his celibate company praise their monasticism and celibate life very much, praise rather this celibate life, to which hangs the glorious name and title that it is a divine life, created and commanded by God and His Word; which no monk nor priest will ever be able to boast of his celibate life.
(12) Now this is the first and also the highest reason that one should keep the marriage state honest, as the text teaches. For since there is nothing besides nor above God, there can be nothing higher nor better on earth than what He has ordered and created Himself; as the text reports in the first book of Mosiah: "And God saw what He had created, and behold, it was all very good." Under this creature, which is all very good, is also the married state. Unmarried life is not among them; the devil has invented it, if one wants to take it for a service of God and force the people to it, as the pope does.
(13) The other reason is that God has not only instituted the marriage state, but He has also given His blessing to it. This same blessing is not merely that God gives children, for apart from marriage children are also born, but that God delights in the children of marriage and in the whole community, and gives grace that they may be properly brought up and well nourished and preserved. Therefore, the 128th Psalm includes this among the blessings of godly husbands and wives: that they may nourish themselves with the work of their hands and see their children's children. That is, godly husbands and wives shall have the blessing of food and children, that they may abide, and that they may have a continuance, whereas money and goods in unmarriage are broken and all kinds of misfortune follow.
This should also move us to gain pleasure and love for this state, because we are not alone in doing God's will,
but also find all kinds of blessings in it. And certainly there is little happiness or salvation to be expected from people who despise such comfort and God's promise and prefer to leave their free and wanton life to themselves. It is also to be feared that those who persist in such contempt for a long time may be so provoked by God's wrath that, even if they enter into marriage afterwards, there will still be neither happiness nor salvation with them. As is often the case with fornication and other bad habits in one's youth that cause one not to have much good time in marriage, and that both wife and child turn out badly. For as stated above, God wants to keep the marriage state so that all those who live in fornication and cause trouble will be punished. Therefore, the young people should take care in time, and keep themselves in the fear of God and in pure discipline, so that they themselves will not hinder or endure such blessings that God has attached to marriage.
(15) The third reason that the married state is to be kept honest is this: that in this state almost all the greatest saints have spent their lives, as the whole of the Old and New Testaments testify. But if you want to know why they have all lived in marriage, I cannot give you a better reason, nor a more certain one, than that all godly people have always kept to God's will and word. Because God Himself instituted and commanded the married state, they, as obedient people who needed such an order from God, gladly entered into the married state for the sake of God and their need, regardless of the fact that the world and the rabble loved the free and unashamed life more. Now this is no small glory, that he who is in marriage can say with a clear conscience that he is in the same state as the holy patriarchs, prophets, apostles and other saints all lived in. Since, on the other hand, the celibate life was first practiced by some heretics, so that they made a pretense of special holiness with it; and then confirmed by the pope, as the arch father of all hypocrisy, and praised for a spiritual life.
1306 L. 3, SIS-S21. A wedding sermon. W. XIII, 2SIS-2S18. 1307
16 For John the Baptist and others like him, who have abstained from marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, as Christ calls it, have a special opinion. We are talking here in general about all those who want to be Christians and cannot live chastely apart from the married state. It is very comforting to them that they see before them so many great examples of saints who have all lived in the married state and have gone before in this holy order. In truth, this is a great praise to the conjugal state. For who would not prefer to be found with such a large group of holy people in the same life, status and nature, than with the pope and his whole group, who in this and other ways live so publicly against God's commandment and His holy examples?
(17) The fourth reason why the married state is honestly and gloriously kept and not to be despised is this: that without the married state we cannot well live without sin and in a good conscience. For thus Christ himself says, speaking of those who live without marriage, "This word cannot be grasped by everyone." And Paul commands, "Let every man have his own wife, avoiding fornication." For through original sin human nature is so weakened and corrupted that few can live in good conscience apart from marriage.
18 Since the married state is a medicine which God Himself created and ordained for this purpose, as His word indicates, so that we may stand in good conscience and live chastely, who would be so rude and impudent as to consider this state unholy, as the pope does? But, as reported above, he has received his deserved reward. In order that the papists might hold everyone sacred, they have conspired marriage, and thereby fall into the greatest sin and disgrace, so that all the world finds out about their desolate life and says. It serves them right: why do they so wickedly despise God's creature and order? But we should also, for this reason, hold the marriage state in high esteem, and thank God with all our hearts for such a means, which serves us so that we may not, through fornication and other immorality, become a slave to God.
and thus not fall into God's judgment and terrible sentence, of which we will report below.
The fifth and last cause is this: that the marriage state should also be kept honest, so that it is such a life, which, if it is kept right, is thoroughly full of vain good works. For the very love that exists between husband and wife is one of the special good works that God has commanded and allowed to remain in nature, and helps with His Holy Spirit so that one may perform it properly and not grow weary with it. Therefore St. Paul also exhorts to such love, saying, "Husbands, love your wives, and do not be bitter toward them. Col. 3:19, and Eph. 5:28: "Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies." Therefore, whoever holds fast to such love and does not allow himself to be driven away from it by anger or anything else, is doing a right good work that is pleasing to God. For his word is written here, which says to you, "You shall love your spouse. And not badly loved; but, as Christ repeats in the gospel, a man shall leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife.
(20) Where are the shameful papists who flee married life as a carnal state, as if one could not serve God in it? For love, without which the married state cannot exist, is a great and high service of God, which God, as we have heard, so earnestly demands of us in His Word. So, the love and faithfulness that parents show to their children, namely, that they feed them, clothe them, train them in respectability and godliness, teach them, care for them in sicknesses, lift them, lay them, cover them, and what is more like that, is also a delicious and pleasing work to God, which the married couple must practice daily, yes, even every hour and almost every moment. Now, if we were to think of our own life, conduct and character in the right way, and learn that these are all good works in the sight of God, we would not only be more willing to marry, and to do such works, even though they are tedious, we would also be more patient, more confident and more joyful, even though it is sometimes necessary to
1308 L. 3, 521-523. A wedding sermon. W. XIII, 2S1K-2S2V. 1309
would not be able to do so. For when a husband and wife consider their status and life and are godly, their hearts, eyes, hands and feet must be full of good and holy works all the time.
(21) But there is the misfortune of which I have spoken before: Because these are so mean and bad works, they are not respected; on the other hand, what seems to be glorious and brave, even though it is not worthy of a vetch in itself, is nevertheless considered glorious and great; as we see in the pope's ceremonies and worship: yet the least work in the married state is in itself better than all worship there; for in the married state one remains in God's word and command; for God wants it so, that one should serve the other gladly from the heart. This goes on without interruption in the marriage state. If a child is ill, the parents are ill and distressed beforehand. If the husband is ill, the wife is as much distressed as if it were her own distress or illness. Diligence, care, fidelity and love go out of their hearts in the purest way, and do not sour them; they still have desire and longing for how one may advise the other, help, improve and ward off misfortune. Again, where there is happiness in the distress of children or in other distresses and journeys of theirs or of the little children, there is heartfelt, pure and perfect joy; no one can be so well off, the other rejoices from the heart and indulges him even more. Who will not say, then, that where hearts are so finely attuned in joy and sorrow, there are not all good works of love? In contrast, in the celibate life, God is not pleased with either love or sorrow, although it is in itself a straw love that breaks and tears every hour from a single word, if only one looks at the other crookedly.
(22) These good works of the married state remain in the home among the spouses and their children. After this come first of all the great good works, that out of this estate, as from one source, come all kinds of persons by whom the land and the people are governed and protected, the churches are supplied with preachers and other ministers, and all the offices in the world and in the kingdom of our Lord Christ are appointed.
be. For since it is especially in the state of marriage that children are raised to fear God, honor and virtue, it must be confessed that the state of marriage is the source of such good deeds for all. Whether or not a great deal of wanton servants grow up among them, that is not the fault of the marriage state, but of the wicked, godless people who do not send themselves properly into the marriage state. For he who begins it in God's name will also have happiness and prosperity in child rearing and other things.
23 But that one wants to say: In married life there are many cares, worries, journeys and burdens, which one may be subjected to apart from marriage, since each one has nothing more to care for than his own body: well, let it be so; nevertheless, this cause should not deter any Christian from married life.
24 For first of all, though thou be not married, yet shalt thou not go out free from all things; yet shalt thou suffer all manner of things, if any harm come unto thee now, either to life or limb, or to honor, or to goods. And such suffering will be all the more grievous to thee when thou art out of wedlock and alone; as the scripture saith, "Woe to the man that is alone; for if he fall, there is none to help him up again."
(25) Secondly, even though there is more trouble, care and concern in the married state than otherwise, the married state should not be despised or shunned for this reason. Reason: It is useful and good for us, indeed highly necessary, that God should come to us with the cross and that we should be tempted in all kinds of ways. For apart from the temptation and challenge, we are in great, noticeable danger. We become secure and cold and lazy against God's word, prayer and other things. Because in the married state there are all kinds of hardships and dangers, now with the wife, now with children, now with the servants, now with food and other things, the married state is like a school for Christians, in which they are finely trained so that they do not become fainthearted in temptation and adversity, nor do they drop their courage; but open their hearts to God, pray and desire help. This is also a good work, for which the married state very often gives cause. For the very reason that much distress and
1310 L. 3, 523-525. A wedding sermon. W. xm, 2920-2923. 1311
If they are otherwise God-fearing and true Christians, the spouses are urged to pray with all earnestness and to trust and hope in God's help and grace alone.
When such hope is fulfilled, then other good and holy works are also found, that one thanks God for His help and grace; that one praises His goodness and also puts other people at ease about it. All these things are fine services and delicious good works, which the marriage state gives daily under the hands; that faith and prayer do not celebrate, but must go in constant practice, because now joy, now sorrow, now need, now help and salvation can be seen every day, and cause either thanksgiving or prayer.
- Therefore, the text here says with truth: that marriage is a noble, glorious and delicious life, which not only God has ordained and graced with His blessing, but also all the saints have praised and presented to us with their lives and beings as a glorious work of God; but marriage is also to be praised because it is thoroughly full of good works, as is now said: that a husband and wife can do nothing so small in their home, which belongs to the housekeeping and the care of the children, they are all holy and pleasing to God works, which go according to God's word, will and order, and because of that happiness and salvation must be found in it.
28 Therefore Christ himself holds marriage so gloriously that he comes personally with his dear mother and apostles to the wedding at Cana in Galilee, and there reveals himself with a glorious miraculous sign, that he turns water into wine. That he might testify both with his own works, that he loved the marital state, and that he most desired his blessing to go therein. Such blessing shall remain with the married couple forever, provided that they, as the 128th Psalm teaches, fear God and walk in His ways. For where people despise God's word, knowingly live in sins, and do not practice the love that should especially go between husband and wife, but instead rebuke and beat one another and do all kinds of harm: there is no wonder, although
instead of blessings, misfortune and all miseries follow. For what good can one expect, since there is no fear of God? indeed, since one does not want to have God, but closes the door to Him and His blessing through various sins?
(29) Therefore the text does not say here in general: Marriage is a delicious, glorious thing; but it also adds the word: "And the marriage bed undefiled. With this he wants to delicately illustrate how marriage should be, which he has praised so much, and wants first of all to completely forbid the right defilement of the marriage bed among Christians, so that one should beware of fornication and adultery, as it is called afterwards. For this is the grossest and greatest defilement of the marriage bed, so that one defiles the glorious and honest state of conjugal life and disrupts God's order, and gives cause to all misfortune here bodily and there eternally. After this, the defilement of the marriage bed may well be called everything that causes the hearts between spouses to be torn apart from each other, and to be moved to anger, hatred and other unkind lives. For it is from such things that gross defilement commonly follows, as we have now said.
(30) Wherefore, if the husband and wife desire to keep the marriage bed pure and clean, as it ought to be kept, they shall flee all cause that they may be provoked to ill will and wrath. Do not be insolent or insolent in words, do not make a mockery of all things, but overlook and overhear one another. Not only to keep friendship, but also to know that God's will is so, and that God's word and command require it of us. For as soon as the hearts are embittered, the devil has already found a hole where he can separate and tear the marriage further without effort, so that the bodies are also divided.
31 Therefore the modesty between husband and wife is to be used here, since Peter says, 1 Petr. 3, 7: that men should dwell with their wives with reason, and give them, as the weakest instruments, their honor, so that prayer may not be hindered by displeasure or anger. For a man as the head
1312 L.3, S2S-S27. A wedding sermon. W. XIII, 2S23-2S26. 1313
It is incumbent on him not to rule tyrannically but modestly and sensibly, and sometimes to translate and overhear the weakness that is especially found among the womenfolk, and not malice or willfulness. Again, it is also due to women that they recognize such inherent weakness and do not indulge in it too much, but keep themselves in check with diligent attention, so that the man is not moved to cheap anger by frequent misconduct. A kind word and obedient silence can quiet many a quarrel, since otherwise anger and blows, and thus all harm, will follow from backtalk and murmuring.
(32) Now where these two things are between husband and wife: that they be chaste and modest, and that they be modest and kind to one another in word and deed, then marriage, as the epistle to the Hebrews calls it in this place, is a noble, delicious and glorious being, since not only sensible people, but also God Himself in heaven with all His angels and saints, have air and love. But where there is a lack of one, that either by adultery and fornication the marriage bed is defiled, or by unkind and wild attendance the hearts are moved against each other: then one must fear that God will come as a judge and punish such fornication or disorder. For it says here, "But the adulterers and fornicators God will judge."
(33) Because the devil takes special pains among husbands and wives either to cause fornication or to arouse the least amount of displeasure and dissension, we should not only fight against this temptation daily with diligent prayer to God and seek help, but also keep and accustom ourselves with all diligence so that we ourselves do not give cause to the devil's work and intentions through immodesty. For this is not the least piece of divine blessing, where such conjugal attendance is maintained in constant unity and friendliness. And the spouses themselves must not give cause for ill-will among themselves by unkind gestures or words; enough cause will be found every day of themselves and unsought, by which one might be moved to ill-will, quarreling and cursing and other things.
That one has enough to do, how to defend oneself with prayer and humility and not allow the devil to take over.
Therefore, it is a very fine and Christian order to wish God's blessing on the new married couple before the whole church and to make a common intercession for them, so that they will begin their marriage in God's name and that it will turn out well. Such a blessing, if it could be bought, should not take money. But now the church does it without money. And yet there are some people who are so rude that they would rather do it without money. They may be let go. But those who are Christians will enter into marriage all the more confidently for the sake of such intercession.
For the married state, if the marriage bed remains undefiled, is ever a glorious and delicious state, because God Himself has ordained and established it, and has also given His blessing to it; and in general all the saints point us to such a life, in which one has all kinds of cause to serve God and one's neighbor, all hours with heaps, as we have heard before.
(36) Therefore, if anyone would not be moved to marry by such a glorious preaching, let him be moved by this, that the text says of those who live apart from marriage or otherwise in fornication, with bright words: "God will judge the adulterers and fornicators. For here you hear, if there were no man on earth who knew or could punish such fornication of you, that you nevertheless should not escape, but before God's judgment you must go; he then will judge as he finds you. So Paul says 1 Cor. 6, 9: "Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor adulterers will inherit the kingdom of God." Here he finely touches the thoughts which are in people, that they think it is no special sin to live apart from the state of marriage, and yet commit fornication; as you see that the world holds such sin in exceedingly low esteem. But if you want to know, if one does not want to convert, what the end shall be, then listen here: You shall not inherit the kingdom of God. This will be God's judgment on the adulterers and fornicators.
Now think what you will keep,
1314 L. 3, 527-629. a brief exhortation to married couples. W. xm, 2926-2929. 1315
when you have lost God's kingdom. Therefore, everyone should beware of such a judgment and sentence from God, and do it in time to improve his life and avoid all fornication. Otherwise, although no temporal punishment follows, God's judgment should not remain outside. For there is a twofold sin: that one shuns the marriage state for the sake of a small cause, and that one defiles oneself with sins the longer the more contrary to God's will. Finally, God's judgment must follow. For here is no other remedy nor counsel, but that thou forsake fornication, and bring thyself hither into this state; and therefore not by words alone,
but also praise the marriage state gloriously and highly with your work and deeds, and keep the marriage bed undefiled by chastity and friendly attendance.
(38) Let this be said as a lesson and warning, not only for the sake of the young people who are yet to be married, but also for the sake of those who are already in the state of marriage: that they both know what they should keep such a marital state for, and how they should send themselves into it godly, so that God may be with them with His blessing and they may have a good conscience about it. May God grant this to us all, amen.
A brief exhortation to the married couple on how to conduct themselves in matrimony.
- You know from the word of God where the marriage state has its origin, namely: that it is an order of God that man and woman should dwell with each other and spend their lives together. First of all, so that by this means sin and the flesh may be warded off and we may live in good conscience. For God has severely forbidden fornication and immorality, and, as can be seen in all history and daily experience, has punished them horribly. Secondly, so that God's kingdom and the Church may be preserved: not only by God's giving children in marriage through His blessing, but also by the children being raised by the spouses to fear and in God's Word, so that God's knowledge and the right worship of God may always be inherited from one to the other, and thus many may attain salvation.
- because the marriage state is against sin and for the increase of the kingdom of God, you and all who come to the marriage state should thank God from the bottom of your hearts for this grace, that He has given you such a heart and mind that you do not desire fornication and sin as the ungodly world does, but fear God and desire all fornication.
To avoid. For this is a great mercy, because it is an example of how Satan has many strings to keep hearts apart from the state of marriage, so that they remain in sin and an evil conscience. But what kind of judgment will follow against those who commit fornication, Paul says in 1 Cor. 6:9: "Neither fornicators nor adulterers will inherit the kingdom of God." You, praise God, have now escaped such an abominable judgment, if you keep together according to God's order and stay with one another.
(3) But against this you shall not yet be sure. The evil enemy, because he has not been able to hinder your heart and divine purpose, will subdue himself in another way, how he may come between you and break up such marital union, or at least make it difficult and troublesome. And this especially is his hold, how he may tear the hearts from one another, that as ye now have lust and love one toward another, so he may cause unkindness and enmity. And the evil enemy finds in us a great advantage for such his purpose. For we have been accustomed to this from our youth through sin, so that each one likes to have the right to
1316 3 , S2S-S31. A brief exhortation to married couples. W. xm. 2sss-2ssi. 1317
and is reluctant to give way to the other; this does not lead to unity, but to discord. For this reason, the spouses should guard against it with special diligence, and first ask God for His Holy Spirit to govern them in this way and to bring their hearts together in this way, so that the evil enemy may not sow his seed between them and separate the hearts. Such prayer is highly necessary, that it may go on daily among husbands and wives, always asking one for the other, that God may protect us from such evil.
(4) But because few people consider this, and there are far fewer who do it and pray diligently, it is seen how the evil enemy plays his game, that there are very few such marriages where there is no quarreling, quarreling, cursing, reproaching, fighting, and beating. The same people do not see that the devil likes it that way and creates it that way; otherwise they would not only pray against it, but also defend themselves, and where any anger wanted to drive them to scolding or beating, they would not impose it as a real devil's work, which, if followed, always makes things worse and brings one evil upon another. For this is certainly true: through such a beginning the evil enemy brings it about that in the end the hearts separate and love is even lost. A miserable life must follow, where two should be with each other, and yet cannot be with each other. And yet such plague is very mean in the world. Where does it come from? People do not look at the enemy, the devil. That is why they do not pray that God will defend them. And they themselves do not know, when they are angry, when they insist, when they do not give way to one another, when they do not want to get out of the way, that they are only giving the devil his way. Now if you want to be protected from such evil, if you desire to have a peaceful, friendly, united marriage with your spouse, learn to ask God to rule your hearts through the Holy Spirit, to ward off Satan, and to keep you in right unity.
5 In addition to such prayer, special diligence must also be used. Peter teaches about this, 1 Petr. 3, 7. "Husbands," he says, "dwell with your wives with understanding, and approach the female as the weakest.
The husband is to begin and help to maintain unity and love in the marriage. This command is especially directed to the husband, who is to begin and help to maintain unity and love in the marriage. But this is done so that he may proceed with reason and not with force, and overlook the wife. The reason is that women are weak creatures and do not have as much courage and a strong heart as men; they are quicker to be challenged, quicker to take things to heart, quicker to be moved to joy and sorrow than men. A man should notice this, not be hard on them, sometimes overlook them, overhear them, help them with a good word and spare them.
(6) But the world considers this modesty to be a womanish thing, and thinks that if one is angry, if one beats with fists, that is a man's duty. Well, St. Peter sees what is best for a man and what he should do best. It is not called beating with fists. Needs reason, he says. And that is even more, he means to give the woman her honor, that is, to spare her and give in to her, that she is a weak tool, she has a small, weak, soft heart, can be upset with a word, moved to anger. Learn that and spare it. In this way you will not only obtain unity, but also win its heart. For good words always do more for the right people than blows. But whoever does not think well of the woman, always cursing, beating and the like, what does he accomplish? He helps the devil to his work, so that where there should be unity, love and joy, there becomes enmity, hatred and suffering. This in itself is a serious matter, and without a doubt the greatest evil that can befall people on earth in worldly matters.
(7) But there is another and greater hindrance which prevents prayer. For where there is disagreement, one cannot pray properly. Cause, the Our Father or prayer is not for us alone, but for all the world. And especially we include in it: we want to forgive our debtors, as we desire that God will forgive us.
1318 3, S31-S33. A brief exhortation to married couples. W. xm. 2931-2934. 1319
How can disunited people do this? How can they pray for each other, since one is so bitter against the other? But if prayer is gone for them and others, what comfort and protection can they have? Since we cannot meet and escape the devil except through prayer, and otherwise have no comfort or help in all distress, since we can hold on.
8 Behold, in such temporal and spiritual miseries thou bringest thyself, if thou wilt be Han's unreasonableness, not needing modesty, but beating and biting like the evil horses. Peter does not call you, but the devil likes it. Therefore beware of this; you can still be a man, even if you do not lash out like this and ever think a word to your spouse is good. Let the husband do this, and God will be pleased with it; but to the husband and wife it brings all good and all blessing into the house.
But what should the woman do? Should she misuse such oversight and sensible attendance, and do whatever she pleases wherever she goes? No; that would also be against God's command. For so Peter also preaches to them, "Wives are to be subject to their husbands." "To be subject" does not mean to rule, to create and to command. This is what a wife should do to her servants and children, but to her husband she should be subject, be commanded and follow. This is also a good thing that helps a great deal in unity, when a wife looks after her husband, does his will, does what she knows he likes, and avoids what she knows he dislikes. For by this she wins the husband's heart away, that he may have pleasure and joy, that he may go home again and to his wife. On the other hand, where women are disobedient, obstinate and domineering, the man is afraid of his own house and thinks that when he comes home he will have to go to war and among the enemy.
(10) But it is not possible, it is sometimes overlooked; for we are all frail, and especially women more than men. Let the woman beware lest she persist in wrong and disobedience, but let her transgress.
Say: Dear husband, this and this happened to me in anger, forgive me, I will never do it again 2c. Women should do this especially, because they are more infirm. And not only the benefit should drive them to this, so that they prevent disunity; but the strong command of God, as Paul says, Eph. 5:22, 23, 24, where he says: "Let the wives be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church. Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives are subject to their husbands in all things." Item: "The woman fears the man." There you hear that it is God's order: You shall recognize your husband as your lord and honor him through fear and obedience. And Peter says in the place reported, "The holy women of old adorned themselves, not with silver and gold, but that they put their hope in GOD, and were obedient to their husbands; as Sarah was obedient to Abraham, and called him lord. The same daughters," says Peter, "you have become, if you follow their example."
(11) This saying should be especially noted by women. It is true that most of the misfortunes of marriage come upon them; they lose their freedom, and in the married state they must suffer much hardship and misery in bearing and rearing children, which they would have to endure if they were not married. But Peter says: "This was the ornament of the holy women, that they put their hope in God. That is, they had confidence that he would help; for this reason they called upon him and asked for help. Do the same, and you will be gloriously and beautifully adorned in the sight of God and all His angels and saints, and you will no longer be allowed to ask for good works. Be obedient to your husband, let him be your command, look to him for what he desires and wants from you; thus you serve God and preserve peace and unity in your house.
- It will also follow that God will be with you and your spouse with His grace and blessing, and will do you all good; as the 128th Psalm says, "Blessed is he who fears the LORD, and trusts in His
1320 L. 3. 533-535. The first funeral sermon. W. XIII, 2934-2937. 1321
Because of goes. You will feed on your handiwork. Blessed art thou, for thou hast it good. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine around your house, your children like the olive branches around your table. Behold, thus is blessed the man that feareth the LORD."
(13) Therefore learn to send yourselves into matrimony, and you will be provided for in every way. You have escaped the devil's snare, fornication outside of marriage, and therefore you can have a good conscience before God, because he himself has ordered such a married life. And because you ask God daily to be with you with grace and to preserve love and unity, and also with special diligence to accustom yourselves to be quiet and peaceful and to keep each other's daily faults too well, your attendance will be kind and loving, so that you will have pleasure and joy in it. And even though it will not remain outside, the cross will also be found, that now and then, now and then, evil will come in and evil will happen; yet you can lift up your hands with each other in such common distress and cry out to God for help. And is the promise
Christ says, Matth. 18, 19: "If two of you become one on earth, why should they ask, it shall be done for them of my Father in heaven. Why would you then shy away from the need, because help is promised to you, and the only thing missing is that you and your spouse, as a true, whole church of God, ask for it? Then you know how necessary it is for us Christians to carry the cross; otherwise we would never be aware of God's gracious help.
14 Therefore, as I have said from the beginning, give thanks to God for this grace that you have come into holy matrimony; and pray that God may govern and guide you in it with grace, protecting you from sins and all harm. And be careful that you do not let Satan creep in through anger and unwillingness, so that your prayer, the highest consolation, will not be hindered, and you can cry out to God for help in all distress, and keep His blessing, grace, protection and protection forever; until God calls you with yours to a different and better life, amen.
The first funeral sermon.
How Christians should take comfort over those who have died.
1 St. Paul says in Romans 15:4 that the Scriptures are for our learning, so that we may have hope through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures. Since it is natural for us to grieve for departed dear friends, we should in such cases turn to the Scriptures and seek a certain and right consolation from them against such grief and sorrow. For outside of it we may seek comfort in all kinds of ways, but we will not find a lasting one that can satisfy the heart and rightly ward off displeasure. Only the Scriptures are able to do this. Cause: It is the book of the Holy Spirit, which is the only one.
and right master who can change our hearts and bring comfort and joy instead of suffering and sorrow.
(2) Therefore let us now take before us the history of the widow's son, whom the Lord Christ raised from the dead, and set beside this consoling work the testimony of the Scriptures: that we may learn to comfort ourselves rightly, not only in the case where we lose dear intimate friends, but also for ourselves, when it shall be time for us to depart, that we may know what we shall hope and wait for at that time. The history writes Lucas at 7, 11-16. and reads thus:
1322L. 3, P35-537. The first funeral sermon. W. XIII, 2937-2S40. 1323
Luc. 7, 11-16.
And it came to pass afterward, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. And when he was come nigh unto the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was carried out, which was an only son of his mother; and she was a widow; and much people of the city went with her. And when the Lord saw her, he was sorry for her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the coffin, and the bearers stopped. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And the dead man arose and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. And fear came upon them all, and they praised GOD, saying: There is a great prophet risen up among us, and GOD has afflicted His people.
This is a very comforting story, in which both are very finely and actually depicted: first, what we humans are wont to do with the dead, and second, what our dear Lord Christ wants us to do. Experience shows that when a dear person or friend passes away, we, like the widow here, can do no more than weep and cry. Cause, we let ourselves think like her, we have lost such a person, it is over with him, we must be deprived of his presence and kindness from now on. This is our way and nature, how we see ourselves and others; we cannot and do not know any better about ourselves.
But what does this history teach us first, and then the Scriptures and the Word of God by all means? Are such thoughts of this widow also true? Item, does she also have cause for this, that she is so heartily grieved and sorrowful, as if she had lost her son altogether? For our dear Lord Jesus Christ comes and comforts her, not as we do with one another in such sorrow and soften others with us; he has compassion for her, but he does not like the weeping, for he has in mind to help her. Therefore, he says, she should not weep like this. He goes to the bier and says, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" Immediately the dead man gets up and speaks, and he gives him back to his mother. There we see that this woman had no reason to be so distressed, and that her thought was completely wrong and erroneous, that she thought she had lost her son. For before half a day is gone, her son is alive again and is fresh and healthy. This happened at that time in the city of Nain, before the gate, and everyone who was present saw it with his own eyes, that the widow had lost her son.
Son was dead; but by this one word from the Lord Christ JEsu he was raised and came to life again, as if he had only been sleeping on a bed.
5 Now the holy prophets and apostles, and the preaching of our dear Lord Christ Himself, testify everywhere that our dear Lord Christ wants to do just such a work with all those who believe in Him, that He will not leave them in death, but will raise them from death to eternal life through His word; as He says John 5:28, 29. 5, 28, 29: "The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have done good will come to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil will come to the resurrection of judgment." Therefore we also speak and confess in our holy faith: I believe in the resurrection of the flesh and eternal life. That therefore we should not only believe that as the Lord Jesus raised up the widow's son here, so he will also raise up us and all Christians; but we should believe still more, namely, that he will raise us up to eternal life, since he was only raised up to this temporal life.
For this reason St. Paul continues his exhortation and teaching when he writes to the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 4:13): "I will not keep you from them that sleep, lest ye sorrow, as others which have no hope. With these words, St. Paul makes a great distinction between Christians and all other people, and concludes: "Those who are not Christians are those who do not believe in Christ, do not consider him their Savior, and through his death alone receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
1324 L. 3, 537-540. The first funeral sermon. W. XIII, 2940-2042. 1325
They have no hope and cannot have any comfort in death, neither for themselves nor for others; they must remain in eternal death and be damned. For this reason it would be necessary that they themselves, and others with them, should think and care for the sake of such eternal misery. But the Christians, on the other hand, are a peculiar people, adorned with a glorious and delicious ornament. For they have a hope and can comfort themselves, not only when other dear people are lost to them through death, but when they themselves are to die.
But such hope is not a worldly hope, as one sees that sometimes some prefer to die, or worry about others the less, that they have lived in honor and dignity, have well cared for their children and left them well 2c. Worldly children sometimes comfort themselves in this way, but it is a miserable, beggarly comfort that brings no hope against death. But this is the hope and consolation of Christians, when they lose someone dear, or die themselves, that they believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again, and that God will bring with Him through Christ those who have fallen asleep. This, I say, is the right consolation, which we should well remember and imagine, diligently keep to it, and with it build up our hearts against the displeasure and sorrow that arise from the death of those who are related to us or dear to us.
8 For just as Christ here raises this widow's son from the dead and restores him to her, when before she thought she had lost him, weeping and wailing for him, so do you ever hear from all Christians, even though they challenge God with death. You lose your dear child, your dear husband, or any other good friend; do not weep, do not grieve, do not let yourself think that you have lost him. For it is certain that, if you are and remain a Christian, it will be restored to you. Our dear Lord Christ himself will take him with him on the last day, and thus help you together again, so that you will henceforth remain undivided and with each other for eternity. This is a real hope and a certain comfort that will actually follow.
where you enclose him properly in your heart, so that the sorrow must disappear and the displeasure vanish.
(9) And though it is not possible that flesh and blood should not grieve greatly in such a case; as we see that the holy patriarchs and fathers heartily mourned for their parents, for their spouses, and for their children: yet this hope shall make a difference between our sorrow and grief, who are Christians, and the unbelievers. For those have no hope nor comfort at all, since they neither have nor know the word of God. And if they already believe that body and soul die together, their displeasure must be all the greater. For there they cut off all hope for themselves: What once is gone, that is gone and will never come back. Therefore, the dearer someone has been to them, the greater is the suffering. But if they believe that there is life after this life, they can be even less satisfied. For on what will they rely, on what will they hope for forgiveness of sins, since it is impossible that they should not have an evil conscience because of sins?
(10) But Christians have a certain hope, since it is impossible that they could fail. They know that whoever believes in Jesus Christ, that is, whoever believes him to be a Savior, takes comfort in his death and desires forgiveness of sins from him, that he will certainly have forgiveness of sins and that God cannot be hostile to such people for the sake of his Son. For God's command is clear, that we should believe in Christ, accept Him and put our trust in Him. Therefore, although death comes and takes such a person away, as it does others, Christians know that death cannot hold him, but must restore him in his time on the last day. Therefore, although flesh and blood are concerned about such death, the Spirit is there who sees from God's word and concludes: Well then, if I no longer have you here on earth, we will be reunited there; Christ will restore the afflicted widow to her son. Therefore let there be moderation in weeping and mourning 2c. So that the Christians
4326 L. 3, 540-542. The first funeral sermon. W. XIII, 2S42-2S45. 1327
Weeping is such weeping, because there is a glorious hope with it, which finally outweighs the suffering, that it must disappear and melt away.
(11) Therefore all power is in this, that we take hold of such a hope and form it firmly in ourselves; then we will not worry so much about our dear brothers and friends who are dying, and we ourselves will be all the more comforted, even if we have to go. And it is no one's fault but our own if we leave such hope out of our eyes and hearts. For our dear Lord Christ has put all his work with his Christians so that they would be sufficiently assured of such hope, and would always have cause to remember it and practice it.
012 For first, behold thy baptism. Why were you baptized? Why are others baptized? Why do we like to be present in all discipline and reverence when one baptizes? Is it also a thing by which one should receive money, goods, power, or other such things? No. St. Paul thus says to the Romans, Cap. 6:3: "Know ye not that all we which are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death?" That is, baptism serves the purpose, even though we must die as well as unbelievers, that it should be a pledge, a sign and assurance to us that Christ died for us, and that we should enjoy his death and live with him forever.
13 Therefore, when you remember your baptism, remember this hope also. If you know that your good friend has been baptized, has taken comfort in his baptism, and would reluctantly have forgiven himself for it, for his sake let go of all sadness. For now, with his death, it has come to pass that he may enjoy his baptism and be rightly made partaker of the death of Christ. Therefore you have no cause to grieve for his sake, but rather to rejoice. Moreover, consider how you are also preparing yourself for this blessed journey home, commanding your spirit in a right faith and confession of Christ, and immediately having a desire to depart from this world and be in Christ 2c.
14 Just as baptism leads us to this blessed hope, so does the supper of our dear Lord Christ. For
There we hear not only this great comfort: that the body of Christ was given for us, and his blood poured out for the remission of sins; which should ever be enough to comfort us against sin and eternal death; but just such a sacrifice for our sin, namely, the body and blood of Christ, is put into our mouths by the power of his word in bread and wine for food and drink; so that, as the holy fathers also spoke of it, our mortal bodies here on earth are nourished to eternal life by immortal food. For this reason, it has become the custom among Christians for sick people to be preserved with such living and eternal food and drink, so that they may grasp the hope of the future life all the more surely.
(15) Therefore it is not true, as the devotees of the sacraments say, that in such a supper of the Lord one receives no more than bread and wine. If the word and command of Christ were not there, no one would receive more than bread and wine. But the word of our Lord Christ is clear. And wicked people and harmful deceivers are those who interpret this word differently, namely: that he takes the bread in his hands, gives thanks and breaks it, that is, he distributes it and says: "Take and eat, this is my body. Item, he takes the cup, gives thanks, gives it, and says, "Receive, and drink ye all of it: this is the cup of the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins." These words make it clear that all true Christians must confess, although the mouth cannot judge otherwise, for it eats bread and drinks wine; nor can the eyes see otherwise: that they nevertheless eat and drink the body and blood of Christ in this supper; not with the thoughts (as the devotees of the sacrament are sometimes wont to cover their errors), but they eat and drink the body and blood of Christ substantially or bodily when they eat this bread and drink from this cup. For thus says Christ Himself, we must not give the lie to Him.
(16) Now, as I said before, the purpose of such eating and drinking is that we may be able in this
1328 8.3, 542-544. The first funeral sermon. W. xm, 2S45-M48. 1229
Hope that we will live forever and not remain in death, since our bodies are fed here on earth not only with perishable bread but also with the body and blood of Christ. If you now know that your good friend in such a case has kept himself as a Christian, has not despised such eternal, grace-filled food, which he has sought and enjoyed, then be satisfied only for his person, he will not remain in death. Christ, as Paul says, will take him with him on the last day, and will deliver him to you again, just as the widow here received her son. Thus the Holy Sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, point us to such hope that we should be certain and doubt nothing.
(17) Indeed, the whole ministry of preaching is designed to foster such hope in us, so that it may grow stronger and more certain day by day. For why does God's word exhort us to believe in the Lord Christ and to put our heart and trust in his suffering and death? Why does God's word always urge us to show love, to beware of evil, to fight against the flesh and sin, and to set a good example for everyone? Is it not all for this reason that we may hold fast to this hope? Because where there is no faith, no love, but rather misery and a sinful life, one must fear God's disgrace and punishment.
18 In particular, the Scriptures have a very fine way of speaking of death and people who have died. For where we speak according to our manner: He is also dead, he is also dead, he is long decayed; but the Scripture says (but only of Christians), He is asleep; so death is not called death, but a sleep. This indicates that although Christians must die as well as unbelievers, their death is a sweet, sweet sleep for them, from which they will be raised again. For as it is impossible that a healthy sleeping person should not wake up again, so it is also impossible that a Christian should always lie in death, because he believes in Christ, confesses him, desires his help, and is thus departed from this world. Christ will save him [through his
He will certainly call forth the Word, like the widow's son, on the last day, and bring him *] with him to the judgment of the devil and the wicked on earth, and thus preserve him eternally.
(19) Since all this is so, let us now conclude what we should do and how we should think about the deceased. Should we also grieve and weep, as we usually do when a good friend encounters a particular misfortune? Should we also think that we have lost them, that we will not be together again? Certainly not! For how would this rhyme with the hope of which we have now heard that it is presented and assured to us in so many ways? It is certain that nothing bad will happen to Christians when they die. For when they fall asleep and pass away, it will be their blessed hour, since all their lives they have prayed and said every day: Deliver us from all evil. This cannot happen unless we take our leave of the world in the name of Jesus Christ; then we will be truly rid of all evil, and it will finally follow that we, together with all Christians, will be raised to eternal life through Christ. There we will come together again and find those who were dear to us on earth. Yes, we will become one household with the dear angels and the holy patriarchs, prophets and apostles, and have all joy in God and in such joy give thanks to Him and praise Him for eternity.
(20) Now consider whether we are not poor, miserable people, that we let ourselves grieve so violently where any one's spouse, child, brother, sister, or other good intimate friend falls away. If it is much, he might have lived with you for another ten or twenty years. You let yourself grieve so much for such a short time, and will not let yourself be comforted or rejoice that instead of such a short time you will dwell and remain with him forever in all joy and gladness; whereas here on earth there can be nothing but trouble and sorrow, as we see every day, especially in our households, among our closest and dearest friends.
) *c
1330 D. s, 544-546. The other funeral sermon. . W. XIII, 2S48-2S50. 1331
The deceased experience that now this, now that is lacking, now that becomes ill, another receives a damage otherwise. The deceased are above all this, and lie in their brooding as in a gentle bed and quiet sleep, and wait when our Lord Christ will come, knock at the bed and call out to them that they shall live with all the blessed, with God and His dear angels for eternity. Who would want to mourn for such people, since we have joy over them and should thank God from the bottom of our hearts that they have come so close to their hope; since we, who are still left on earth, have so far to go and so much driving to endure before we come to it. .
21 Let us learn this, for it is not fitting that we Christians, who have such hope, should grieve so heartily and weep so bitterly with this widow in the Gospel. She probably thinks that it is over with her son. She does not know what a good guest is coming to her, who only needs a word and her son will live again, be fresh and healthy. If she had known or could have hoped for such a thing, her tears would have remained behind. But we know it, and this hope, as you have heard, has been presented to us in many ways and made certain. For this reason it is not fitting that we should weep and grieve as much as the Gentiles for the sake of those who have fallen asleep in Christ,
who have no hope. For it is certain that those who have fallen asleep in Christ will not remain in death, but will rise again to eternal life. There we will join them, provided we hold fast to faith, and thus live eternally with them; and not with them alone, but with the dear angels, with the holy patriarchs, prophets, apostles and all God's saints.
(22) If such a hope were firm and certain in us, don't you think we would forget all sorrow and long with all our hearts for God to come soon and take us away from this misery and bring us to such glorious company? But flesh and blood keeps its kind, that does not stand; therefore we do not let it go to our hearts. We have no desire for it; on the contrary, we are stuck hand and foot in the temporal, we like it, we cannot forget it.
For this reason it is necessary that we be continually encouraged by word and sermon, and that we be often and much admonished that we do not forget this hope, but that the longer we do so, the more and firmer it becomes in our hearts, and so that we not only do not worry about our dear friends, to whom no harm will come when they die, but also gladly and willingly desire death ourselves, so that we may also attain to such grace and blessedness. May God grant this to us all for the sake of Christ, His dear Son, amen.
The other funeral sermon.
What the Christians should think when they go with the corpse, and of some special cases, how we should comfort ourselves inside.
Your beloved ones have heard how Christians, for the sake of the hope they have, do not want to mourn and weep so miserably, and how they want to care for the dead as the pagans do. Cause: Just as Christ did to the widow
As he raised his Son from death with a word, so he will also raise his Christians on that day, that they may live forever with us, if we are Christians in any other way. Therefore their departure from us shall not be otherwise in our hearts, than as if they were from the dead.
1332 2.8. 846-548. The other funeral sermon. W. XIII, 2950-2953. 1333
He has left our city and country for another country for some time, and we are to follow him in his own time, so that we may again spend our lives with one another. There you can see how natural it is to worry about such departures. But besides the sorrow, hearts always hold on to the consolation: "It is a matter of this little time, and then we will be together again. So it should be here, too; then the sorrow and grief for the sake of hope would be finely lost.
(2) But whoever does not want to give up his thoughts because of the dead can think other and more useful thoughts, which rhyme with such hope and improve us. As you will hear, the Scriptures themselves point us to other thoughts.
For when you are with people who have died, or at the funeral, you have great cause to remember with all your heart and earnestness that you are also a human being; and as it has now happened to this friend, acquaintance or relative, so it will also happen to you one day, that God will claim you from this life.
4 Therefore, do not be sure to continue in deliberate sins, but remember God's judgment, and prepare yourself for such a journey, so that you will not be taken by surprise and overtaken by God's right but terrible judgment, like unrepentant sinners. If you take such thoughts seriously, you will have so much to do with yourself, you will find such misery and sorrow in yourself that you will forget the deceased, not weep over them, but judge them blessedly; but over you, who are still in such burden and sorrow of sin, you will weep from the heart. Such weeping is necessary and useful, for it brings correction; whereas that weeping is useless and annoying, for it deprives us of the hope we have through Christ, which should comfort us. Therefore the wise man says, Ecclesiastes 7:3, 4, 5: "It is better to go to the house of lamentation than to go to the house of revelry. In the latter you see how all men come to an end, and the living take it to heart. It is mourning
better than laughter, for through mourning the heart is improved. Therefore the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools in the house of joy." Remember this saying diligently, and when you walk with a corpse, learn what your thoughts should be. You must not worry about the one who has now finished his misery and has fallen asleep in the right confession of the Son of God; but worry for your own sake, remember, you must also go down.
How would you now be sent on such a journey? Behold, thou liest in fornication, thou revels and boozes, thou scantiest and stingiest, thou art in public hatred and enmity against thy neighbor. You have done public harm to your neighbor and have neither repudiated nor refuted such harm. This is a certain indication that you are not afraid of death. But if he hastened you, as happens to many, how would you stand before God's judgment? Therefore, let yourself go in time and send yourself like a Christian, so that God may find a good will and a good intention in you at least (because life and deeds are so bad). But what happens? We go to the grave, we see that this one goes today, that one tomorrow, since we have been around and around all the days; yes, we know that death has never overtaken nor spared anyone, no one comes again: and yet we go just like the blind, who see just as little in the middle of the day as in the pitch dark of night; we do not let such an example go to our hearts; we do not think that it will also be with us today or tomorrow. Therefore we remain in the old skin, and always go on in the old trot before us, like the old cart horses, which do not let themselves be driven out of their stride. Therefore, because we have so many warnings every day, but do not perceive them at all and improve ourselves so little from them, we are truly in great danger.
(6) But Christians, remembering this and other things, may lose good friends, though flesh and blood are in pain, so that they nevertheless hold on to the joyful hope, knowing that they have not lost them altogether, that God has only hidden them for a time and kept them safe.
1334 L. 3, 548-550. The other funeral sermon. W. xm, 2953-295." 1335
But he will bring them back with him through Christ and deliver them to us again, provided we remain true Christians. Therefore, they are satisfied for the sake of the deceased. But they think of themselves when it is up to them and how God will find them. These are useful and good thoughts, since certain recovery follows. Therefore the wise man, that we may have cause for it, admonishes us that we should gladly let ourselves be found in the house of complaint. For there we see the example before our eyes, how it will end with us so soon and easily.
But the fools, that is, such people who do not accept God's word and do not fear God, still shy away from it, cannot and do not want to be around dying people, rather find themselves in the tavern, seeking joy and amusement. But how do they finally get out? Because they do not see such distress before them, and worry only about the world and what is good for them, God's judgment and sentence suddenly overtakes them, so that they do not know what is happening to them, and they are completely desolate. This does not happen to wise, God-fearing people; they like to be around people who are dying, because they do not laugh or rejoice, but mourn and lament. For by this they are corrected and reminded that they should also prepare themselves for such a journey home, live in the fear of God, and wait for such an hour every day; for this reason they are not safe, like the great multitude. When God comes to them, he does not find them asleep, as those do, but alert and cheerful, who take good care of their things and know how to get out. Whereas they, like a man who is attacked in his sleep, do not know what happens to them, where to go out or where to come in.
- then it follows that they open their hearts and mouths to God, confess their sin, and ask for forgiveness of sins and for the Holy Spirit to strengthen faith in them, to kindle love, to awaken the hope of eternal life through Christ, and to sweep out and dampen the remaining sin; so that flesh and blood and the poisonous Satan will not bring them back into his snares and disobedience, and thus out of God's kingdom and grace.
(9) For with this the wicked Satan goeth forth without ceasing, to provoke our flesh, and
The Holy Spirit drives us against God's word and will, and it would be impossible for us to resist such an enemy if the Holy Spirit did not sit with us and help us to fight. See, here you will find such thoughts again, which will improve you excellently, and point from the deceased, who now lies in God's rest, to yourself, and teach you how you should prepare and send yourself properly for such a journey. Thus prays the holy prophet Moses in the 90th Psalm. After he has made a long lamentation about how miserable it is for us humans, who bear all kinds of hardship and misery here on earth, and then still have to fear the wrath of God, and have to wait for eternal death because of our sins, he says: "Oh God, who believes that you are so angry, and who is afraid of such your wrath? Therefore teach us to remember that we must die, that we may be wise."
What kind of prayer is this? Should our Lord God teach us this first of all? We see it before us every day, yes, we experience it daily, that it is always leaning toward the pit with us. Why then does Moses ask that God teach him and all of us such things? Answer: It is true, we all see it before us every day; but it does not go to all of our hearts, we do not consider it seriously that such things can happen to us every moment; otherwise we would probably arrange our lives differently, we would not be so concerned about the temporal, much less would we burden ourselves with sins for the sake of it and be caught in God's wrath; We would gladly help and serve everyone, be at odds with no one, harm no one; but always deal with God's word, and ask God to keep us in it and give us a blessed end. This is called Moses being wise. Again, this is the greatest foolishness, that we do not remember God, God's judgment, God's wrath and the eternal goods, but instead worry about the temporal, which we must finally leave behind.
(11) Just as Moses prays and sets an example for all of us, that we should not forget the last hour, but always pray that he may be with us with his grace in his word.
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and right faith, and comfort us by the Holy Spirit: so our dear Lord Christ also teaches and tells us to pray in the Lord's Prayer, when we say: Deliver us from evil. For this cannot happen sooner, nor in any other way, for God will take us to Himself with grace and put an end to this temporal life. But if you want to think seriously about how easy it is for the devil to deceive us and throw us into sin, you will certainly take the sixth petition with you, and ask not only for deliverance from all evil, but also that God will not lead us into temptation, that is, that He will stand with us in all kinds of trials and temptations, and lead us out again through His Word and Holy Spirit, so that we do not get stuck in them. Behold, thou shalt have so much to do with thyself, if thou wilt otherwise keep thyself right with men that are dead, that thou shalt justly forget the dead, and care for thyself alone, and weep.
12 Thirdly, this shall also follow: Where you are about deceased Christians, that you should thank God from the bottom of your heart first for the deceased and then also for yourself, that he has let both of you come to the knowledge of his dear word, and in such confession has preserved your dear friend to the end; for this is the greatest grace and the highest benefit. But we should honor God in this case, and put our trust firmly in Him that He will also grant us such an hour, and, as we hope, not only preserve our dear brothers and sisters, who have departed in the right confession, until that day, but also gather us to them and let us live with each other for eternity.
(13) That is to say, to keep oneself rightly and Christianly with the corpse: not only to make a measure of lamentation and weeping, but to comfort oneself with this hope that through Christ she and we will remain heirs of eternal life, and of the dear angels, patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, and of all the saints of God who have ever been, companions in eternity. For just as Christ here raises the widow's son from death by his word, so Christ will raise up all those who believe in him.
That is, those who take comfort in his suffering and death will also awaken to eternal life on the last day. This is the comfort we are to have in our dear brothers and sisters who pass away confessing Christ and his word.
(14) But there are raw people who do not respect God's word in a healthy body, who do not go to the reverend sacrament, but lie in sin and public displeasure. And even though they are in a bad way, they let themselves be persuaded against their will to call some church servant and to receive the sacrament from him. They are not really serious, however, and do it more for the sake of habit and so that they are not thought to be unbelievers than for the comfort of their conscience. For this reason, it often happens that they do not concern themselves with God, but with money, goods and the like. For such people one may pray with earnestness, because they are still alive, that God may enlighten their hearts and turn them to His word. But it is a very dangerous trade with them. And sometimes, by such examples, God wants to warn others who are around and with them, so that in time they will refrain from sins, keep the Word, and become devout. For from time to time there are many indications that one must be concerned that such people will die and go badly.
(15) Although the bodily loss, and especially the public display of God's wrath against such persons, must be hard on a true Christian's heart, and make him sorrowful and miserable (for the hope we spoke of above is not there), let them see that God does so with a favorable judgment, and that the world has good need of such examples, so that it may learn the more earnestly and hurriedly to send itself to God's Word and a Christian life. But they are to be moved to thanksgiving for themselves by the fact that God has given them a different heart, and to command Him the matter with those who die without light and cross, that is, without knowledge and confession of God's Son, the Crucified One, because they are certain that He is just and merciful; therefore no one is wronged by Him.
16 Except in this case, however, it carries itself.
1338 L. g, SS2-SS4. The other funeral sermon. W. xm, 2sss-2S6i. 1339
It happens very often that we think that some people have an annual farewell from this life. When people are sometimes found dead in bed, or otherwise suddenly go to their deaths, we think to ourselves: Who knows whether he also thought of God in such distress, called upon Him, desired His help? If he had lain on a bed, and had only a few hours with a person who had taught him God's word and comforted him with the holy sacrament, there would be more hope that he would have come to a happy end. So we commonly remember and grieve over them; for they have been dear to us, and would not like that they had gone badly.
Item 17: It happens a lot, especially in the dying days, that people go astray because of great weakness in the head and remain in such weakness until the end. It helps nothing and is in vain if one tells them about God's word for a long time. This also seems to be a dangerous dying, since there is little hope or comfort.
(18) In such cases, we should focus on two things in particular, and then eliminate all other thoughts. For we cannot lack these two things. The first is to look at the lives of such people as they led while they were still healthy and in good health. If you find that they have loved the word, diligently kept it, not despised the holy sacrament, confessed and loved the Lord Jesus, and comforted themselves, be satisfied if they pass away suddenly. For though weakness and sin have come under, yet trust in the Lord Christ has been there; the same is the right burning fire, which consumes all sin and all filthiness, and purifies us.
(19) To such a hope serves the other part: that we should not take away the name of our Lord GOD, and that we should leave the office of the Lord Christ JEsu unhindered and unobstructed. What then is the name of God? He is called merciful and gracious, and has testified to such mercy and grace with His highest treasure, His only begotten Son, whom He made man and let die on the cross for sinners. This is God's
Name and complete will. Besides, consider also: what the Son of God's actual office is; namely, that he should seek the poor sinners, acquire mercy for them, free them from sins and make them blessed. But how could God come to lose such a name for the very reason that this man has suddenly gone away or fallen into madness? Should he not be merciful for this reason? Should he not help for that reason?
(20) Yes, the greater the need and the higher the journey, the more you should believe that God, according to His name, has been with such a person through His Holy Spirit, and does not want to judge him according to how He found him at that time, since by chance he was no longer a real person, but a half-dead person, or even a person deprived of his reason. No, God does not want to be so tyrannical, he does not want to judge us as we are, when we are weakest and most miserable. He is more interested in public confession, in trusting in His Son, and in the fact that you let the Word be dear to you while you were still healthy and able, than in all the other sins and infirmities that went along with it. So, how could the Son of God do that now, especially in such distress, he should leave his office and not seek the poor sinner by his grace, not help him and not assist him by his spirit, when he is most in need and the distress is most severe and greatest? That would be to revile the pious, gracious Lord to the highest degree, who would consider him ungracious, since grace is most needed.
021 He saith, I will judge no man: but my word shall judge them that believe not. This is not said of those who are now deprived of their reason and are no longer true men, but of those who have their reason, who can use their ears, eyes and other members according to their will. If they go, do not ask for the word, despise the sacrament, they already have their judgment. Because they do not want grace, they are not helped; they will not find another word or another Christ. But here, since one either dies suddenly, or goes out in madness
1340 L .3, SS4-SS". The other funeral sermon. W. xm, smi-E. 1341
If a person falls into weakness, there is no need, because it is known that such people in a healthy body have loved God's word, have not despised the sacraments, and have not otherwise led an unchristian life. For no one can be without sin and not have an evil conscience because of sin. But such an evil conscience is helped by faith in Christ; where this is, there is grace and forgiveness of sins. Yes, Christ says: He is the physician of sins and will not be found anywhere else except in sinners.
(22) Therefore in such cases every Christian should think thus: Behold, there are two things; the first, that I die and after such death through Christ shall be eternally blessed. The other: how, when or where I will die, or God has set my death upon me. Now the first part: that I shall die and be saved, that I know for certain, praise God! and neither the devil nor the gates of hell shall take it from me; for Christ is a Savior, he has paid for my sin, reconciled me to God, overcome death and opened the entrance to life. This is certain; and wretched, yes, condemned is the man who allows himself to be made uncertain of these things. Since this is certain, we should not worry about the other thing that is uncertain, namely, how God will take us from this life. If the dear God will let me come to bed, then I trust in His graces, and I also pray daily that He will keep me in the right faith in His word, which is a power of God that makes alive and blessed those who believe in it, until the end. But if he will take me away suddenly, this is good; for I have a Savior who has promised me eternal life after my life, even though he has not made sure how he will let me die. This is in his hand; we are his, we die or live. Let us therefore not be anxious about it, but give thanks to his grace day and night that we are provided for after this life.
(23) But this shall be in all ways, because we are uncertain of our end, when or how God shall require us to be in
We must keep our consciences clear and guard against public anger. We will never be able to live here on earth without sin. But there is a big difference between Christians and unbelievers. Christians recognize their sin, are sorry for it, renounce it and ask for mercy through Christ. The unbelievers do not do this; that is why they live in a very great fare. If you have seen this in your dear friend, that he does not knowingly and willingly want to do wrong; moreover, that he has diligently kept the word, sought comfort in it, practiced it and diligently kept to it, then let God rule. It is called well lived, because one lives in the faith and word of God; and must also follow that one dies well on it. For we have a merciful, gracious God, and we know that our dear Lord Christ will not pardon himself for his ministry to poor sinners, but will stand by them in all distress.
- Because the distress is greater where one is suddenly and unthinkingly attacked with death in bed or in other circumstances, or where one is deprived of one's senses in such distress, do not doubt that the right sin doctor will be there, and God will not judge such people as He finds them in such distress: do not doubt that the right sin doctor will be there, and the gracious, merciful God will not judge such people as He finds them at that time in such distress, when they are no longer real people; but as He found them before, when they were fresh and healthy and in their right mind, heard God's word, rejoiced in it, comforted themselves with it and confessed it. Therefore, such death is not a terrible death.
(25) He is terrible to those who live or are caught in public blasphemies; as some ungodly preachers in Berlin, Leipzig, Merseburg and other places, blaspheming God and his word in the pulpit, suddenly fell down and died like cattle. Item, those who live in public trouble, despise the word and the sacraments, live and revel in drunkenness day and night, practice fornication and other sins, and do not desist from them.
When such people suddenly go there, it is a terrible death, since eternal damnation must surely follow. For God does not want the contempt of His word.
1342 L .3, SS6-LSS. A common form. W. xni. 2W4-2W6. 1343
As Paul says in Gal. 5:19-21: "The works of the flesh are manifest, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, envy, wrath, strife, dissensions, divisions, hatred, murders, boasting, devouring, and such like. Of whom I have told you before, and still say before, that they which do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Therefore everyone in times of
and mend his ways before God's wrath and judgment overtakes him.
(27) Enough has been said for this lesson on how to deal with Christians who have died. May the almighty, eternal Father in heaven, for the sake of Christ His Son, through His Holy Spirit, graciously keep us in His Word, and when our hour comes, grant us a blessed end, amen.
To God the Father, to God the Son, and to God the Holy Spirit, the one true God, be praise and glory for this beneficial teaching and all His benefits, forever and ever, amen.
A common form of exhorting the audience to common prayer at the end of the sermon.
My friends!
Since we are now gathered in the name of our dear Lord Christ, and have orders to pray, and promise: what we ask in the name of Christ JEsu, that our gracious Father in heaven may gladly give it to us; let us first consider the distress of all Christendom, and ask that God may keep His word pure and true for us against all rottenness and heresies, and graciously protect His poor Christendom against all the schemes of the devil and tyrants. After that, let us also pray for this temporal life that God will grace it with gracious peace and blessed weather, protect it from theurge and pestilence, and especially ward off the Turk for the sake of His name. Pray also for the Imperial Majesty, the Lord of us all, and all other authorities, that God may enlighten their hearts by His Spirit and Word, so that God's Word and honor may be promoted through them and not hindered, and that we may have all the more peace in their regiment. After this, pray for all princes and states who have so far confessed God's word, that God will graciously keep them in such confession without all vexation, and bring others to it. Again, however, those who have persecuted it wantonly and still do not desist from it, that God will defend their presumption and graciously protect His Church against them. Especially, however, because now and then in all countries many poor Christians are persecuted, chased away, imprisoned, miserably tortured and strangled for the sake of the Word, we are obliged to pray to God for them, that He may comfort and strengthen their hearts by His Holy Spirit, keep them firm in their confession, and blessedly help them in body and soul. Pray also for an honorable, wise council, our lords here, that God may be with their regiment, and give happiness and salvation to it, so that God's word, honor and all respectability may be promoted, all trouble, of which there is still much, may be averted, and the common good may be governed well and peacefully. After that, pray also for our poor brothers and sisters here and in the whole world, who are either seriously ill or in great distress, that God will take care of them with grace. In the end, pray for the poor people who still lie under the papacy in error and with an evil conscience, and who do not have the blessed knowledge of the divine word, as we do: that God may also lead them to such light of His grace, and may make them eternally blessed with us through right faith in Christ. To obtain all this, pray with devotion an Our Father. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, Amen.